Canada's Lentil Exports Seen Reaching 2 Million Tonnes

23-Jul-2025 12:04 PM

Lentil exports from Canada are projected to reach 2 million tonnes during the 2024–25 marketing year (August–July), driven by better domestic production, strong global demand, reduced competition from Australia, and relatively stable prices.

This total includes shipments of 1.1 million tonnes of red lentils and 0.9 million tonnes of green lentils. India, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey remain the top destinations for Canadian lentils.

The Canadian Ministry of Agriculture has estimated domestic consumption of lentils to rise to 320,000 tonnes. Despite this, the surplus stock at the end of the marketing year, by July 31, 2025, is expected to reach 400,000 tonnes.

Average lentil prices across varieties are estimated at $805 per tonne—lower than in the 2023–24 season—mainly due to high inventories of large green and red lentils. Small green lentils are currently priced higher at $485 per tonne compared to red lentils, a trend that is expected to continue.

In the upcoming 2025–26 season, lentil acreage in Canada has increased by 4 percent to 1.77 million hectares, with Saskatchewan accounting for 87 percent of this area.

The rest is spread across Alberta and Manitoba. Production for the season is estimated at 2.45 million tonnes, with total availability rising due to large carryover stocks.

Exports during the 2025–26 season are forecast to reach 2.1 million tonnes. As the new marketing year begins in August 2025, surplus stock is expected to grow further to 530,000 tonnes by the season’s end. Average lentil prices are likely to remain lower than in the 2024–25 season. Demand for lentil imports from the Indian subcontinent is expected to stay consistent with the previous year.