Lentils and peas: rain could cause quality problems
August 20, 2025 at 4:55 PM ,
Der AUDITOR
Too wet to harvest
Harvesting is already underway in some Canadian pea-growing areas, and thanks to favourable weather conditions earlier, yield estimates for this year have been revised slightly upwards. However, heavy rainfall has been delaying the harvesting process as the fields are too wet for heavy harvesting machinery. In addition, the high moisture content could affect the quality of the peas. Growers are particularly concerned about their green peas, which are more susceptible to quality deterioration than yellow peas, according to experts at Rayglen Commodities.
Prices for Canadian peas are falling, partly due to the upcoming new crop and partly due to the lack of export demand. Although China has imposed a 100% tariff on pea imports, shipments are continuing according to some reports, which Rayglen says is an indication that there is a way to circumvent the tariffs. India is another important buyer, and if demand for Canadian peas there remains as low as it is at present, Canadian exporters will have to look for other markets to reduce their stocks. Prices for the old and new crops have now largely converged, with yellow peas trading at CAD 9.00-9.50/bu and green peas trading in a range of CAD 11-13/bu.
First signs of lower quality
This year's lentil crop could also be negatively affected by the rainfall. According to Rayglen, farmers are also concerned about quality here, especially with regard to early-sown plants. Problems such as discolouration, germination and pod shedding have already occurred, especially in fields that were very dry before the excessive rainfall. Later plants are more susceptible to disease. One advantage is that many fields are planted with smaller green lentils this year, which are usually of better quality than large lentils.
Market players are currently adopting a wait-and-see approach as the harvest has only just begun; buying interest is limited. The prospect of a potentially larger crop than initially expected is also putting pressure on prices. According to Rayglen, prices currently stand at CAD 0.31-0.33/lb for large green lentils, CAD 0.27-0.28/lb for small green lentils and around CAD 0.29/lb for red lentils.
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