It shouldn鈥檛 come as a huge surprise the potential of pulse crops on the Canadian Prairies appears to finally be taking off.
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It hasn鈥檛 happened as fast as some, myself included, may have anticipated.
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It has long been realized pulse crops (peas, beans and lentils) are a major human protein source in much of the world. That is particularly true in places such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and a number of other countries. That all translates into a major market.
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Canada has done well in accessing such markets. India bought 1.33 million tonnes of peas in 2016. China bought one million tonnes, and Bangladesh took 290,878 tonnes as the three largest markets.
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But there has long been a belief the potential was greater. Over the years there has certainly been interest in pulse crops in terms of diversifying the crops grown here. Lupins held much interest for a year or two, as did pinto beans, but so far past peas and lentils, no pulse crop has become particularly significant for Canadian Prairie farmers. That may well be about to change.
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The domestic market for pulses appears poised to boom.
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In September, Academy Award winning film director James Cameron made some non-film headlines in Saskatchewan unveiling his plans for Verident Foods Inc. fractionation plant in Vanscoy, Sask. The plant is already operating and will process 160,000 tonnes of yellow peas once at full capacity.
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The Cameron announcement is only the latest in a list of announcements which suggest a growing market for pulses domestically.
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French plant-based ingredient maker Roquette, is building the world鈥檚 largest pea protein factory in Portage la Prairie, Man. The $400 million facility will use up to 250,000 tonnes of peas a year starting in 2019. This is clearly the announcement which seems to bode well for the future of pulse crops here based on plant scale, and international connections.
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But, Roquette is not the only international player in the current wave of pulse production expansion here. A German company called Canadian Protein Innovation plans to build a $75 million pea fractionation plant in Moose Jaw, Sask., which will process 100,000 tonnes of peas a year into starch, protein and fibre.
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And then there are plans for a $15 million addition to a processing plant in Bowden, Alta., which will have a flour mill, dry and wet fractionation lines and eventually a pet food ingredients plant. The plant will consume 100,000 tonnes of peas and lentils once at full capacity.
Most of these plants will process pulses for their protein, likely creating initial demand for peas as they are the lowest cost pulse, but it could lead to interest in other crops, those with higher protein production, and that could open the door to new crops for producers.
It will certainly create a number of domestic markets and should stabilize markets pushing pulse production to a higher level of importance for producers.
