Prospects of Improvement in the Global Lentil Market

Vancouver: The global lentil market is expected to remain largely stable or show some strength over the coming months. Although Canada has a substantial carryover stock of lentils, Australia is expected to achieve an excellent or record crop, while its carryover surplus stocks are believed to have declined considerably.

The government agency Statistics Canada (StatCan) has estimated that Canadian lentil production in the 2026–27 season will fall by 27%, to around 2.47 million tonnes, compared with the 2025–26 season. Red lentil production is expected to increase by 9%, while green lentil production could decline by 36%.

According to the government agency, Canada had a substantial 1.28 million tonnes of carryover lentil stocks available at the beginning of the 2026–27 marketing season.

Based on StatCan’s figures, industry and trade analysts estimate that Canada currently has around 600,000 tonnes of large- and medium-sized green lentils and approximately 384,000 tonnes of small green lentils in stock.

Considering the projected production and carryover stocks, total lentil availability in Canada during the 2026–27 season is estimated at around 3.75 million tonnes.

However, according to one trade analysis, while StatCan’s production estimate appears reasonably accurate, its estimate of carryover stocks may be higher than the actual level. The analysis suggests that actual carryover stocks may be closer to 500,000 tonnes, putting Canada’s total lentil availability at no more than approximately 3.33 million tonnes.

Meanwhile, harvesting preparations for lentils are still pending on around 25% of the cultivated area in Canada.