CNS Canada — New Statistics Canada data has confirmed what traders already assumed: Lentil supplies aren’t lacking, despite excess moisture this year. Prices for the pulse had been trending lower with those suspicions, and buyers are looking to India for indications on where to move in the New Year. StatsCan estimates released Tuesday say farmers […] Read more

StatsCan lentil numbers confirm trade suspicions

Lentils, chickpeas can help reverse soil erosion trend, U.N. says
Rome | Thomson Reuters Foundation — Planting more lentils, chickpeas and other pulses will improve the health of the world’s soils that have reached critical levels, threatening to worsen hunger and poverty levels, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Monday. About a third of the world’s soils are degraded because of soil […] Read more

Fababeans get a reality check
Fabas were on a tear until this year, but experts expect the crop to have a solid, but modest, future in Alberta
Reading Time: 4 minutes With the sharp drop in Alberta fababean acres in 2016, has the clock struck midnight for last year’s Cinderella crop? Maybe, maybe not, says a provincial pulse expert. “I just can’t see them going away,” said Mark Olson, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry’s pulse crops unit head. “I don’t think the acres are going to go […] Read more

Most Canadian chickpeas headed for feed market
CNS Canada — Low yields and poor quality have caused Canadian chickpea price quotes to shoot higher. Very little of the crop actually falls under the top grades, however, leaving the bulk of the marketing to take place in the feed sector. “The chickpea harvest has been an unmitigated disaster,” said Colin Young of Midwest […] Read more

Prince Rupert needs to be part of rail transport revamp
Expanding the northern B.C. port should be a key part of $10.1-billion plan to improve transportation
Reading Time: 3 minutes The Port of Prince Rupert should be a major beneficiary of Ottawa’s $10.1-billion pledge to revamp transportation routes to international markets, says one of the world’s biggest pulse exporters. “Prince Rupert is a major opportunity — when we look at Pacific gateway access, we need a balanced approach between Vancouver and the Port of Prince […] Read more

Ergot tolerances set for chickpeas, fababeans
Chickpeas and fababean crops graded in Canada will have a new maximum tolerance for ergot next year, even though the cereal disease doesn’t occur in either crop. The Canadian Grain Commission on Wednesday announced an ergot tolerance of 0.05 per cent for all grades of fababeans and chickpeas in Western Canada effective Aug. 1, 2017, […] Read more

Now’s the time to plan for next year’s lentil crop
Rocky fields and poorly drained ones are a poor choice, and high nitrogen levels will just encourage vegetative growth
Reading Time: 2 minutes In preparation for growing lentils in 2017, field selection, fall weed control, and residue management should be top of mind this fall, says a provincial crop specialist. While land rollers, flex headers, higher-podding varieties, and improved lodging resistance have allowed producers to grow lentils on less-than-ideal fields, it continues to be important to select fields […] Read more

Tyson invests in non-meat protein
Reuters — Tyson Foods, the largest U.S. meat processor, took a five per cent stake in plant-based protein maker Beyond Meat amid growing pressure on food companies to reduce environmental and health risks by changing the way they source protein. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Manhattan Beach, Calif.-based Beyond Meat sells plant-based burger […] Read more

Pulses stranded at sea as shipping company flounders
CNS Canada — The bankruptcy of a major Korean shipping company has raised some concerns for Canadian pulse crops moving by container, but any disruptions to movement will likely be minor, according to an industry analyst. Hanjin Shipping Co., the world’s seventh-largest container shipping company, declared bankruptcy on Aug. 31, leaving more than half of […] Read more

Unpredictable lentil crops could unsettle market
CNS Canada — Lentil producers have been stuck on a roller coaster this season, and the ride isn’t slowing down going into harvest. “It’s been a very hard year to predict because we have record amounts of acres planted, an incredible start to the season, and then of course the well-publicized weather problems leading to […] Read more