Pea Export Movement Sinks in July

VANCOUVER - Aug 2/12 - SNS -- Bulk conventional exports of pulses and other specialty crops from Canada fell in July, dropping below both year earlier levels and month earlier levels.

During the month, exporters loaded four ships at Vancouver with 109,032 metric tons (MT) of peas. Exporters also loaded 11,219 MT of lentils to vessels in Thunder Bay during the month.

This is the final report that will be published in this series. The Canadian Ports Clearance Association (CPCA) ceased operations effective July 31, 2012. Founded in 1909, the organization co-coordinated the transfer of grain from port terminals into ships. During much of the time that the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) had a monopoly on export movement of wheat, durum, and barley, the CPCA played a vital role in coordinating exports.

In recent years, the CWB had started talking directly to terminals, diminishing the role of the CPCA. With the end of the CWB monopoly and with the major inland grain handlers owning the terminal space in Vancouver and Thunder Bay, the CPCA could not see a function for itself.

The CPCA provided two additional services which were critical to helping keep markets transparent. Within 24 hours, it reported on the quantities of specific grains and oilseeds loaded to vessels in the two ports. It also provided information about vessel nominations, including information about the type and quantity of grain, oilseed, pulse, or other crop the ship intended to load.

Though only covering a fraction of total export movement for pulses and specialty crops, the data helped develop a picture of current and pending movement through the system. This created a better demand profile than was available from other data sources.

The net result is a loss of transparency in markets. This is especially true of field peas, since the majority of the crop is now exported on a conventional basis through bulk terminals in Vancouver and Thunder Bay.