Record Pulse Exports

VANCOUVER - Nov 8/14 - SNS -- Canadian field pea and lentil exports have started the 2014-15 marketing year at a record pace, with more of each class of pulse shipped the first two months of the marketing year than at any time in the past.

Just over 299,000 metric tons (MT) of lentils and almost 962,300 MT of field peas were exported in August and September. The previous high for lentils was the 282,311 MT shipped in 2012; while the previous high for peas was the 664,812 MT exported in 2010.

Unofficial export trade data from the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) suggests the exports remained strong in October. This was especially true of field peas, with CGC data indicating almost 500,000 MT of peas were loaded to bulk ships during the month. Since the start of the marketing year, the CGC reports 1.06 million MT of peas have been loaded to bulk vessels, up 40% from the 710,600 MT loaded the first 12 weeks of the 2013-14 marketing year.

Bulk lentil movement has also been relatively brisk, with the CGC reporting 189,800 MT were loaded to bulk vessels from terminal elevators, up 89% from the 124,200 MT loaded during the same period last year.