File photo of a pea crop south of Ethelton, Sask. on Aug. 1, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Pulse weekly outlook: Large Canadian crops expected

MarketsFarm — Canada will have grown a record-large pea crop in 2020 and possibly the second-largest lentil crop ever, according to preliminary estimates from Statistics Canada, released Monday. Using satellite imagery and model-based yield estimates, the government agency pegged the 2020-21 Canadian field pea crop at 4.996 million tonnes. That would be a new record […] Read more


Artist’s rendering of the Merit Functional Foods plant under construction in Winnipeg. (Merit Foods graphic)

Bunge buys into canola, pea protein maker Merit

Agribusiness giant takes quarter stake in processor

One of the world’s biggest grain companies is getting in on a processing facility under construction in Winnipeg to extract plant-based proteins from canola and peas. Winnipeg-based Merit Functional Foods announced Thursday it has received a $30 million “capital investment” from Bunge, giving the U.S. grain firm a “minority interest” worth 25 per cent. Burcon […] Read more

(Serts/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Harvest activity pressures lentils

MarketsFarm — With harvest activity beginning across most of the Prairies, pulse prices are experiencing typical harvest pressure. About 20 per cent of the lentil crop has been harvested in Saskatchewan, according to the province’s crop report from Thursday. The west-central region lagged furthest behind the province’s average rate, with just seven per cent of […] Read more


(Nestle photo)

Nestle launching pea-based vegan alternative to tuna

'Vuna' going first to Swiss supermarkets

Zurich | Reuters — Food giant Nestle is launching a new plant-based tuna alternative in Switzerland this month ahead of a global rollout, hoping that consumers eating at home during the COVID-19 pandemic will stay eager to try new products. Known for Maggi soups and bouillon cubes, Nestle has been investing in plant-based food to […] Read more



An artists’ rendition of the Merit Functional Foods plant under construction in Winnipeg. (Meritfoods.com)

Plant-protein processor’s new processing plant gets grant

Feds, province put up cash for new equipment

The federal and Manitoba governments have added a seven-figure contribution to their support for a new facility to process plant proteins from canola and peas. Merit Functional Foods will put the additional money toward “new equipment purchases that will support the transformation of raw inputs into value-added goods.” The unspecified new technology is expected to […] Read more

File photo of a pea crop south of Ethelton, Sask. on Aug. 1, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Pea crops strong, but prices falter

MarketsFarm — Pea crops across the Prairies are expected to be in good condition ahead of the harvest. “As we go along with the sunshine and heat, the pulses are coming in fairly quickly,” said Darwin Hamilton of Kalshea Commodities in Winnipeg. “Without any excess moisture, the quality should be good this year.” Pea prices […] Read more



Chickpeas. (CalypsoArt/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Chickpea market under pressure

Current crop up against disease issues

MarketsFarm — Lost demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic is keeping pressure on the Canadian chickpea market, despite disease issues causing problems for nearly a third of the country’s crop, according to an industry source. After disease caused problems for chickpeas in some areas of southern Saskatchewan in 2019, the radius of the problem area […] Read more