Lentil sowing area in Canada reached 43.80 lakh acres

30-Jun-2025 05:55 PM

Ottawa. As expected, this year farmers in Canada have shown strong interest in cultivating green lentils, as their prices remain significantly higher than red lentils, offering better returns to producers.

In several areas, farmers have opted to grow green lentils instead of red lentils. This includes all three categories of green lentils—large, medium, and small.

According to the latest report from the government agency Statistics Canada (Stats Can), the gross domestic sowing area of lentils in the current year has increased to 43.80 lakh acres, which is 1.70 lakh acres more than last year’s 42.10 lakh acres. In the initial survey phase, farmers had indicated intentions to cultivate lentils on 41.70 lakh acres, but this later increased—likely due to higher interest in green lentils—by 1.10 lakh acres.

Although Canada’s outstanding stock of lentils is increasing, red lentils account for the majority of it. Red lentils are produced in larger volumes and exported to many countries including India, but their prices remain much lower than green lentils.

Signs of rising red lentil stocks are visible due to weak demand from importing countries. Farmers have been drawn to green lentils primarily because their price is around 400 Canadian dollars per tonne higher than red lentils.

However, green lentil crops are more sensitive to adverse weather, pests, and diseases, making them riskier to grow.

India has imposed a 10 percent import duty on lentils. In Canada’s main producing provinces—Saskatchewan and Alberta—the crops sown in the second half of April were exposed to hot and dry conditions.

Rainfall on June 20–21 has benefited the lentils sown in May. Overall, due to the significant increase in sown area, Canada’s lentil production is expected to be around the normal average this year.