Canada shipped 173,700 tonnes of red lentils and 24,300 tonnes of greens to India in the August to October period of 2023, up from 124,500 tonnes and 6,800 tonnes for the same period a year ago. | File photo

Lentil prices to depend on India’s import needs

SASKATOON — There are differing opinions on how many lentils India will import in 2023-24. That elusive number will go a long way toward determining price prospects for the crop, says an exporter. Stat Publishing is forecasting 1.13 million tonnes of imports this year, down from 1.44 million tonnes last year. However, it noted global […] Read more

"This is the first time in roughly six years that India has truly opened up to pea imports," Greg Cherewyk, president of Pulse Canada, said in an email. "As a long time supplier to the market, it's great to see India open for business again."  | File photo

India is back in business on peas

SASKATOON — India has temporarily dropped all pea import restrictions and that is breathing life into yellow pea prices. The restrictions have been lifted from Dec. 8, 2023, through March 31, 2024. “This is the first time in roughly six years that India has truly opened up to pea imports,” Greg Cherewyk, president of Pulse […] Read more

The 50 percent duty is being removed starting Dec. 8, 2023, through March 31, 2024. | File photo

India suspends pea import duty

UPDATE: December 8, 2023 – 1415 CST – for the latest version of this developing story, click here. SASKATOON — India is temporarily dropping its prohibitive import duty on peas. The 50 percent duty is being removed starting Dec. 8, 2023, through March 31, 2024. “This is the first time in six years that we […] Read more


There is currently an annual quota of 150,000 tonnes on pea imports and they can only be brought in through the Port of Kolkata. Vivek Agrawal, a broker with JLV Agro, thinks the government could relax those restrictions, providing increased import quotas to millers. | File photo

Will India drop pea import restrictions this year?

SASKATOON — Analysts disagree on whether this will be the year that India drops its yellow pea import restrictions. There are some early-season concerns for India’s chickpea and lentil crops. “The acreage will be the same (as last year) but the production will be less because things are not good in India on the climate […] Read more

The premium for large green lentils over reds has averaged US$414 per tonne since the start of the 2023-24 marketing year, which is more than double last year’s average of $202.  |  Getty Images

Indian market pays a premium for green lentils

One specific regional market uses the crop as a substitute for pigeon peas when that harvest is poor, like it is this year

The current massive price premium between green and red lentils is justified, says a trader of the crop. The premium for large green lentils over reds has averaged US$414 per tonne since the start of the 2023-24 marketing year, according to Stat Publishing. That is more than double last year’s average of $202. Canadian bids […] Read more


India’s Chamber of Trade and Industry recently urged the government to ban Canadian lentil imports in response to prime minister Justin Trudeau’s revelation that Canada was investigating “credible allegations” that the Indian government was involved in the shooting death of a Sikh separatist in a Vancouver suburb.  |  Reuters/Babu photo

Lentil ban demanded in India

Canadian pulse sector says its not worried as political tensions continue between the two countries


Pulse Canada remains “hopeful and optimistic” about lentil trade with India despite political tension between the two countries. India’s Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) recently sent a letter to India’s minister of commerce and industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, urging him to ban the import of lentils from Canada. The letter was sent in response […] Read more

India's Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) recently sent a letter to India's minister of commerce and industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, urging him to ban the import of lentils from Canada. | File photo

Pulse sector unfazed as lentil ban demanded in India

Pulse Canada remains “hopeful and optimistic” about lentil trade with India despite political tension between the two countries. India’s Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) recently sent a letter to India’s minister of commerce and industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, urging him to ban the import of lentils from Canada. The letter was sent in response […] Read more

The monsoon, the lifeblood of India’s US$3 trillion economy, delivers nearly 70 percent of the rain needed to water its farms and recharge reservoirs and aquifers. | Flickr/McKay Savage photo

India’s monsoon starts retreat

MUMBAI, India (Reuters) — India’s monsoon rains started to withdraw from the northwest of the country on Sept. 25, more than a week later than normal, the state-run India Meteorological Department said in a statement. The monsoon, the lifeblood of India’s US$3 trillion economy, delivers nearly 70 percent of the rain needed to water its […] Read more


India represents a significant market for Canadian agricultural exports. About half of the country’s lentil imports come from Saskatchewan. Total value of Saskatchewan exports to India last year was $1.4 billion. But India has also at times implemented trade barriers that block those lentils. | File photo

Agriculture waits to see if political spat with India affects it

Half of India’s lentil imports come from Sask., and the province’s exports to the country were worth $1.4 billion last year

The agriculture sector should be on alert as relations between Canada and India deteriorate, a report warned last week. StrategyCorp, a management consulting and government relations firm, issued a geopolitical advisory Sept. 22 after prime minister Justin Trudeau said Sept. 18 he had credible information that the Indian government was potentially involved in killing a […] Read more

Canada is India's main import source of lentils, a protein-rich staple used to make daal curry. |  File photo

Lentil sales to India slow following murder allegation

WINNIPEG/MUMBAI (Reuters) — Canadian lentil sales to India have slowed since prime minister Justin Trudeau said last week he suspected India of involvement in an assassination on Canadian soil, industry sources in both countries say. Trudeau said Canada was “actively pursuing credible allegations” linking Indian government agents to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader […] Read more