iGrain India - Ottawa. Due to the improvement in the moisture content of the soil due to regular rains, Canadian farmers are getting an opportunity to increase the pace of lentil sowing.
At the national level, so far lentil sowing has been done in more than 85 percent of the area and if the weather remains favorable, the remaining sowing will also be completed in 8-10 days.
Many areas of Canada have received more rain than last year, but more rain will be needed in June and July because only with its help the crop will be able to grow and expand.
If there is more rain than required, there will be a possibility of increased infestation of diseases and insects in the crop and a decline in its yield rate.
At present, the condition of the crop is good and an average yield rate of 1200 pounds or 20 bushels per acre can be achieved, which is less than the average yield of 1350 pounds (22 bushels) per acre in the pre-Corona period but more than the last two-three years.
The lentil sowing area is likely to be around 40 lakh acres and on this basis, the production of 22.50-23,00 lakh tonnes of lentils can be estimated there during the current year.
Under this, during 2024, compared to the year 2023, the production of red lentils is expected to jump from 12 lakh tonnes to 14-15 lakh tonnes, the production of thick green lentils (layered) is expected to increase by 40 percent to 4.50 lakh tonnes, the production of small green lentils is expected to reach 3.50 lakh tonnes and the production of other categories of lentils is expected to reach 40 thousand tonnes.
There is limited stock of lentils left in Canada, while its foreign demand is also weak, due to which prices have remained stable to a great extent. The export business of lentils may be affected due to the strike of the railway union there.