MarketsFarm — Pea and lentil bids in Western Canada are holding relatively steady for the time being, despite anecdotal reports of increased international demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with attention soon shifting to spring seeding. A lack of willing sellers is keeping pulse bids underpinned in Western Canada, according to broker Dale McManus of […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Lack of willing sellers underpins prices
Pulse weekly outlook: Increased demand seen, but problems loom
MarketsFarm — Unlike other commodities, pulses aren’t yet feeling ill effects from an economic downturn due to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, according to Marcos Mosnaim of Globeways Canada in Mississauga. With consumers panic-buying, there has been increased demand for pulses, as many are non-perishable, Mosnaim said. “These products will be there for ages,” he said, […] Read more
Where are the pulses? India has own take on fast food
Alberta producer sees opportunities in the changing marketplace of India and other pulse-buying countries
Reading Time: 4 minutes Enchant seed grower Greg Stamp was expecting the unusual when he travelled to India last month. That proved to be the case, but not always in ways he expected. For example, he learned the fast-food market in India grew by 18 per cent last year. “That was a huge number. I was surprised,” said Stamp, […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Bids underpin Manitoba edible bean area
Province's soybean acres expected to fall
MarketsFarm — Solid prices should keep Manitoba farmers growing edible beans in 2020, although soybean area will likely drop, according to a provincial specialist. Disappointing harvest weather in 2019 hurt yields and cut into harvested area for edible beans in both Manitoba and across the border in the United States. As a result, prices heading […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Conditions optimal for India’s winter crops
MarketsFarm — Cold weather in key growing regions of India could indicate high production levels for winter pulse crops. Heavy showers and colder temperatures in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh created “ideal conditions” for winter-sown pulses, according to India’s agriculture commissioner SK Malhotra. Malhotra explained that the output of the winter-grown pulse crops will likely […] Read more
Wendy’s launches Canadian-made plant-based burger
Pea protein patty developed 'in-house,' company says
Burger chain Wendy’s has set out to meet what it says is now an “expectation” in the Canadian quick-service dining sector, with a new pulse crop-based burger. The U.S. chain’s Canadian arm on Thursday announced it has launched a plant-based burger it calls the Plantiful at its 380-plus Canadian stores, using a patty it described […] Read more
Cargill to enter faux-meat market
Major processor/packer expanding plant-based protein product line
U.S. agrifood giant Cargill is set to bring its crop supply chain further into its proteins business via a new line of plant-based patty and ground products for the retail and foodservice sectors. Already a major player in meat protein, with assets including two major Canadian packing plants processing up to 6,000 head of cattle […] Read more
New insect expert introduces himself and advises on key pests for 2020
Cabbage seed pod weevils, bertha army worms and pea leaf weevils the insects to watch for in 2020
Reading Time: 3 minutes The province has gained one new entomologist but has lost its best-known bug specialist. Boyd Mori, a new assistant professor in the University of Alberta’s agriculture department, paid tribute to provincial insect management specialist Scott Meers in his presentation at FarmTech — and urged his audience to lobby the government for a replacement. “Scott Meers […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Green pea bids back off highs
MarketsFarm — Green pea prices in Western Canada have come off their highs in recent weeks, as end users back away from the market. Top-end green pea bids have lost about a dollar per bushel over the past month, according to Prairie Ag Hotwire data. “A lot of the end users are full now,” said […] Read more
Unharvested crops skew StatsCan stocks data
MarketsFarm — Canadian canola stocks were slightly tighter at the end of the 2019 calendar year compared to the previous year, according to updated Statistics Canada data. However, adverse harvest conditions left a large amount of the crop unaccounted for in the survey, which skews the overall supply/demand outlook. “Because of poor weather conditions during […] Read more