Kazakhstan has significantly increased its sowing areas for legumes by 2025. The area sown was almost 60% more than the previous year. Specifically, lentils saw an increase of more than 80%. Experts believe that due to the lack of sufficient storage capacity, there may be problems with accommodating the increased harvest in the fall. Meanwhile, a decrease in legume prices is expected in the new season, reports the agency APC News.
The area of legumes increased by 291 thousand hectares, or 59% compared to the previous year. In particular, the area for lentils increased by 294 thousand hectares, or 84% year-on-year. While this is good, according to experts from the Grain Union of Kazakhstan, considering that the infrastructure of grain-receiving enterprises is mostly not designed for legumes, this could create certain problems in case of a rainy harvest.
Could a collapse occur?
"Yes, it could. That is, with the placement of these crops, with their bringing to condition. Therefore, of course, farmers have taken on very big risks," believes the head of the Analysis Committee of the Grain Union of Kazakhstan, Evgeny Karabanov.
According to his data, in general, the world has sown a lot of legumes. An increase in the harvest is expected in Canada, Australia, Russia – there they sowed more than 4 million hectares of lentils and about 2 million hectares of peas, that is, more than 6 million hectares in Russia alone. And in all countries, a good harvest is expected.
What is happening?
The main importer immediately reacted to this situation, and the price of lentils fell by $200 within a month. The main importers of legumes are the countries of Southeast Asia and Turkey.
The price in Turkey for brand lentils – Canadian lentils – fell from $820 to $620.
"And we are likely to face exactly this negative scenario," believes the expert.