MOOSE JAW, Sask. – Saskatchewan acreage seeded to pinto beans is poised to more than double as Walker Seeds Ltd. offers up more contracts for its exclusive variety.
Les Aubin, the company’s country operations manager, said farmers planted 3,000 to 4,000 acres of the slow-darkening White Mountain pinto bean last year.
“Our goal is 10,000 this year,” he said. “Whether we get there or not …”
Beans are a fairly new crop to the province and production doesn’t yet rate a mention in the 2008 specialty crop report.
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Total pinto bean acreage in Saskatchewan last year, according to the provincial agriculture ministry, was 4,600. The 2007 number was similar.
But Aubin said the slow-darkening pinto could change that. Customers primarily in Mexico like its ability to stay white.
“It holds its colour much longer,” he told producers at a recent pulse workshop. “Others oxidize within three or four months and turn brown.”
The White Mountain, developed at the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre, still looks fresh after more than a year.
The trait ensures market entry and a premium for growers of two to four cents a pound.
White Mountain has been commercially grown for two years, mainly in Saskatchewan’s irrigated areas around Lucky Lake, Riverhurst and Outlook.
About a quarter of production was on dryland and Aubin said it will do well as long as rainfall is adequate.
It becomes a little trickier south of the Trans-Canada Highway where rainfall can be scarce and temperatures can soar.
The crop should be seeded to a depth of two inches in late May and early June when the ground temperature is about 12 C.
Aubin recommends soaking the seed before seeding to reduce cracking and splitting. Inoculant should be applied after soaking.
Seed costs about 67 cents per lb. treated or 55 cents untreated.
Growers are required to purchase new seed each spring.
“We want to keep the trait as pure as we can,” Aubin said, adding the company may in future consider a seed swap as acreage expands.
Edge has been the most successful weed control and disease problems haven’t been excessive, he said.
The beans should be swathed to prevent damage and harvested at 18 percent moisture, then dried down with aeration to 16 percent.
Straight cutting will create lots of splits because beans split more easily than lentils or peas.
Aubin said growers are still on a learning curve but have been happy with White Mountain’s yield performance.
Yields range from 800 to 1,800 lb. per acre on dryland and 1,800 to 3,000 lb. per acre on irrigation.
In 2008, hail caused problems as it did for many other crops. The crop insurance coverage area for dryland dry beans is still limited.
Aubin suggested it’s not the best crop for a large corporate farm because it needs more attention. It is a pulse, and must be checked for disease.
“Timing of harvest is more critical,” he added, saying it must be harvested as soon as it’s ready.
Mexico and the United States are the two largest consumers of pinto beans and the main market for White Mountain. Total annual consumption of pinto beans in North America is 550,000 to 600,000 tonnes.
The U.S. consumes 350,000 tonnes and produces an average of 400,000 tonnes. Mexicans eat about 220,000 tonnes and must import about 100,000 tonnes of pinto and black beans each year.
Aubin said Canada is producing about 20,000 tonnes.
“White Mountain is definitely going to be the preferred variety.”
Aubin said the company doesn’t want the market to become too large or it won’t earn a premium. He doesn’t foresee it growing to more than 20,000 acres.
Walker Seeds has set 35 cents as the floor price for 2009 contracts. Last year, the premium was 31/2 cents higher than Viterra prices in Alberta.
“Any upside in the market will still be available,” Aubin said. “It’s a very attractive contract.”
