By Commodity News Service Canada

Winnipeg, Feb. 9 (CNS Canada) – India remains a major importer of pulse crops, but larger domestic production in the country this year also has the India Pulses and Grains Association looking for the government to lift a ban on exports.

Currently, only chickpea exports are allowed out of the country, and those were down by 13 per cent in 2015/16 (on a monetary-value basis), according to government data.

The USDA is tendering to purchase 70,600 tonnes of dry beans for use in the country’s Food and Nutrition Assistance Programs.

Number 2 Laird lentils are currently topping out at about 66 cents per pound in Western Canada, while red lentils are bid up to 30 cents per pound, according to the most recent Prairie Ag Hotwire data. New crop bids are considerably lower, topping 40 cents for green lentils and 23 cents for red lentils.

Green pea prices range from C$8.00 to as high as C$9.00 per bushel in Western Canada. Yellow peas also range from C$8.00 to C$9.00 per bushel.

Large calibre (10mm) kabuli chickpeas are currently seeing prices top out at 64 cents per pound in Western Canada.