Lentil market looks positive for upcoming year

Canadian lentil production is dropping sharply, especially for green lentils, while red lentils are up slightly. Analysts disagree with government estimates of leftover stocks, with most believing carryout is much smaller than StatsCan reports.

Weather issues left part of the crop in the field and caused some quality damage, but lentils still fared better than chickpeas.

Export demand looks strong, driven largely by India’s poor monsoon and potential shortages of chickpeas and pigeon peas. Turkey may also buy more due to Black Sea shipping disruptions.

Global competition is mixed: Australia may have a large crop, while U.S. production is down significantly.

Overall, analysts expect a positive market year thanks to tight Canadian supply and solid international demand.