Canada, Australia Pulse Output Needs Close Watch
01-Oct-2025 04:57 PM
Mumbai. While there is a significant discrepancy between official and commercial pulse production estimates in Canada and Australia, as in India, while official figures are initially higher in India, in Canada and Australia, production estimates are later revised to maintain stability or firmness in market prices.
The example of Australia is noteworthy. The government agency ABARES has projected domestic production of 2.1 million tons of chickpea and a record 1.7 million tons of lentils for the 2025-26 season.
However, industry and trade analysts disagree, predicting production between 2.3 and 2.5 million tons of chickpea and over 1.8 million tons of lentils.
A similar pattern was observed in the 2024-25 season, when chickpea production was initially estimated at 1.8 million tons, but this figure was later raised to a new record high of 2.267 million tons. Similarly, the lentil production estimate was also revised.
As far as Canada is concerned, the pattern of pulse production estimates there is not much different from Australia. For the current year, StatsCan, the Canadian government agency, has projected domestic production of 3.56 million tons of peas and 2.972 million tons of lentils, while a leading private agency (firm) has disagreed, estimating pea production at 3.75 million tons and lentil production at 3.6 million tons.
iGrain India believes that pulse production estimates in countries like Canada and Australia are kept low during the initial phase to prevent falling global prices and encourage producers. Indian importers need to closely monitor this pattern. The impact on the market becomes clearly visible as the season progresses.
The situation in India is different. Here, very high production estimates are presented at the beginning, which increases pressure on the domestic market price of pulses, causing losses to farmers and traders.
Since India is a major importer of pulses, it is essential for importers to understand the game of production figures of supplier countries in depth.