Geneva | Reuters — Massive farm-support plans in the United States and India are being scrutinized by other World Trade Organization members, questions submitted to the WTO’s quarterly agriculture committee meeting showed on Monday. The WTO has strict rules about the size and nature of payments, and member governments keep a close watch for any […] Read more

Trump and Modi’s lavish farm payouts prompt questions at WTO

Pulse weekly outlook: Lentil exports ahead of last year’s pace
MarketsFarm — Canada’s lentil exports have been good this year, according to Marlene Boersch of Mercantile Consulting Venture in Winnipeg. “At the end of April we were 26 per cent ahead of last year’s pace. Most of that is due to buying from India. Everybody’s surprised,” she said, Total lentil exports were 1.16 million tonnes […] Read more

Pulse weekly outlook: Lentils stable after recent price increases
MarketsFarm — Prices for red and green lentils have stabilized after they increased, according to Marcos Mosnaim of Globeways Canada in Mississauga. Red lentil prices began to rise about two to three weeks ago, he said, as shipments were made to India with the exporter increasing the price. “I would love to see a firm […] Read more

Pulse weekly outlook: Chickpea prices remain low, future bright
MarketsFarm — Lower prices are expected to lead to a drop in Canadian chickpea acres in 2019, but the future is bright for the crop as new consumer markets gain popularity. Seeded acres for chickpeas almost quadrupled between 2017 and 2018, rising from 160,000 to 442,900, respectively. Since inventory from the 2018 growing season is […] Read more

Pulse weekly outlook: Pulses steady in sea of uncertainty
MarketsFarm — Every spring offers its own mystery of what the growing season will bring, and this year is no different for western Canadian pulse markets. However, while the unknowns are usually linked to the weather or acreage ideas, this year also presents extra challenges for the pulse sector. India remains a major wildcard in […] Read more

Near-normal monsoon expected in India
MarketsFarm — Monsoon rains in India are expected to be near normal in 2019, according to the first long-range forecast of the year from the India Meteorological Department. The southwest monsoon typically runs from June through September. It provides crucial moisture for the country’s agriculture sector, as it accounts for roughly 70 per cent of […] Read more

Pulse weekly outlook: Yellow, green pea prices vary ahead of seeding
MarketsFarm — India’s tariffs on Canadian pulses hit green and yellow peas particularly hard over the past year — and the market is still hurting as producers plan acres for 2019. Since yellow pea exports dropped significantly in the middle of the year, “there’s going to be a lot of carryover in yellow peas for […] Read more

Lower prices, relative profitability tug at chickpea acres
MarketsFarm — Since chickpea prices fell rapidly during last year’s harvest, the jury is out as to what the chickpea market holds this year. “Acres are going to be down this year because the price isn’t what it was a year ago,” said Melody Ector, president of Diefenbaker Spice and Pulse at Elbow, Sask. Prices […] Read more

Pulse weekly outlook: Attractive lentil prices may boost acres
MarketsFarm — As prices for both red and green lentils stay firm, experts have predicted lentil acreage across Canada to increase for the 2019 growing season. Carryover from past crops has been negligible in previous years, and what had been produced was quickly sold throughout the year. “This helps farmers’ confidence,” said Tanvir Zaidi, CEO […] Read more

Pulse weekly outlook: Green pea premium to erode with acreage increase
MarketsFarm — Green peas continue to command a sizeable premium over their yellow counterparts in Western Canada, which should see acreage shift this spring and an eventual rebalancing of the price spread. Green peas usually trade at a premium to yellow peas due to higher quality specs and concerns over bleaching, but the current price […] Read more