Pea, Lentil Acres Down from Intentions

Canadian producers planted fewer dry peas and lentils this year compared to original intentions but did ramp up chickpeas and dry beans. 

Wednesday’s Statistics Canada acreage report showed 2023 lentil planted area at 3.66 million acres, down from April intentions of 3.97 million. If accurate, that would be more than 15% below a year earlier and the lowest since 2014. Today’s estimate also falls well short of pre-report trade guesses that ranged from 3.8 million and 4 million acres. 

Meanwhile, dry pea planted area came in at 3.04 million acres, compared to intentions of 3.21 million and below the 3.36 million acres seeded a year earlier. Pea planted area came in at the low end of pre-report expectations between 3 million and 3.25 million acres and would be the lowest since 2003 at just under 2.9 million.