Pulse guide serves to boost Qld economy

Researchers from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in Queensland have published a comprehensive guide for storing pulses and managing pests. The guide outlines how to properly store and manage pulses and chickpeas after they have been harvested so that growers can offer a high-quality product.

Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner hopes the guide will help to support the state’s growing pulse and chickpea industry, and that its publication could maximise profit for growers.

“We made a commitment to invest $1 million to fill the knowledge gaps in pulse storage, and this new guide delivers on that commitment,” Furner said.

“The investment is part of our vision for Queensland to be a world-leading provider of high-quality, safe and sustainably produced food and fibre.

“The Pulse Storage Best Management Practice Guide is the result of three years of research and collaboration by scientists from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries with producers and industry partners, involving extensive field trials and laboratory testing, as well as an exhaustive review of published information.

“Most pulses grown in Australia are exported, earning almost $2 billion annually, with Queensland’s chickpeas and mungbeans valued at around $264 million in 2020–21.

“Chickpeas and mungbeans are an essential food for millions of people globally, and Australia is known for having among the highest standards in the world for pulse exports.”

Agriculture is a pillar of essential industry in Queensland and represents a substantial component of the state’s COVID-19 economic recovery plan. With the guide, growers and producers can ensure that their crops are of the highest quality, are pest-free and can serve to boost the economy of the region. The state has been expanding the pulse industry recently, with University of Queensland scientists publishing research into a perfect chickpea designed by artificial intelligence.

The pulse storage guide is available online here.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/ELyrae