Lentil plants in bloom. (BasieB/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Better growing conditions despite dryness, smoke

Continued smoky skies could slow crop development

MarketsFarm — While dry conditions persist across the Prairies, the current situation for pulses is not as bad as during the two previous springs, according to Pulse Canada’s director of market access and trade policy. Mac Ross said dryness is largely evident across Western Canada and many crops are still below their five-year averages for […] Read more

File photo of a chickpea crop in India. (Nikhil Patil/iStock/Getty Images)

Firm Canadian chickpea market watching world production

Trade keeps eye on crops in Turkey, Russia, India

MarketsFarm — Canadian farmers are in the early stages of planting the country’s next chickpea crop, with market conditions firm for the time being, ahead of new-crop harvests in other countries. “The market is firm, it’s not going up or down,” said Jake Hansen of Mid-West Grain at Moose Jaw, Sask., noting there was not […] Read more


Chickpeas. (CalypsoArt/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Canadian exports solid

Bangladesh, Pakistan now buying Canadian peas

MarketsFarm — Canadian pulse exports are running well ahead of their year-ago level, with some demand rationing likely over the next few months as supplies tighten ahead of the new-crop harvest. Canada has exported 1.56 million tonnes of lentils during the crop year to date, with Turkey the top destination at 421,000 tonnes followed by […] Read more

Lentils. (Seb_ra/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: StatCan report likely won’t affect prices

Canada 'not the market maker' on peas, lentils

MarketsFarm — Statistics Canada (StatCan) on Tuesday released its report on grain stocks at March 31, with MarketsFarm Pro analyst Mike Jubinville suggesting there’s not much to the report. “It’s one of those [reports] where people look at it and move on,” he said. StatCan’s report pegged total farm and commercial stocks of chickpeas at […] Read more


File photo of a pea crop south of Ethelton, Sask. on Aug. 1, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Pulse weekly outlook: Seeding to start in Manitoba, Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan lentils expected to lose acres to wheat, canola

MarketsFarm — With the calendar turning to May and temperatures expected to surpass 20 C this week, pulse seedings are set to begin for parts of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. “Right now, we’re still in a bit of a holding pattern,” said Manitoba provincial pulse specialist Dennis Lange. “We haven’t really had much for drying. Now […] Read more

(File photo)

Pulse weekly outlook: Larger pea, chickpea exports expected

China, Bangladesh among major destinations

MarketsFarm — Canadian pea, chickpea and edible bean exports will likely beat earlier expectations during the current 2022-23 marketing year, according to updated supply/demand projections from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The stocks-to-use rations for the three crops should also tighten as a result. In its report Friday, the government agency upped its call for Canadian […] Read more


Root rot research gets funding push

Root rot research gets funding push

Reading Time: < 1 minute The Alberta Pulse Growers Commission is putting $3 million over five years into research projects that reduce the risk of root rot. Over the last decade, the farm group said it has invested $3.7 million in projects relevant to root rots, and much more is known about the pathogen. “Research has resulted in farmers having […] Read more

File photo of a pea crop south of Ethelton, Sask. on Aug. 1, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Pulse weekly outlook: Peas heading in different directions

Export demand seen down for yellows

MarketsFarm — Prices for green and yellow peas have been starting to move further apart, according to Levon Sargsyan, grain broker with Johnston’s Grain at Welwyn, Sask. Sargsyan pointed out that prices for yellow peas have been slipping back recently. “Export demand has dropped overseas, so that’s been pushing the yellow pea prices down. The […] Read more


File photo of a pea crop south of Ethelton, Sask. on Aug. 1, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Pulse weekly outlook: Slow start to Saskatchewan spring

Timely pulse seeding still expected

MarketsFarm — While below-normal temperatures have welcomed the start of spring, pulse seeding in Saskatchewan is expected to start on time in 2023 if the weather co-operates. “We’ve had a slow start to spring,” said Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SaskPulse) executive director Carl Potts. “It’s still a bit of time before seeding would normally start across […] Read more

(Screengrab from Merit Functional Foods video via YouTube)

Bidding open for Merit Foods for two more weeks

Stakeholder Burcon plans to put up 'compelling bid'

The fate of Winnipeg pea- and canola-based protein processor Merit Functional Foods won’t be confirmed until the end of April at the earliest. Merit, whose major shareholders include Vancouver plant-based protein firm Burcon NutraScience, U.S. agrifood firm Bunge and former executives of Hemp Oil Canada, was placed into receivership March 1. According to the first […] Read more