Higher Yields Help to Boost Production of Most Pulse, Special Crops

The production of most pulse and special crops, including both peas and lentils, is forecast higher this year, mainly due to higher yields. 

Wednesday’s Statistics Canada crop production report estimated the 2024 Canadian pea crop at 3.007 million tonnes, up 15.3% from the 2023 crop of 2.608 million although still down from the 2022 crop of 3.423 million. At 3.134 million acres, estimated 2024 pea harvested area is up from 2.964 million a year earlier, while the average expected yield of 35.3 bu/acre is above last year’s 32.3 bu. 

The lentil crop was pegged at 2.774 million tonnes, a hefty 54% increase from the 2023 crop of 1.801 million. Harvested area increased almost 15% to 4.145 million acres, while the average yield, at 1,476 lbs/acre, is estimated up 375 lbs or 34%. 

Canary output is forecast at 161,869 tonnes this year, a 44.3% increase from the 2023 crop of 112,210. Harvested area is estimated about 30,000 acres higher from last year at 284,300, with the average expected yield up nearly 29% at 1,255 lbs/acre. 

At 330,399 tonnes, projected chickpea production is up almost 108% from last year’s output of 159,100 tonnes. Harvested area is expected up 48.5% to 467,400, with the average yield increasing to 1,558 lbs/acre from 1,115 lbs in 2023. 

The 2024 mustard crop is pegged at 191,000 tonnes, a nearly 12% increase from 2023’s 170,710. Harvested area is expected lower, down to 586,700 acres from 619,300 last year, but the average yield more than offsets that decline, rising 18% to 718 lbs/acre. 

Flax output is seen 10% higher on the year at 300,128 tonnes, as a decline in harvested area – down to 483,800 acres from 589,400 in 2023 – is offset by a 6.2 bu improvement in the average yield to 24.4 bu/acre. 

On the other hand, sunflower output is forecast sharply lower, down 60.3% to 36,686 tonnes. Harvested area is projected to fall to 43,600 acres versus 98,200 last year, while the average yield is seen falling to 1,860 lbs/acre from 2,1076 in 2023.