While most Canadians worry about the potential for stiff trade tariffs with the United States—pulse crop growers in Saskatchewan are facing another trade issue on the other side of the world.

The Indian government cut import tariffs on peas and lentils in the last part of 2023 to ease domestic food inflation. Canada was able to sell a lot more pulses to India as a result. Now consumers in India are paying much less for pulses—but that is not going over well with farmers, who account for about 40 percent of the adult population.

Market analyst Chuck Penner with LeftField Commodity Research says Indian farmers have been vocal about declining prices for their crops and that puts the government in a difficult position.

Penner thinks the Indian government will reinstate import tariffs on peas, but are less likely for chickpeas and red lentils.

Between November 2024 and December 2024, Canadian pea imports to India were 1.5 million tonnes, valued at more than $800-million.

(Above chart from Chuck Penner’s presentation at Saskatchewan Pulse Growers meeting in Saskatoon on Feburary 4th)