 “The Bean Brief”
Welcome to the “Bean Brief”, designed to keep you updated on current crop management and marketing issues.
The crop, both Winter and Spring sown has become increasingly important in arable rotations in recent years, with both feed and premium export markets developing significantly. In response, growers have needed to improve crop husbandry to ensure produce reaches market standards.
The export demand for high quality processed beans is set to carry on increasing in the future, as other traditional suppliers to the main consumers, North Africa, become less reliable at supplying volume and quality. With our comprehensive processingfacilities at Whitehill, near Ashford now able to produce large volumes of high quality beans, local growers can take advantage of a local outlet for a premium product
 Variety Selection:
- Most Spring sown varieties suitable for premium markets
- Some dark hilum winter varieties for feed only
- Check marketing options with seed supplier
Preferred varieties:
Winter = Wizard, Husky or Sultan
Spring = Lambada + Fuego (look out for Pyramid and Fury)
Rotation and Site selection:
- Never plant pulses more than one year in four (preferably five/six)
- Tight rotations encourage rapid soil borne pest and disease build up
- Avoid thin, free draining “hungry” soils. Beans do not tolerate drought!
- Avoid if possible areas with a history of Downy Mildew
- Drill for the seed bed conditions, not the calendar
 Seed Rates:
Ensure seed quality is acceptable (germination, Stem Eel worm absent and aschochyta free), preferably from Certified Seed.
Winter Beans:
- Normally sow at 18 – 22 viable sm2 (to establish 15 – 18 plants)
- Sow at 125 – 150mm deep (5 – 6”)
- Wide row spacing’s preferable
- Avoid over thick stands to reduce crop height, reduce screenings and improve insecticide efficacy
- Drilling earlier at lower seed rates better than ploughing down seed late
 Spring Beans:
- Tillering very limited
- Sow 36 – 42 viable sm2 (to establish 30 – 38 plants)
- Sow at 70 – 80mm deep (3+”)
- Wide row spacing’s preferable
- Avoid over thick stands to reduce crop height, reduce screenings and improve insecticide efficacy
- Never plough down Spring Beans
Key agronomy factors affecting quality:
Bruchid Beetle:
Has become the major pest of winter and spring beans, especially in the south, in recent years. It is the biggest single reason for lost premium potential.
- Land in areas of intensive bean production very prone to the pest
- Headland areas likely to be more badly affected (possible segregation)
- First insecticide timing crucial to control
- Ensure insecticide penetration into lower part of crop canopy
Syngenta Crop Protection have recently launched “BruchidCast” on their website to help growers optimise insecticide applications. Visit BruchidCast for more information.
Downy Mildew:
- Tends to favour sheltered warmer sites
- Historical knowledge of disease in certain fields useful
- Newer varieties much more resistant to infection
- Seasonal variations tend to influence levels of disease
- High pressure can impact on quality as well as yield
Weed Control:
- Obvious impact on yield from competition
- Can impede harvest progress
- Weed seeds and other admixture can cause excessive staining to beans in store
Post harvest management
- Beans should be dried to below 15% Mc immediately post harvest
- Drying especially important if admixture is present
- Ensure beans are well ventilated, regardless of harvest moisture
- Ensure stores are kept as dark as possible. Daylight reacts with the bean skin to increase tanning, and emphasising stains
Marketing – Where are the main market opportunities?
Feed Beans:
- Domestic animal feed compounding
- Southern European demand for pig rations
- Both these markets bolstered by GM fears around non European vegetable protein sources
 Human Consumption Export Bulk Shipments:
- Mainly to Egypt and other North African countries
- Represent largest volumes supplied
- Bulks consist of ex farm quality
- Quality variable, often not reaching market requirements
- Buyers increasingly wary of this form of supply
Human Consumption Export Containerised:
- Mainly to Egypt and other North African countries
- Growing demand for this type of supply
- Known quality packed to increase consumer confidence
 Who does UK compete with?
- North African domestic production (unreliable)
- Australia (rapidly decreasing supply in face of droughts making supply unreliable)
- France (bulk shipments only, variable quality)
Clearly the market relies on very few suppliers, increasing pressure to purchase from reliable sources of quality and volume.
T Denne and Sons has a close trading relationship with Maviga (Europe) Ltd. Their specialist knowledge of global markets for all protein crops allows us access to what is a challenging but growing market for UK beans. Visit Maviga (Europe) Ltd website.
Our Facilities
Based at Whitehill, Near Ashford, we have invested heavily over the last four years in specialist equipment, allowing us to reach the strict quality standards required by the containerised market.
Supplied by an increasing number of loyal producers, we continue to increase the volume processed year on year. The appeal of an attractive alternative break crop and a local outlet, with minimal haulage cost, growers have seen the benefits of exploiting this growing market.
Prior to movement from farm, each parcel assessed for quality which then dictates suitability for either feed or Human Consumption outlets. If accepted for the quality market, each load is analysed on intake, establishing final premium to be paid.
The Process:
- All beans pre cleaned to remove admixture
- Beans are screened to produce a uniform bold sample
- If required dried to required moisture
- Dependant on quality, some samples will be passed through rotary Needle Cleaners to remove Bruchid damaged beans
- All beans are colour sorted using a state of the art electronic sorter. This removes stains, some holed beans plus other foreign material
The speed of this process varies hugely depending on the amount of loss. This can vary from between 5% and 30%.
Once cleaned, the finished product is stored until being containerised.
Useful Links
BruchidCast (Syngenta) http://www.syngenta-crop.co.uk/news-viewer.aspx?id=41
PGRO (Pulse Technical and Marketing body) www.pgro.org
BEPA (British Edible Pulse Association) www.bepa.co.uk
Maviga (Europe) Ltd www.maviga.com
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