Weather report for the pulse-producing zones/
February 27-March 6

Australia

• Mung bean producers in Queensland and New South Wales are hoping that Cyclone Alfred will bring sufficient rainfall to bolster yields, reports Grain Central.

• President of the Australian Mungbean Association, James Hunt, told Grain Central that "a drink of rain off the back of the cyclone will see a really good crop in a high demand year."

• Earlier mung bean crops planted in November have suffered with the dryness in January and February, according to Independent agronomist, Paul McIntosh. Crops in the Darling Downs are reportedly "in need of significant rainfall."

India

• Harsha Rai, Owner of Mayur Global, told the GPC today that the high February temperatures across India have had an impact on some areas producing both lentils and desi chickpeas.

• In the major lentil and chickpea growing region of Madhya Pradesh, Rai believes the recent heat "has not yet impacted yields" for lentils, but that the heat set to continue in March "is going to affect yields for some late seeded crop in a few areas."

• However, desi chickpeas in some areas of Madhya Pradesh have been affected by the heat. Rai believes hot weather in some areas of the state "has resulted in smaller sizes for chickpeas," but that in the state overall, "quality appears good, suggesting favourable weather conditions."

• "It's also worth noting," added Rai, "that the heat has significantly impacted yields in Rajasthan – a major producer of lentils and desi chickpeas. Furthermore, the hot March weather could negatively affect yields. In contrast, Chana yields in Maharashtra have been okay so far, but hot weather will affect yields for late seeded crop."

Canada

• The lentil-growing regions across the Canadian prairies continue to see deficits in soil moisture, according to a March 3 report by Syngenta. Rain in February "did little to change" soil moisture across the prairies as we close in on the seeding period in early May.

• The Canadian Drought Monitor report from the January 31 shows that 26% of agricultural land in the prairies is affected by abnormal dryness, or some degree of drought – it is expected that March and April should provide greater soil moisture.

Pakistan 

Tayyab Balagamwala of Seatrade Group told the GPC he believes recent rains in Pakistan "may not mitigate" damage done to Pakistan's desi chickpea crop by excess heat earlier in the cycle. However, Balagamwala does think that the rains will have helped "to some extent."