Glacier Farm Media | MarketsFarm – Canadian yellow pea producers may have received something of a Christmas present from the Indian government late last month, as the duty-free period for India’s yellow pea imports was extended from Dec. 31 to Feb. 28.
Reports said the Indian government took the action in an attempt to cool pulse prices in the country as domestic production remains unable to keep up with demand. This marked the fifth consecutive extension since the tariff was lifted in December 2023. A levy of 50 per cent was implemented in November 2017.
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“The extension did not have a major effect on the pricing, because it wasn’t enough of a window to stimulate the Canadian market,” stated Levon Sargsyan of Johnston’s Grain in Calgary.
He stressed Canadian producers would need to see a longer import extension to see a noticeable effect.
That was reflected in yellow pea prices in Western Canada, which remained at C$9.75 to C$11 per bushel, according to Prairie Ag Hotwire as of Jan. 6.
Sargsyan added that yellow pea exports to China turned softer over the last month, which also weighed on its prices. He suggested yellow pea prices through much of 2025 could be held down by the short extension by India combined with a decline in exports to China.
