Canadian lentil and dry pea production is expected to fall sharply in 2026, with smaller harvested area and lower average yields weighing on both crops.
Statistics Canada’s first production estimates for the 2026 growing season on Wednesday put national lentil production at 2.467 million tonnes, down 26.7% from 3.363 million tonnes in 2025. Harvested area is estimated at 3.844 million acres, down from 4.307 million acres last year, while the average yield is forecast at 1,415 lbs/acre, compared with 1,722 lbs in 2025.
Meanwhile, dry pea production is forecast at 3.26 million tonnes, a decline of 17.1% from 3.934 million last year. Harvested area is projected at 2.951 million acres, down from 3.416 million acres, while average yield is expected to ease to 40.6 bu/acre from 42.3 bu.
Both the lentil and pea crop crops remain up from the 2024 crops of 2.431 million and 2.997 million, respectively.
In its August supply-demand estimates, Agriculture Canada projected the 2026 lentil and dry pea crops at 2.5 million and 3.15 million tonnes.
Among other pulse crops, chickpea production is projected at 400,100 tonnes, down almost 17% from 2025. Harvested area is expected to fall to 521,700 acres from 538,900, while the average yield declines to 1,691 lbs/acre from 1,970.
Production of dry beans is forecast at 354,184 tonnes, down 19.1% from last year, with harvested area dropping to 335,600 acres from 423,800 acres. However, the national average yield is expected to edge higher to 23.3 cwt/acre from 22.8 in 2025.
Canary seed production is expected to fall particularly sharply, dropping 39.4% to 142,345 tonnes. Harvested area is forecast at 231,500 acres, down from 319,400 acres, while yield falls to 1,355 lbs from 1,622.
Flaxseed production is projected at 385,797 tonnes, down 15.1% from a year ago, despite harvested area rising to 636,000 acres from 615,600 acres. The average yield is expected to fall to 23.9 bu/acre from 29.1.
In contrast, mustard production is forecast to rise 12.7% to 157,531 tonnes, with average yield increasing to 946 lbs from 862. Sunflower seed production is projected at 71,928 tonnes, up 4.1%, although average yield slips to 2,050 lbs/acre from 2,147.
