Average Prairie Chickpea Harvest Expected; Global Supplies Tight

At a time when worldwide supplies are tight, Western Canada appears headed toward an average chickpea harvest this year. 

Colin Young, manager of Mid-West Grain Ltd. in Moose Jaw, said there is considerable variability in the Prairie chickpeas crop, with just localized showers across the main production province of Saskatchewan following a widespread rain event back in about May. Some crops appear to have good production potential, while others are below, he said. 

Adding it all up, Young said he’s confident of an average crop. 

In its latest supply-demand estimates released July 20, Agriculture Canada forecast 2022 Canadian chickpea output at 110,000 tonnes, up 44% from last year’s drought-impacted crop. But at an estimated 305,000 tonnes, the total new-crop supply is nonetheless projected to fall from 376,000 the previous year due to a sharp reduction in carry-in stocks from the old-crop marketing year. And even with a decline in exports, 2022-23 ending stocks are still projected to decline, falling to 120,000 tonnes from 150,000