Manitoba farmers planted 2.3 million acres of soybeans in 2017, up 40 per cent from 2016.
In his year-end interview, Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers Executive Director Francois Labelle commented on the rise in acres.
"That was a surprise, I think beyond anybody's expectations, which was interesting to see and shows that there's lots of interest in soybeans," he said. "Disappointing side was that the yield did not pan out as well as many of the other crops."
He says lack of moisture was definitely a factor in the reduced yields.
For other crops, Labelle notes that peas did well this year, while mixed yields were reported for edible beans.
A big announcement for the pulse industry in 2017, was the news the France-based Roquette would start construction on a $400-million pea processing facility near Portage la Prairie. Labelle says there was also lots of talk in 2017 about the possibility of attracting a soybean crush facility to the province.
Source : Steinbachonline