THE PORTENTS are good for a bumper winter bean crops this year after one of the mildest winters in many years.

“Winter beans look great coming into the spring with few reported issues and spring crop drilling is now proceeding apace with most going into excellent seedbed conditions,” reported Roger Vickers, the chief executive of PGRO, the UK centre for bean and pea research.

“The season is setting up for a good start, though there is clearly a long way to go. As we experienced in 2016, conditions experienced in mid-June/early July can have a massive impact upon crop outturn, even after an excellent start.”

From an international perspective, Franek Smith, president of the British Edible Pulses Association (BEPA), reported that the 2016 Australian Faba bean crop had been a record, though this was unlikely to be repeated in 2017. This could have potentially positive benefits to UK exporters as Australian issues with deliveries to Egypt dampened its enthusiasm for that source.

He also said that both Canada and the USA have forecasted significant increases in pea production, which could put pressure on international prices in the feed pea sector. Much depended upon pea production levels in India and Bangladesh to see how the market would eventually end.

"There is no trade of any note for human consumption beans. Tiny potential demand into Sudan, in June, could fetch a £10 premium over feed, but it is doubtful there is any left to be sourced," he said. "This would value it at about £170/t ex-farm.

"Currency issues with Egypt remain unchanged in any significant way. New crop bean business is being traded with same base price as feed beans and any human consumption premium is unknown at this stage, though it is believed that the export market will be very hungry for supply of good quality as soon as the first crops are harvested in early September."

For feed beans, the market values for the 2016 crop have been consistent and flat throughout, though it's a dull trade at around £160-plus per tonne.

The good news for beans in 2017 has been its delivery into the UK feed industry. Defra figures and UK trade estimates suggest that at least double last year's amount, perhaps in excess of 370,000 tonnes.

Beans provide a good source of protein and starch, which not only feed well, but also bind other products into quality pelleted feed. Feed producers do like beans. The losers will be rapeseed meal, soya, wheat and other mid-range protein sources. New crop is trading at a premium to November wheat of approximately £26/t

For combining peas, the situation for Marrowfat peas remains unchanged from recent reports. Traders are still clearing up contracts from 2016, so free market sellers will have to wait or sell at a discount – if buyers can be found.