Glacier FarmMedia – Improved moisture conditions bode well for Saskatchewan chickpea production in 2024, with seeding operations for the crop nearing completion.
“We have good moisture and guys are putting stuff in the ground,” said Jake Hansen, general manager of Saskatchewan’s Mid-West Grain. He estimated that about 80 per cent of intended chickpea acres were in the ground on May 21, roughly double the planting progress as of the provincial crop report for May 13.
The rains may have caused some seeding delays but will be welcome overall after the drought conditions in recent years, according to Hansen. He added that disease was not yet a concern.
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Hansen estimated total Canadian chickpea seedings in 2024 at 350,000 to 400,000 acres, which compares with the 316,000 acres seeded in 2023.
From a pricing standpoint, kabuli chickpeas are currently trading in the mid-30s to high-30s cents per pound range, with some new crop opportunities around 40 cents per pound.
While farmers would prefer higher bids after kabulis had traded over 50 cents per pound earlier this crop year, Hansen said the market was likely stable around current levels for the time being.
Anecdotal reports out of India point to a 10 per cent reduction in their desi chickpea crop this year, which will have a supportive influence on the kabuli market as well, according to Hansen. However, chickpea area in the United States is forecast to be up on the year while Turkey was expected to have maintained its acreage base – limiting the upside potential in the global market.
