Although they have dropped to below $1000 a tonne this week, the gross returns on lentils are still very strong.

Yorke Peninsula farmer Mark Schilling, Paskeville, said lentils were one of his best performing crops in terms of return and yield. He expects to see gross margin returns of between $800/t and $1000/t, based on yields of between 1.4t a hectare and 1.7t/ha.

"They are a huge part of my business, especially when you compare them to peas, which are priced at only $350/t at the moment," Mr Schilling said.

Mr Schilling has been especially impressed with the results of Boomer, a green lentil, which has been trialled since 2004 and planted commercially for the first time this year.

* Extract from a full report in Stock Journal, November 20.