Ending stocks of the seven major pulse and special crops in Canada at the close of the 2010-11 crop year are expected to be higher than earlier expectations, according to updated supply-demand tables from Agriculture and Agri- Food Canada Market Analysis Division released mid-December.

Ending stocks of the seven major special and pulse crops for 2010-11 were pegged by Agriculture Canada at 1.1 million tonnes, which is up from the October 14 forecast of 760,000 tonnes and the 2009-10 carry-out of 1.055 tonnes. The largest increase was in lentils, which also saw an increase in production from the previous estimate.

The seven major specialty and pulse crops include: dry peas, lentils, dry beans, chickpeas, mustard seed, canary seed and sunflower seed.

Production of the major pulse and special crops in Canada was pegged in the updated tables at 5.56 million tonnes, up from the October estimate of 5.05 million.

Exports of Canada’s special and pulse crops for 2010-11 were forecast at 4.325 million tonnes.