New-Crop Lentil Output Up From Last Month; Ending Stocks Unchanged

Agriculture Canada has revised up its 2019 Canadian lentil production estimate from last month, although a smaller old-crop carryin and heavier expected domestic use means projected new-crop ending stocks are unchanged.

 

In updated supply-demand estimates released Friday afternoon, Ag Canada bumped up this year’s lentil crop to an estimated 2.2 million tonnes, an increase of 200,000 tonnes from last month based on the larger seeded area estimate contained in last month’s Statistics Canada acreage report.

 

However, projected 2019-20 lentil ending stocks were left steady from last month at 500,000 tonnes as Ag Canada trimmed its old-crop ending stocks estimate by 100,000 tonnes from June to 675,000 tonnes, leaving a smaller amount to be carried into the new-crop marketing year. At the same time, Ag Canada revised its domestic use projection 100,000 tonnes higher from June to 595,000 tonnes, thus completely offsetting the expected increase in output.