AgPulse Analytica is reporting that the red lentil crop is in trouble in two key states of Australia — South Australia and Victoria. | Reuters photo

Aussie red lentil crop in trouble

SASKATOON — Canada’s top competitor in the red lentil export market is experiencing problems. AgPulse Analytica is reporting that the crop is in trouble in two key states of Australia — South Australia and Victoria. Related stories: Pulse Weekly: Lentil prices poised for drop, depends on India Canada takes reins after poor Aussie lentil crop […] Read more

Seasonal cumulative rainfall for the June 1 through Sept. 30 period was eight percent above the 50-year average, according to the India Meteorological Department. | Flickr/McKay Savage photo

Indian monsoon delivers

Good rain bodes well for pigeon pea crop, which may hurt demand for lentils

SASKATOON — India’s Southwest Monsoon really delivered this year. Seasonal cumulative rainfall for the June 1 through Sept. 30 period was eight per cent above the 50-year average, according to the India Meteorological Department. Central India received 19 per cent more than normal, while the South Peninsula was 14 per cent above average. The country […] Read more

"I can see more of the bullish factors rather than the bearish news," AgPulse Analytica analyst Gaurav Jain said at the Global Pulse Confederation's (GPC's) recent Macau Pulses Congress. | File photo

Red lentil crops might be getting smaller

There could be upside in red lentil markets, says an analyst. “I can see more of the bullish factors rather than the bearish news,” AgPulse Analytica analyst Gaurav Jain said at the Global Pulse Confederation’s (GPC’s) recent Macau Pulses Congress. Related stories: The market has already factored in big crops from Canada and Australia, so […] Read more


Russia has become a huge pea competitor to Canada. Farmers in that country produced about 4.7 million tonnes of the crop last year, compared to 2.6 million tonnes in Canada. | File photo

Major pulse competitor may face trouble with pea crop

While dry conditions worry Russia's pea growers, the country prepares to become a major threat in global lentil markets

SASKATOON — There are some early-season problems with Russia’s yellow pea crop, according to analysts. “Because of frost and low precipitation in southern regions, conditions are far from brilliant,” Sergey Pluzhnikov, chief executive officer of Russian Pulses Analytics, said in a text message. Related stories: There are also problems in Siberia. Chickpeas and lentils have […] Read more

Exporters can now load yellow peas until October 31, 2024, instead of June 30, 2024, which means some of Canada’s new crop peas can now move to that market duty-free. | File photo

India extends pea duty exemption to end of October

Analysts uncertain as to whether the move was announced early enough to affect Canadian producers' seeding plans

SASKATOON — India has extended the elimination of its import duty on yellow peas through the end of October. Exporters can now load yellow peas until Oct. 31 instead of June 30, which means some of Canada’s new crop peas can now move to that market duty-free. Related stories: AgPulse Analytica analyst Gaurav Jain said […] Read more


The preliminary forecast for India's rainy season looks favourable, according to Drew Lerner, president of World Weather Inc. | Getty Images

India extends exemption on pea import restrictions

The southwest monsoon is expected to deliver good rainfall this year

SASKATOON — India is extending its exemption on pea import restrictions to June 30. It had been set to expire on April 30. Farmers in that country are in the midst of harvesting their winter or rabi crop of pulses and it looks like another disappointing crop. The government estimates that growers will harvest 12.2 […] Read more

"We're at the lower end of the old crop prices," Will Watchorn, a trader with Viterra, said during the red lentil panel at the Global Pulse Confederation's Pulses 2024 conference. Canada is going to have tight stocks of the crop and so will Australia, which recently shipped out a record 250,000 tonnes of red lentils in December. | File photo

Red lentil prices expected to rise

SASKATOON — Old crop red lentil prices have bottomed out and should be heading higher as new crop seeding approaches, says a trader. “We’re at the lower end of the old crop prices,” Will Watchorn, a trader with Viterra, said during the red lentil panel at the Global Pulse Confederation’s Pulses 2024 conference. Canada is […] Read more

China imported 427,600 tonnes of Russian peas during the first four months of the 2023-24 crop year (July to October). Russia is swiftly moving into a market that used to be completely dominated by Canada. | File photo

Canadian peas hold their own despite Russian sales

Trade data confirms what analysts had been forecasting: China is buying a lot of Russian peas. The country imported 427,600 tonnes of Russian product during the first four months of the 2023-24 crop year (July to October). That is just slightly less than the 465,940 tonnes bought from Canada. Russia is swiftly moving into a […] Read more


Ripened field peas await harvest.

Russian pea export threat takes shape

Stiff competition is expected to put downward pressure on Canadian prices, especially with a huge crop in the works

Canada used to have a stranglehold on the Chinese market, up to and including this year. But that changed when Russia and China signed a phytosanitary agreement in December 2022, paving the way for Russian peas to make inroads into that market.

Red lentils are loaded into a bulk bag.

Strong production, uncertain demand dims lentil outlook

The red lentil market is looking bearish in 2023-24, according to an analyst. Major exporters have big crops on the way and demand could be subsiding in two key markets, said Gaurav Jain, an analyst with AgPulse Analytica. Turkey is expected to import 522,000 tonnes of the crop, down from a whopping 675,000 tonnes this […] Read more