News Capsule: Red lentils priced higher than green lentils: an unusual market trend
18-Apr-2026 11:40 AM
News Capsule: Red lentils priced higher than green lentils: an unusual market trend
★ An uncommon pricing trend has emerged in the global lentil market, with red lentils trading at a premium over large green lentils—something that rarely happens.
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Current price scenario
★ As of mid-April, red lentils are priced $0.01–$0.02 per pound higher than green lentils
★ The last similar instance occurred in 2014, when reds held a premium for about 27 weeks
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Key reason: oversupply of green lentils
★ Analysts attribute this unusual trend to a sharp increase in green lentil production in North America in 2025:
★ Canada large green lentils: 1.01 million tonnes (up from 450,277 tonnes)
★ Canada small greens: 518,424 tonnes (up from 224,656 tonnes)
★ Total green lentil output more than doubled, leading to excess supply and a sharp drop in prices.
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U.S. production also increased
2025 production: 492,000 tonnes
2024 production: 423,000 tonnes
Majority of U.S. lentils are green
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Weak demand absorption
★ Major importing regions such as the European Union, North Africa, Turkey, India, and Latin America have not been able to absorb the surplus supply. As a result, green lentil prices are now less than half of last year’s levels.
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Outlook and acreage trends
★ Canada lentil acreage (2026): expected at 4.14 million acres (down from 4.38 million)
★ Green lentil share likely to fall sharply from 51% to around 34%
★ U.S. acreage also expected to decline
★ Weather agencies are संकेत that a strong El Niño could develop, potentially bringing drier conditions to India. According to Skymet, monsoon rainfall may be around 94% of the long-term average.
★ This could affect kharif crops like pigeon peas (toor), increasing the likelihood of green lentils being used as a substitute in imports.
★ The current premium of red lentils over green lentils reflects a temporary imbalance caused by oversupply of greens. While acreage cuts and weather developments may support a recovery, near-term pressure on green lentil prices is likely to persist.