ATTRACTED by the high prices, Kangaroo Island producers Christine and Lloyd Berry have increased the area sown to broad beans to a third of their program.
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The couple farm 1000ha, including 680 hectares of crop at Macgillivray, which also includes Impala biscuit wheat and canola, alongside a Merino flock.
They have made the switch to Karema broad beans, from Aquadulce, as the larger bean size is also expected to attract a premium. “Anything larger than 16 millimetres, we get nearly $1000 a tonne,” Mrs Berry said.
The Berrys also graze the bean stubbles, while any unsuitable beans are used for livestock feed on-farm.
“Beans are also good because of the nitrogen they leave behind for the next year’s crop,” Mrs Berry said.
She says their bean crop normally averages 1.8t/ha.
“But it should increase with a better season,” she said.
This year has been “nice and wet”, with 280mm of rain during the growing season, and 373mm for the year.