Rotting lentils

Saskatchewan’s lentil crop is in big trouble. With about three million acres seeded, an average crop of lentils at prevailing prices should be worth three quarters of a billion dollars. With the weather conditions we’ve been having, there will be heavy losses. Recent heavy rains are flattening the crop canopy and in many cases, the plants are laying in the mud rotting from the bottom up. Most of the production occurs on the bottom pods and those are the ones most likely to degrade. If the weather turns dry and if there’s some heat, it will help preserve quality and quantity. If we continue to get rain and clouds, it’s going to be an ugly harvest. Already there are many producers looking at a salvage operation rather than a bountiful harvest. It’s a big production region and there are still many areas where the crop has good potential, but these are anxious times for lentil producers everywhere. Lentils aren’t the only crop in trouble, just the one in the forefront at the moment. The recent cool, wet weather has slowed crop maturation and many crops in many regions are at a huge frost risk. I’m Kevin Hursh.

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