Lentil business slows down in Canada as buyers eye next crop

12-Jun-2025 07:36 PM

Vancouver. The 2024–25 marketing season in Canada has entered its final phase, and harvesting and preparation for the new crop are expected to begin in August. With buyers now focused on the upcoming harvest, the pace of business for existing lentil stocks has slowed.

Exports of lentils from Canada during March and April were lower than usual, leading to an accumulation of stock and reducing the urgency among buyers.

Lentil sowing has been completed in the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta, and the crop is currently progressing under normal conditions.

Buyers are now awaiting the first production estimates, which will shape their next course of action. It is typical for lentil trade in Canada to slow during June and July.

A softening trend is also visible in green lentil prices, partly due to declining tur prices in India. Prices of red lentils have also dropped slightly in recent weeks.

Despite a 10 percent import duty imposed by the Indian government on lentils, Canadian producers and exporters have not expressed major concerns. However, red lentil exports have shown lackluster performance in recent months.

Weather conditions remain a key concern for Canadian farmers. Saskatchewan, Canada’s leading agricultural province, is currently experiencing hot and dry conditions, and lentil crops are being affected by strong hot winds. As of last week, 79 percent of the lentil crop in the province was rated in good or excellent condition.

However, many growers have raised alarms about the urgent need for rainfall, warning that without rain in the next five to ten days, the risk of crop damage could rise significantly.

Canada continues to be the world’s largest producer and exporter of lentils. Demand from India, however, has weakened somewhat due to the arrival of domestic crops and ongoing imports from other countries.