Glacier FarmMedia – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada forecasted increases in the production of dry peas and lentils for the 2024/25 crop year compared to those in 2023/24. AAFC issued its first supply and demand report for the calendar year on Jan. 22, which included the department’s preliminary estimates for the coming crop year. The data was not based on farmer surveys or satellite models.
“For 2024/25, rotation considerations, moisture conditions, expected prices and input costs/availability are expected to the main factors determining seeding decisions in the spring. The average yield and production for most crops is forecast to increase year-over-year based on a return to trend yields, assuming normal weather conditions,” AAFC stated in its report.
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For Canada’s largest pulse crops, dry pea production was pegged at 3.1 million tonnes for 2024/25, up from this year’s 2.61 million, and lentils increased to 2.2 million tonnes from 1.67 million.
AAFC cited more planted area in 2024/25 as the reason for the gains. Dry peas were projected to rise to 3.21 million acres compared to 3.05 million in 2023/24, and lentils were set to expand to 3.95 million acres from 3.67 million.
Exports saw slight upticks, with dry peas inching up from 2.3 million tonnes in 2024/25 from this year’s 2.2 million, and lentils nudged up to 1.8 million tonnes to 1.6 million.
Domestic usage remained small, with AAFC keeping their numbers relatively steady. Dry peas were projected at 700,000 tonnes from the 676,000 in 2023/24 and lentils went to 265,000 tonnes from 263,000.
There were notable changes in ending stocks, as AAFC upped their forecast in dry peas to 400,000 tonnes from the 270,000 in 2023/24. That for lentils was more than quadrupled, with AAFC calling for 260,000 tonnes in 2024/25 from a mere 50,000 this year.
In terms of prices dry peas have seen some significant increases over the week, with Prairie Ag Hotwire noting a 75-cent-per bushel spike for green peas in Western Canadian at C$14 to C$18.75/bu. delivered as of Jan. 22. Yellow peas across the region rose 31 cents at C$11.52 to C$12.75/bu.
Prairie Ag Hotwire noted lentils during the week were steady to higher, depending on the variety. Regardless of size, Lairds were up three cents a pound, ranging from 56 to 75 cents/lb. delivered, while Richleas gained one to four cents at 50 to 73 cents/lb. Also, Crimsons were steady to up two cents at 25 to 37.4 cents/lb and Estons held steady at 49.5 to 66 cents/lb.
— Glen Hallick reports for MarketsFarm from Winnipeg.
