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

Pulse weekly outlook: Seeding to start in Manitoba, Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan lentils expected to lose acres to wheat, canola

MarketsFarm — With the calendar turning to May and temperatures expected to surpass 20 C this week, pulse seedings are set to begin for parts of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. “Right now, we’re still in a bit of a holding pattern,” said Manitoba provincial pulse specialist Dennis Lange. “We haven’t really had much for drying. Now […] Read more

Aphanomyces euteiches is believed to be one of the main culprits behind the increasing incidence of root rot in pulse crops such as lentils in Western Canada.

Root rots in pulses update for 2023

Scientists and plant breeders are hopeful they can provide solutions, but long and diverse crop rotations are still the best management options

Over the last decade, root rots have become widespread on the Canadian Prairies and are now a fact of life for many pulse growers. Grow the same crop long enough, experts say, and it’s almost certain root rots will show up in your fields. And it’s no small problem for farmers in Western Canada. Some […] Read more


(Merit Functional Foods video screengrab via YouTube)

Merit Foods co-owner Burcon partnering on bid for assets

Unnamed 'plant protein company' now in on Burcon's bid

A major shareholder in beleaguered pea and canola protein processor Merit Functional Foods has brought on an unnamed partner in its bid to buy the business out of receivership. After announcing last month it would submit a bid for the next-to-new Merit assets, Vancouver-based plant protein firm Burcon NutraScience said Monday it’s now “participating in […] Read more

(File photo)

Pulse weekly outlook: Larger pea, chickpea exports expected

China, Bangladesh among major destinations

MarketsFarm — Canadian pea, chickpea and edible bean exports will likely beat earlier expectations during the current 2022-23 marketing year, according to updated supply/demand projections from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The stocks-to-use rations for the three crops should also tighten as a result. In its report Friday, the government agency upped its call for Canadian […] Read more


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

Pulse weekly outlook: Peas heading in different directions

Export demand seen down for yellows

MarketsFarm — Prices for green and yellow peas have been starting to move further apart, according to Levon Sargsyan, grain broker with Johnston’s Grain at Welwyn, Sask. Sargsyan pointed out that prices for yellow peas have been slipping back recently. “Export demand has dropped overseas, so that’s been pushing the yellow pea prices down. The […] Read more

Mycosphaerella blight (shown in photo) may pose a disease threat to pea crops in Alberta.

Prairie crop disease outlook for 2023

Your provincial experts guide you through disease pressures and risks for this season

Predicting the crop disease outlook for the Canadian Prairies is never easy. With the wild swings in temperatures and precipitation the region faced over the past couple of years, the task has become even more challenging. “It’s always fun to speculate about what we might see,” says Michael Harding, a plant pathologist and crop health […] Read more


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

Pulse weekly outlook: Slow start to Saskatchewan spring

Timely pulse seeding still expected

MarketsFarm — While below-normal temperatures have welcomed the start of spring, pulse seeding in Saskatchewan is expected to start on time in 2023 if the weather co-operates. “We’ve had a slow start to spring,” said Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SaskPulse) executive director Carl Potts. “It’s still a bit of time before seeding would normally start across […] Read more

(Screengrab from Merit Functional Foods video via YouTube)

Bidding open for Merit Foods for two more weeks

Stakeholder Burcon plans to put up 'compelling bid'

The fate of Winnipeg pea- and canola-based protein processor Merit Functional Foods won’t be confirmed until the end of April at the earliest. Merit, whose major shareholders include Vancouver plant-based protein firm Burcon NutraScience, U.S. agrifood firm Bunge and former executives of Hemp Oil Canada, was placed into receivership March 1. According to the first […] Read more


File photo of black beans. (Nhattienphoto/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: For growers, spring still far away

Just 'minor changes' expected in Manitoba acres

MarketsFarm — Springtime still seems distant for southern Manitoba as snow remains and freezing temperatures persist. However, provincial pulse specialist Dennis Lange said current conditions are setting up well for seeding after temperatures rise and snow melts. “We’re still a little ways off. There are still snow drifts in the fields in most areas of […] Read more

Chickpeas. (Grigorenko/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

Pulse weekly outlook: Steady world trade expected in 2023

IGC sees firmer demand for dry peas in particular

MarketsFarm — World trade in chickpeas and lentils is expected to remain relatively steady in 2023, with solid demand from South Asia underpinning markets, according to the latest outlook from the International Grains Council. The IGC sees the world trade in chickpeas in 2023 at about 1.9 million tonnes, which would be unchanged from 2022, […] Read more