PULSES are the future of food and Australia is in a perfect position to take advantage of increasing global pulse demand, according to American Pulse Association chief executive officer Tim McGreevy.
Mr McGreevy was one of about 30 speakers and 180 people attending the three-day Australian Pulse Conference held at Tamworth this week, where discussion centred on pulse research, management and marketing.
The health benefits, including high protein and high fibre, are among the main factors influencing demand. The way pulses are consumed is also changing, with the boost in snackfood production and a major increase in hummus sales.
South Australian Research and Development Institute senior research scientist and organising committee chair Phil Davies said the conference focused on how to reap the benefits of pulses in agricultural systems and for human health, promoting the growing of and consumption of pulses.
“It’s a very positive time for the industry, where growers are seeing the advantages of growing pulses in their rotations with the nitrogen fixation benefits, and pulse crops are profitable at the moment,” Dr Davies said.
“There’s also real drive for improving people’s nutrition because of protein shortages in poorer countries and also here, where obesity is a problem. Substituting pulses into the diet has enormous positive health impacts, including reductions in obesity and heart disease.”
It’s the second biennial conference, following the inaugural conference in Adelaide in 2014, but this year’s event brought the whole industry together, Pulse Australia chief executive officer Nick Goddard said.
“It’s normally a scientific, research-based event about breeding and agronomy, but being the International Year of the Pulse gave us a platform to broaden the reach into markets and the end user to discuss pulse trading and the role of pulses in the diet,” Mr Goddard said.
“In Australia ten years ago hummus would have been something you bought in a delicatessen, but now you can choose from a whole range of hummus products in the supermarket.
“What’s underlying the growth in something like hummus, is the more fundamental change, which is the greater inclusion of pulses in the diet.”
Mr Goddard said growers were keen to use pulses for market and soil health benefits.
“When you look at pulses in terms of agricultural production, the sustainability factor is very important. It’s far more efficient to be farming pulses than meat proteins long term, and as well, there’s the added agronomic benefit of pulses’ nitrogen fixation for the subsequent crops after them.”
