Exports of Pulses from Canada to Middle Eastern Countries Come to a Standstill

17-Mar-2026 07:11 PM

Saskatoon. The Iran-Israel conflict has created an atmosphere of unrest and uncertainty across the entire Arab region. Iran is continuously launching deadly missile and drone attacks against countries in West Asia, the Middle East, and the Gulf region, and the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively shut down.

Shipping companies are refusing to send their vessels or containers to the area. Consequently, the export of pulses and other agricultural products from Canada to these nations has ground to a near-total halt.

According to one exporting firm, the primary issue is that shipping companies are unwilling to dispatch their vessels to the Arab region; even if a company does agree to do so,

it demands freight rates so exorbitant that they become prohibitive for exporters. Moreover, hundreds of vessels are currently stranded on the other side of the Strait of Hormuz.

In 2025, countries in the Middle East and North Africa imported 800,000 tonnes of pulses from Canada, valued at $760 million.

This volume comprised approximately 78 percent lentils, 9 percent Kabuli chickpeas, and the remainder in peas. Currently, freight rates to the region have surged by $80 per tonne.