The Ontario (White) Bean Producers’ have a sense that Ontario white bean acres may not be down as sharply as Stats Canada numbers suggest – See article below. Yes beans had a tough time competing to secure acres earlier in the season but now that other grain prices have settled out to some degree and some solid forward pricing contracts for white beans have become available there is a growing sentiment that acres may hold their own.
Planting intentions can change particularly if the ‘planting window’ gets shifted because of weather delays for competing crops.
Dry bean prices – particularly white beans have held to a competitive edge where long-term growers are prepared to commit to the crop and the industry.
The Stats Canada numbers were a reading of grower sentiment prior to March 31st. The crop is not planted yet but certainly there has been good interest from those that know it best and love it most.

According to a report on Farmassisst.ca dry beans will be a larger than expected acreage loser in Canada this year. However white bean area may not suffer as much as coloured bean acres
Coloured beans will record the biggest decline with expected acreage falling 34.2% to 140,000 acres. White bean planted area is forecast to drop 10% to 135,000 acres. Nation wide total dry bean area planted will only reach 275,000 acres in 2008, down 24.2% from a year ago.
In Ontario, white bean area is projected at 75,000 acres, down 10,000 acres from a year ago. Coloured bean area is projected down an eye popping 46.7% to 40,000 from the 75,000 planted in 2007.

Dry edible bean plantings in Canada are expected to decline again this year by about 6%. If average or trendline yields are achieved production would drop by about 4%. Seeding intentions for Canadian producers follows that across North American – down.
Based on surveyed planting intentions production in both Canada and the United States could drop. Weather during the season is now critical.
The full report is on their website however it takes some digging to find the bean stats since beans are not considered a “Principal” field crop.

So says a report written by Gary Lucier in USDA’s Vegetables and Melons Outlook. Per capita consumption of dry edible beans will likely remain flat through 2008 in the face of a smaller U.S. domestic harvest and higher average prices.
“In 2008, domestic dry bean use is expected to remain steady at best due to current expectations for a smaller crop, higher dry bean prices, and generally lower carryin stocks from 2007.”
This situation may reduced exports and possibly increase imports so that US domestic disappearance remains steady.
For the full story click here .
The dry bean report starts on pg. 21.

Farmassist.ca carries a story indicating Manitoba edible bean acres will likely be steady to down between 10% and 15%, with most of the forward contracting for 2008 probably already finished.
Manitoba farmers planted 150,000 acres of dry edible beans in 2007, with White Pea Beans (also known as navy beans – but broadly classified as white beans ) accounting for about 40% of that total, according to Statistics Canada data. The first official estimates of 2008 planting intentions due from Stats Canada should be available on April 21.
For the entire story click here

The USDA’s planting intentions report sent the industry’s pundits scrambling to review their S&Ds.
Although acreage numbers are not down as hard as feared production and supplies for 2008 may not be enough for historical trend line demand or consumption.
Industry analysts took the acreage numbers applied some trend line yields and came up with some projected production. Then added the anticipated carryover stocks to come up with some implied supplies available to the market. When they used trend line consumption many of the resulting ending stocks for 2008 into 2009 came up negative – again ! – see the postings for December 16 & 19 in the archives of this blog.
In the top four North American market classes; Pinto, Navy (WPB), Black and Great Northern Beans, Blacks and White Pea Beans had a negative carry-out while Pintos and Great Northerns had a slightly positive carryout but a stocks to use ratio below 10% Historically tight.
The other minor market classes like Kidneys, Crans, Small Reds, and Pinks were balanced in supply demand or had negative carryouts.
Logic would tell us that negative carryouts are an impossibility, therefore something must give. Either utilization both domestic and export is reined in severely for those market classes that could end with a negative carryout or imports from outside North America will fill the gap.
Needless to say the industry expects prices to remain firm for the balance of 2008.
Meanwhile the crop has not been planted and depending on weather and if seed supplies are available growers may be able to “put in a few more last minute acres” to let the market slide into the next year with just enough supply. It has happened in the past and it can happen again.