Is now the time to start planning your pulse crop for 2025? In today’s edition of Growing Possibilities, we decided to do a fall roundup on the state of the pulse industry. First, we ask; what can growers and retailers expect from the pulse market in 2024-2025? Then we look at the predictions for demand in the market as well as possible emerging trends in the industry. Finally, we highlight plans laid out by industry organizations on how growers and retailers can mitigate disease pressure and promote good yields at harvest.

The number of seeded acres for dry peas as well as lentils is expected to rise for the 2024-2025 growing season according to Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada. Dry pea acres are expected to rise only marginally in Canada from approximately 1233 to 1300 thousand hectares. Lentil acres are expected to rise significantly from 1485 to 1704 thousand hectares. The USDA is also predicting small increases in acres seeded in North Dakota and Montana (1). Some analysts are predicting a supply glut of red lentils with a focus on green lentils (2). However, when the XiteBio team attended the recent Pulse & Special Crops Convention in Winnipeg last month the message was that red lentils are the hot pick for 2025. We are not in the business of making predictions but from the crop input side the message we are hearing is that crop inputs for lentils will be in demand this year whatever colour growers decide to produce.

What is driving the demand for pulses? Well, there are a couple things, one is that Canada is a recognized leader in pulse exports, controlling around 40 per cent of the export market for lentils worldwide (3). Pulses for human consumption are shipped from Canada to India, Turkey and Algeria among others. Despite recent diplomatic tensions between India and Canada, India has extended its exemption of 50 per cent duties on yellow pea imports until the end of 2024 (4).  But human consumption is not the only thing driving demand, demand is up among cats and dogs. Pet food has started to undergo a change in the last few years as consumers spend more on their pets and consider them part of the family. This is causing pet food manufacturers to switch from grain-based pet foods to higher protein options like lentils and peas (5). This trend has prompted predictions of compound annual growth rates of 8-9% in the plant-based pet foods market through 2034 (6,7).

Back on the grower side root rot continues to be an issue that has taken its toll on pulse growers. While we haven’t found a silver bullet yet, the industry is fighting back with a variety of tools. Rootrot.ca launched last month “to catalyze a collaborative approach to root rot research and management focused on agronomy, breeding, and pathology in peas and lentils.” This website suggests a variety of methods to manage root rot among them are: choosing varieties with tannins in the seed coat and improved fusarium resistance, managing weeds and other pests to alleviate external stresses on the plant and having a “balanced fertility plan to ensure nutrients are available and easily accessible (8).”

At XiteBio we are here to help growers to achieve a balanced fertility plan with our liquid inoculant and ag-biological products. XiteBio® PulseRhizo® premium liquid inoculant for peas, lentils and faba beans is a nitrogen (N)-fixing inoculant that can be applied on-seed allowing the rhizobia to vigorously colonize the roots leading to excellent growth and early vigour. XiteBio® Yield+ is a phosphorus (P)-solubilizing Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) that helps with nutrient uptake and encourages early root development. When used in combination on lentils these two products have been shown to produce as much as +5 bu/ac over similar competing products (9).

Combining a strong fertility program with premium liquid inoculants and ag-biologicals from XiteBio is a simple step growers can take to help balance their fertility and ensure nutrients are easily accessible to their pulse crops. We are proud to be a part of the growing and dynamic field of pulse production and see a great year ahead for growers and retailers alike in 2025. Don’t forget to secure your supply of XiteBio® PulseRhizo® early this year. Last year we sold out of product and we are predicting heavy demand again this year. Thanks for reading and until next time we wish you healthier plants and better yields.

1. https://agriculture.canada.ca/en/sector/crops/reports-statistics/canada-outlook-principal-field-crops-2024-09-25
2. https://www.producer.com/news/red-green-lentils-take-different-paths/
3. https://oec.world/en/profile/hs/lentils-dried-and-shelled
4. https://www.realagriculture.com/2024/09/india-extends-duty-exemption-for-peas-by-another-two-months/
5. https://www.producer.com/news/pea-protein-sector-goes-to-the-dogs-and-cats/
6. https://abovefood.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Above-Food-Strengthens-its-Pet-Food-Ingredient-Platform-with-Recent-Montana-Based-Asset-Acquisition.pdf
7. https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/plant-based-pet-food-market#:~:text=The%20global%20Plant%2DBased%20Pet,significantly%20due%20to%20different%20factors.
8. https://saskpulse.com/news/new-website-launched-to-support-the-mitigation-of-root-rot-in-pulses/
9. https://xitebio.ca/wp-content/uploads/Product-Guide-2024-Final-Small-1.pdf