CNS Canada — Manitoba’s edible bean crops are generally in good shape, although too much moisture could become a concern.

Canadian farmers intended to plant 246,000 acres of edible beans in 2018, which would be down slightly from 333,000 the previous year, according to Statistics Canada data.

Of that total, Manitoba edible bean area was forecast at 75,000 acres, which would be well below the 136,000 seeded the previous year.

However, industry participants generally expect actual plantings in the country will end up similar on the year. Statistics Canada will release updated acreage numbers at the end of June.

Tina Scott of Scoular Canada estimated that while pinto bean acres would be down, black beans were probably higher and navy bean area held steady on the year.

“We’ll see ebbs and flows in acres based on contract value,” said Scott Cottenden of Thompsons Limited.

Much of the business is based off of forward contracting, with more of one variety seeded one year and more of another the next year, he said.

He also expected total Canadian edible bean area would end up in line with 2017 acres, although “we won’t really know until we get further into the season.”

He described early crop conditions as generally OK, although moisture levels were being followed.

“We’ve finished planting in the west for the most part,” said Cottenden. Ontario was nearing completion, while cool and wet conditions had caused some delays in Michigan, he said.

Moisture levels were also starting to tip toward excessive in Manitoba and Minnesota/North Dakota, which could become a concern if the rains persist.

Edible bean acres in the U.S. for 2018 were forecast at 2.031 million acres in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s prospective plantings report. That would be down only slightly from the 2.092 million seeded in 2017.

— Phil Franz-Warkentin writes for Commodity News Service Canada, a Glacier FarmMedia company specializing in grain and commodity market reporting. Follow him at @PhilFW on Twitter.