It could be easier for Wimmera farmers to access the Sri Lankan lentil market from next year, when a new breed becomes commercially available.
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The PBA Kelpie XT is the result of 12 years of research at Horsham's Grains Innovation Park.
Research Scientist Dr Arun Shunmugam has been there for the most recent two of these years, and released the new variety this week.
He said the new large market class red lentil had between six and 29 per cent greater long-term yield than PBA Hurricane XT, the benchmark for this class.
"It is a cross between PBA blitz, which is another popular variety in Australia, and one of our experimental breeding lines which has Group B Herbicide-tolerant genetics in it," he said.
"It flowers and matures yearly, which is from blitz's genetics. The other advantage it has over hurricane is its disease-resistant package. Kelpie is rated as resistant to moderately resistant for fungal disease BGM, which is significantly higher than Hurricane.
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"Jumbo Two is the benchmark (red lentil) for size comparison, and Kelpie is 93 per cent of Jumbo Two's size."
Dr Shunmugam said Seednet would market and maage the commercial release of Kelpie. He said large red lentils were popular in Sri Lanka.
"Because of its size, Kelpie has a competitive edge over other market classes," he said. "Sri Lanka won't buy a smaller lentil because of people's preferences, so that's an advantage Wimmera growers have.
"If we had a bred a small lentil, we would have sent it to Bangladesh."
Agriculture Victoria estimates Victoria's lentil industry adds $120 million to the economy each year, with 95 per cent of lentils grown in the state exported overseas.
The United States' International Trade Administration reports Sri Lanka is one of the major importers of red lentils with annual imports estimated at approximately $79 million. It lists India as the main exporter of lentils to Sri Lanka.
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Alexander Darling
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
