MarketsFarm – Like all crops, dry edible beans have been affected by the high heat and drought-like conditions which have plagued most of Manitoba this summer.

However, they have weathered the conditions better than most, according to Manitoba Agriculture’s provincial pulse specialist.

“For the most part, the dry beans are looking okay,” said Dennis Lange. “We could use rains, just like most crops could use rains right now, because we’re in the pod-filling stage and getting rainfall right now would be a good thing.

“Dry beans typically do a little bit better in a drier year, but as far as yield potential goes, it’s kind of tough because we’ve had spotty rains this year and right now, I’m not saying what yields are going to be at.”

Harvesting for dry peas has already started, according to Lange, with yields ranging from 20 to 50 bushels per acre despite visible heat damage. However, dry beans and other pulses are still weeks, and in the case of soybeans, a month away from harvest.

“There are going to be some good fields and those fields may harvest good yields, but they’re not off yet,” said Lange. “With dry beans and soybeans, there is still some yield potential with timely rains.”