Teagasc Crop Report
Spring Beans Reference Guide
Spring Beans Reference Guide
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Spring Beans
Beans are an indigenous source of protein for animal feed and the area grown has increased since the introduction of coupled support in 2015. Protein aid which is a coupled payment for eligible nitrogen fixing crops (beans, peas, soya & lupins) has a total fund of €7 million which is divided by the eligible area to give a payment per hectare.
Table 1: Area,Yield and Protein payment for beans 2016-2023
|
Year |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
National Area (ha) |
10,934 |
12,021 |
6,919 |
6,623 |
12,624 | 8,766 | 9273 | 14969 |
|
National Yield (t/ha) |
5.9 |
6.7 |
2.5 |
5.5 |
4.7 | 5.6 | 6.1 | 5.4 |
|
Protein payment (€/ha) |
246 |
215 |
350 |
365 |
215 | 300 | 300 | 583 |
The ability of beans to fix their own nitrogen and subsequent reduction in nitrogen demand for the succeeding cereal crop has financial benefits for the farmer and in addition benefits the environment. As a completely different crop type to cereals, beans act as a useful break in many disease and pest cycles, benefiting yield and cost reduction in the following crop.
Growing a non-cereal like beans offers opportunities for alternative weed control strategies. This is especially relevant where grass weeds are becoming an increasing problem and resistance to commonly used cereal herbicides is developing.