A chemical company’s poll of Canadian pulse crop growers finds improving transportation to be the main issue with which they require help from the pulse industry.
Syngenta Crop Protection Canada on Tuesday released the results of its online survey of 170 pulse growers, conducted Dec. 5-17.
The poll showed campaigning for improved transportation to be the “number one thing the industry should do to help pulse growers” in the view of 60 per cent of respondents, ahead of creating industry-and government-led marketing initiatives (17 per cent), more detailed agronomic information (nine per cent) and more training on ag-related business issues (six per cent).
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However, when the chemical company polled the same pulse growers about the “number one pulse crop-related issue keeping (them) awake at night,” 32 per cent of respondents pointed to pest pressure, from weeds, diseases and insects, Syngenta said in a release.
That category came out ahead of the high price of inputs (25 per cent), marketing issues (13 per cent), climate change (10 per cent), export markets (seven per cent) and finding and keeping skilled labour (four per cent). The value of the Canadian dollar figured in just two per cent of responses.
However, the company noted, “despite multiple challenges, most growers enjoy their current lifestyle and won’t be switching crops anytime soon. In fact nearly a quarter (24 per cent) said they planned to plant a higher acreage of pulse crops in 2008.”
