Official crop forecasts for lupines were
introduced during the 1997/98 production season. The area planted to sweet
lupines increased by 11,6%, from 19 000 ha during the 1999/2000 production
season to 21 205 ha during the 2000/01 season. The production is expected
to increase by 96%, from 13 000 tons in 1999/2000 to 25 510 tons in
2000/01.
Estimated
plantings, production and yields of sweet lupines for 1997/98 to 2000/01 are as
follows:
|
Season |
1997/98 |
1998/99 |
1999/2000 |
2000/01 |
|
Plantings
(ha) Production
(t) Yield
(t/ha) |
1
889 2
143 1,13 |
16
300 9
000 0,55 |
19
000 13
000 0,68 |
21
205 25
510 1,20 |
Sweet lupines are used as a supplement in
poultry, ostrich, dairy, beef, horse, sheep and goat rations. It contains
approximately 32% protein and 10% oil and has an energy value of approximately
11 megajoules per kg. Sweet lupines are especially sensitive to high
temperatures during flowering and pod formation and are therefore planted during
winter. Because legumes such as lupines release nitrogen to the soil, one can
expect
large yields of crops such as maize and sunflower if these are planted in soil
that was planted to lupines the previous season.