The high protein payment, combined with high fertiliser prices, should help to maintain the beans area at 14,000ha to 15,000ha next season.

For many, early sowing in February this year has left good crops across the country.

Lynx will remain the biggest variety to be grown next year as it currently takes up 65% of the area for seed.

It was first recommended in 2019 and continues to perform on yield with a good stem strength and good resistance to downy mildew.

Its relative yield scores were 93 and 103 in 2022 and 2021, respectively.

New to the market this season is Protina. Protina claims to have a protein content of 28% which is great from an animal feed point of view.

It is a steady yielder at 101 and 100 in the Department’s trials. It has a resistance to lodging with a score of eight and has good resistance to disease.

To put the protein content into perspective, the average protein content of control varieties in Department trials was 23.2% in 2022.

Caprice has the highest relative protein scores in the Department’s trials at 104 in 2022 and 102 in 2021. Its relative yield was 98 in 2022 and 100 in 2021.