Much larger Canadian pea and lentil crops are on the way for this year, according to Statistics Canada.
Model-based production estimates released by the federal agency on Thursday pegged the 2025 national lentil crop at 2.655 million tonnes, up 9.2% from a year earlier and potentially the largest crop since 2020 at 2.867 million. Meanwhile, pea output was estimated at 3.408 million tonnes, up an even larger 13.7% from last year and the biggest since 2022 at 3.423 million.
For both crops, estimated harvested area and yields are up from a year ago.
At 4.319 million acres, estimated lentil harvested area is up 3.2% in the year, while the average yield improved 74 lbs/acre from 2024 to 1,355 lbs, the highest in five years. Pea harvested area is expected at 3.422 million acres, compared to 3.164 million in 2024, while the average yield is pegged at 36.6 bu/acre, up from 34.8 bu a year ago and the highest since 37.8 bu in 2022.
For other pulse and special crops, production estimates are mixed compared to a year earlier.
Canary output for this year is seen by StatsCan at 152,919 tonnes, down from 185,253 in 2024 but still above the 2023 crop of just 112,210. Canary harvested area increased to an estimated 310,900 acres from 290,600, but the average expected yield fell to 1,084 lbs/acre from 1,405 lbs a year earlier.
At 134,345 tonnes, mustard production is estimated down a major 43% from 192,297 a year ago, potentially the smallest crop since 2020, excluding the drought-ravaged 2021 harvest. Mustard harvested area is projected sharply lower, down to 347,600 acres from just over 600,000 in 2024, with the average yield also lower – down to 852 lbs/acre from 706 lbs and the highest since 2020.
On the other hand, the chickpea crop is estimated at 308,868 tonnes, a 7.7% increase from the 2024 crop and the largest since 2018 at 311,300. Harvested area is estimated up 10.1% to 528,300 acres, with the average yield, at 1,289 lbs/acre, down from 1,318 lbs the previous year.
Flax production is seen up 27% to 327,855 tonnes, the largest crop since 2022 at 473,175. Harvested area is up almost 100,000 acres year-over-year to 596,600 acres, while the average yield is estimated at 21.6 bu/acre, versus 20.4 bu last year and the highest since 2022.
Sunflower output is estimated at 59,555 tonnes, up from 50,680 in 2024 but still well below the 2023 crop of 92,468. Harvested area is up an estimated 7,000 acres to 65,800, with the average yield up 98 lbs to 1998 lbs/acre.
The national dry bean crop is seen at 352,722 tonnes, down almost 17% on the year but still above the 2023 crop of 339,315. Harvested area is estimated down nearly 9% on the year at 359,600 acres, while the average yield, at 21.6 cwt/acre, is down from 23.7 cwt last year and the lowest since 2021 at 20.1 cwt.
