Pulse Industry

Canada has developed a multi-billion dollar pulse and special crops industry. Canadian production of the eight major pulse and special crops (pea, lentil, bean, chickpea, mustard, sunflower, canary seed and buckwheat) increased from about 1,000,000 tonnes in the early 1990s to 5.6 million tonnes in 2009, more than a five fold increase in 20 years. In 2009, Canada accounted for 30% of world pea production and 17% of world lentil production. With exports expanding rapidly along with production over the last two decades, Canada now accounts for approximately 35% of global pulse trade each year. Canada is a dominant player in world trade in peas and lentils, accounting for 55% and 50%, respectively in 2008 (the most recent year of complete FAO statistics) and a top five exporter of both dry beans and chickpeas. In 2009, Canada exported a record 4.1 million tonnes of pulses worth nearly $2.2 billion.