During 1999/2000 an estimated 71 800 ha
were planted to dry beans—an increase of 11% compared to the 64 800 ha
planted in 1998/99. The 1999/2000 crop of 72 004 tons represents a
decrease of 5,3% compared to the 1998/99 crop of 76 000 tons. The average
yield of the 1999/2000 crop is approximately 1,00 ton/ha.
Production per province and their share in
the 1999/2000 crop are as follows:
|
Province |
Production
(tons) |
Share
in crop (%) |
|
Mpumalanga
Free
State North
West Northern
Cape Gauteng KwaZulu-Natal Northern
Province Western
Cape Eastern
Cape |
34
200 19
000 7
150 3
000 2
880 3
720 1
320 184 550 |
48 26 10 4 4 5 2 – 1 |
|
Total
|
72
004 |
100 |
|
An estimated 115 250 tons of dry beans
were consumed locally during 1999/2000, which represents an increase of 13 000
tons or 13% compared to 1998/99. The estimated per
capita consumption for 1999/2000 is 2,6 kg, which is marginally higher than
the 1998/99 figure of 2,4 kg. In view of the fact that demand is substantially
higher than local production, large quantities of dry beans have to be imported
each year.
The
quantities of dry beans produced, imported and consumed from 1995/96 to
1999/2000 are as follows:
|
Year |
1995/96 |
1996/97 |
1997/98 Tons |
1998/99 |
1999/2000 |
|
Production Imports Consumption |
50
000 35
000 104
250 |
52
000 56
000 112
625 |
42
150 43
000 98
000 |
76
000 40
000 102
250 |
66
554 26
000 115
250 |
|
Bean
type |
1995/96 |
1996/97 |
1997/98 R/ton |
1998/99 |
1999/2000 |
|
Red
Speckled Sugar Teebus |
2
500 2
829 2
643 |
2
357 2
400 2
928 |
2
612 2
550 2
551 |
2
922 2
981 3
059 |
3
200 3
200 3
400 |
 |
The marketing of dry beans is free from
government intervention and market forces therefore determine the prices of dry
beans. Furthermore, the Dry Bean Producers' Organisation, representing all
stakeholders in the industry, has taken over some of the functions of the
former marketing board.
At present, mainly the Oil and Protein Seed
Centre (OPSC) in Potchefstroom and the Plant Protection Research Institute
(PPRI) in Pretoria undertake research on dry beans. The functions of the OPSC
mainly comprise the breeding of dry bean cultivars and the evaluation of local
and foreign cultivars. The PPRI is mainly involved in pathological research,
which is especially valuable for the certification of dry bean seed.
The information function is performed by the
Dry Bean Producers' Organisation and is financed by the Dry Bean Trust.