A pulse processor from North Battleford, Sask., is expanding in a big
way.
Parkland Pulse Grain Co. Ltd. is building a large new plant a few
kilometres northwest of the city. Construction is scheduled to be
completed by Aug. 15.
The facility will have initial storage capacity for 6,000 tonnes of
product and will be capable of processing up to 250,000 tonnes of
pulses and oilseeds annually. It will be located near a CN Rail
mainline on a siding that has the capacity to load 60 rail cars.
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The new plant will complement two other North Battleford operations
owned by Parkland Pulse – a splitting facility and a pulse cleaning and
bagging plant that has been in business there 16 years.
Parkland is a licensed and bonded grain dealer that is solely owned by
the Fransoo family of North Battleford. The Fransoos say no government
money will be involved in the new project.
The company has annual export sales in excess of $60 million to more
than 40 countries. Sales have been growing by more than 20 percent a
year, which prompted the expansion.
Company officials could not be reached for comment.
The announcement comes at a time when many industry insiders say the
Saskatchewan pulse processing sector is overbuilt, especially
considering last year’s drought-reduced crop.
Canadian farmers harvested a pulse crop 23 percent smaller than that of
2000-01.
As well, in the past few months a Winnipeg pulse crop broker declared
bankruptcy and one of the country’s largest marketers of pulse crops
slid into receivership.
