American
farmers produce a wide variety of dry beans, lentils, chickpeas
and dry peas for sale on the national and international markets.
Dry Beans
US dry bean production totals between 800,000 and 1.4 million metric tons annually. Just over half of all production is destined for national consumption and the rest is marketed world-wide. While Pinto, Navy and Black Beans make up the greatest part of annual production, significant quantities of Cranberry, Kidney, Lima, Pink, Small Red, Blackeye and Great Northern beans are also grown.
Beans
Harvest, United States. 1943.
Instructional Services
Colorado State University
• Average production of the Pinto variety is around
500,000 mt. The major producers of the Pinto Beans include
the States of North Dakota, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming,
Idaho and Texas.
•
Cultivation of the Navy Beans is concentrated in Michigan,
Minnesota and North Dakota and average annual production
is about 220,000 mt.
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• Cultivation of Red Kidney Beans - both Light and
Dark red - extends from New York to California, taking
in Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Colorado and Idaho,
all contributing to the U.S. annual 100,000 mt harvest,
of which 56 % Light Red and 44 % Dark Red kidney Beans.
Pinto
Beans field, Colorado, United States.
Dr Howard F. Schwarz,
Colorado State University
• Nebraska is the main producing state
of the Great Northern variety although considerable amounts
are also grown in North Dakota and Idaho. Annual production
of Great Northerns is around 90,000 mt.
•
Black Bean production fluctuates widely, but now stands
around 75-85,000 mt per year. Black Beans are cultivated
predominantly in Michigan, North Dakota and Colorado.
•
US Chickpea production averages about 30,000 mt per year,
and has varied widely the last few years. Chickpeas are
grown mostly in California, Washington and Idaho, although
production is increasing in North Dakota, Montana Nebraska.
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• Washington and Idaho
produce almost all of the 25,000 mt of Small Red Bean production
in the U.S.
• Pink Beans are mainly cultivated in Idaho and to
a lesser degree in the states of Washington, California and
Colorado, with an average annual production of 23,000 mt.
Modern
harvesting.
Dr Howard F. Schwarz,
Colorado State University
•
Almost all Lima Beans are grown in California. An average
of 15,000 mt of Large Lima and another 15,000 mt of Baby
Lima beans are produced each year.
•
20-30,000 mt per year of Blackeye Beans are produced in California,
Texas and Arizona
•
8-9,000 mt of Cranberry beans are grown almost exclusively
in Michigan
Harvesting of all dry bean varieties cultivated in the United
States usually begins at the end of August, coming to an
end in most regions by the middle of October. |
