The price of lupins has fluctuated in value over the years, especially since their heyday in the 1990s when growing lupins in Australia was popular. The lupin price per tonne average over the past few years has been around the mid-$300s per tonne.
Lupins are a legume and are the largest pulse crop grown in Australia. It has been used for thousands of years as stockfeed in the Mediterranean region and in the Andean Mountains.
Two varieties of lupins are grown in Australia:
The Australian Sweet Lupin, also known as narrow-leafed lupin, is the main lupin grown in Australia. It was developed in Western Australia in the 1960s, and its cultivation has allowed lupins to be used more widely for human and animal consumption.
Lupins are a rich source of protein, with 40g of plant protein per 100g. They are also very high in dietary fibre, with 27g per 100g of lupin.
Lupins are mostly used by stockfeed manufacturers for animal feed. Cracked lupins are widely used as livestock feed for their high-energy and protein nutrition, especially for horses.
Only around 4% of the global lupin market is used for human consumption. This includes lupin flour which can be blended with wheat flour by bakeries. Lupins are available as flakes, flour, splits, kibble and semolina. They are often incorporated into cereals, snack bars, bread and snack foods.
Most of Australia’s lupin crops are grown in Western Australia, where around 80% of the world market is grown. Lupins are also cultivated in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. The Australian Sweet Lupin grows well on acidic or sandy soils and is known for improving nitrogen levels in the soil.
In recent years the amount of lupin grown has declined due to lower market prices encouraging a preference for canola and cereal crops. In 2020, Australia grew 473.6k MTs, down more than 40% from 2019. Australia is the biggest producer of lupins in the world.
Lupins can grow in relatively poor soil because their roots can improve the nitrogen levels of the soil. They grow best in free-draining soils with a pH of around 4.5 – 7. Lupins require adequate moisture in their growth phase from spring to early summer but can get root rot from too much moisture during winter. Crops are harvested in early summer.
Lupin crops tend to yield better following a cereal crop. Growing lupin crops in successive years in the same field has an increased risk of disease.
For more information about lupins as well as other crops grown in Australia, you can read our articles.
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