News Capsule: Pulse sales to the Middle East freeze
17-Mar-2026 11:33 AM
News Capsule: Pulse sales to the Middle East freeze
★ Ongoing conflict in the Middle East has severely disrupted Canadian pulse exports. The MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region imported about 801,000 tonnes of pulses in 2025, valued at around $769 million, with lentils accounting for 78% and chickpeas about 9%.
★ Access to key ports such as Jebel Ali has been restricted, forcing shipments to halt or be diverted to safer ports, disrupting the supply chain.
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Freight and insurance/risk costs have surged sharply, including:
★ $2,000 per container (about $80/tonne) war-risk surcharge, $800 per container (about $32/tonne) rerouting charge, $200 emergency surcharge, $500 rate restoration fee, $150 fuel surcharge
★ These elevated costs have significantly increased overall shipping expenses, discouraging new deals. In many cases, cargo is being offloaded at alternative safe ports, adding further costs for importers.
★ The situation has worsened already weak demand, as liquidity was already tight due to U.S. trade policies and broader market uncertainty.
★ As a result, Canadian pulse prices are under pressure, with red lentil prices dropping to around $0.23 per pound from about $0.25 earlier.
★ Overall, the sudden disruption of key Middle East markets is negatively impacting global pulse trade and prices.