MarketsFarm — With the return of typical temperatures and healthy amounts of precipitation throughout the growing season, Manitoba had successful pea and dry bean crops during the 2022-23 marketing year, according to the province’s pulse specialist.
Dennis Lange of Manitoba Agriculture said both crops showed high yields from their respective harvests. The Manitoba pea harvest is now complete, while less than 10 per cent of the province’s dry bean crop has yet to come off the ground.
“Moving forward, there were some very big yields this year. We’re talking 2,500- to 3,000-pound (per acre) yields (for dry beans) this year, more than what we’ve seen in past years,” Lange said.
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“With that being said, our provincial average over all types was 2,100 lbs./ac., going back a couple of years. We’re probably going to be a little above that this year.”
He added that pinto beans were the highest yielding dry bean variety in Manitoba this year in the range of 2,300-2,400 lbs./ac. Navy, black and dark red kidney beans are all averaging at least 2,000 lbs./ac., while disease prevalence was small during the season.
“There are some areas that did have some challenges this spring, being wet all the way through (the season), so that will keep numbers from going too high,” Lange said. “But I still think overall we’re looking at a good crop with good quality this year.”
Despite lodging issues in some growing areas, pea yields were higher compared to the drought-stricken 2021-22 year, according to Lange.
“From what I’m hearing, we’re probably going to be in the 50-55 (bushels per acre) range, as far as the provincial average is concerned,” he said. “I’m hearing growers did get 60-80 bu./ac. yields, but put it into one big pot, the average will be 50-55.”
— Adam Peleshaty reports for MarketsFarm from Stonewall, Man.
