Canada’s pulse crops not only weathered last month’s killing frost but are actually thriving, according to one of the country’s largest lentil processors.
Simpson Seeds is headquartered in Moose Jaw, Sask., which was the epicentre of a widespread frost on the May long weekend that delivered freezing temperatures right across the prairie region.
The thermometer dipped to -7 C on chief executive officer Greg Simpson’s farm during the early morning hours of May 18.
Temperatures remained below zero for at least six hours but after inspecting some pea and lentil fields the night of May 20, he was confident there was no damage.
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“They don’t look like they are impacted or killed by frost,” said Simpson.
His assumption is that if pulse crops survived in the epicentre of the frost event, they should be fine elsewhere throughout the Prairies.
“As a general statement, I think our lentil crop survived and we’re off and running,” he said.
In fact, the warm weather that followed the frost event has been ideal for crop development, with temperatures exceeding 20 C for much of the following week.
