STAT Communications Ag Market News

Lentil Seeding Concerns Mount

PANAMA - May 21/17 - SNS -- Lentil markets finished the week's trading on a firmer note against worries about seeding progress for this year's crop in Canada and parts of the United States.

Saskatchewan remains the most important producing region, with farmers having sown half the crop by the middle of May, down from 80% last year and the recent average of 56%.

Good weather in several locations over the weekend helped seeding advance quickly, but rain is forecast for most lentil growing areas in the province during the middle and last half of the coming week. If accurate, that will further delay planting of at least the last quarter of the crop.

Interestingly, while farmers were able to plant last year's crop quickly, a wet finish slowed the harvest. In 2015, half thr crop was in the ground by the middle of May, compared to 80% last year. But by the middle of August, 34% of the 2015 crop was in the bin, compared to just 5% last year. This suggests weather during the growing season and harvest is often more critical than during seeding.

Only active subscribers can read all of this article.

If you are a subscriber, please log into the website.

If you are not a subscriber, click here to subscribe to this edition of the STAT website and to learn more about becoming a subscriber.