Signs of Russia's increasing dominance in the global export market of yellow peas
24-Jun-2025 05:44 PM
Moscow. Backed by strong production and competitive pricing, Russia is steadily strengthening its position in the global yellow pea export market.
Recently, Russia lowered its export offer prices significantly: by $20 to $355 per tonne for July–August delivery to China, by $5 to $370 per tonne for India, and by $10 to $365 per tonne for Pakistan.
This aggressive pricing strategy is expected to put additional pressure on Canadian producers and exporters, who have traditionally dominated the yellow pea market.
In comparison, Canada's export offer prices remain unchanged at $430 per tonne for India and $370 per tonne for China. This creates a substantial $60 per tonne price gap in Russia’s favor for Indian buyers, making Russian peas more attractive to Indian importers.
Russia’s position has been further strengthened by a surge in its domestic production. In the 2024–25 season, Russia’s pea production peaked at 5.1 million tonnes, significantly higher than Canada’s 3.17 million tonnes.
This large output has enabled Russia to maintain lower prices and expand its presence in key Asian markets. In addition, Canadian peas face a 100 percent import duty in China, further reducing their competitiveness in that market.
Looking ahead to the 2025–26 season, both Russia and Canada expect increased pea production. However, Russia’s higher output and continued price competitiveness are likely to help it maintain its lead in the global market.
The Indian government has extended the duty-free import window for yellow peas until March 31, 2026. This provides Indian importers ample time to plan their procurement strategy without the pressure of immediate decisions.
The new harvest is expected to begin next month in Russia and in August in Canada, setting the stage for intense competition between the two major exporters.
However, with its cost advantage and growing market access, Russia may continue to hold the upper hand.