Chinese Lentil FOB Prices Hold Steady as Global Supplies Stay Ample

Chinese FOB lentil prices are broadly steady with a slight mixed bias: conventional small green offers in Beijing have inched higher, while organic lots slipped marginally, all in a narrow range and with limited volatility. Ample global supplies from Canada and Australia and lack of major weather threats are capping upside for now. With demand from Asia described as healthy but not explosive, the lentil market is entering early June in a relatively balanced state. Recent industry discussions highlight large crops and carryover stocks in North America and expanding output in Australia, keeping international values competitive and limiting room for sharp rallies unless weather shocks appear in key producers. For Chinese buyers, this translates into stable import opportunities and modestly firmer domestic FOB bids, supported more by freight, currency and logistics costs than by raw supply tightness.

Prices

Chinese FOB offers for small green lentils in Beijing currently show:

• Conventional small green, 99.5% purity: about EUR 1.07/kg FOB (up roughly EUR 0.02 vs. late May).
• Organic small green, 99.5% purity: about EUR 1.10/kg FOB (down around EUR 0.01 vs. late May).

Canadian FOB levels remain higher but stable, with indicative offers near EUR 1.36/kg for Eston greens, EUR 1.40/kg for Laird greens and around EUR 2.21/kg for red "football" types, reflecting quality premiums and stronger freight exposure into Asia.

(All EUR values are indicative conversions from recent USD-based offers.)

Supply & Demand

Industry panels at the recent Pulses 26 conference describe the global lentil market as well-supplied, with large crops and substantial carryover stocks in Canada and the United States expected to weigh on prices into the 2026/27 season. At the same time, Australia is projected to harvest near-record lentil volumes around 2.2 million tonnes under realistic scenarios, adding competition in Asian destinations including China.

Demand in key importing regions across Asia is reported as firm but not surging, and Indian import needs for lentils remain moderate compared with other pulses, such as urad, where tightness is more evident. This combination of comfortable supply and steady demand underpins the current sideways price pattern, with Chinese buyers able to source both domestic and imported origins without significant price stress.

Fundamentals & Weather

Recent trade analysis points to generally flat seaborne lentil prices from both Canada and China through late April and early May, suggesting limited speculative length and a cautious buyer’s market. In China, broader oilseed and grain discussions still anticipate high overall import needs for protein and feed, but these are concentrated in soybeans rather than pulses.

Weather-wise, forecasts for key northwestern and north-central Chinese producing regions relevant to lentils, such as Gansu, indicate seasonally mild early-June conditions with scattered showers but no widespread extremes over the next few days. This supports a benign crop outlook, reinforcing the perception of adequate domestic supply and limiting any weather-driven risk premium in current FOB values.

Trading Outlook

• Short-term bias: Sideways to slightly firmer for conventional Chinese small greens, as global supply is ample but freight and modest demand underpin a narrow price floor.
• Buyers in China: Consider staggered buying over the next 1–2 weeks rather than front-loading large volumes, as international offers from Canada and Australia remain competitive and major weather risks are limited for now.
• Exporters to China: Focus on quality differentiation and logistics reliability, especially versus Australian origin, as steady Australian lentil output keeps competition intense in Asian markets.
• Domestic producers: Locking in margins on a portion of expected production at current FOB levels appears reasonable, given the prospect of sustained large global stocks into 2026/27.

3‑Day Regional Price Indication (CN)

• Beijing (FOB, small green conventional): Expected to trade in a tight band around EUR 1.05–1.09/kg over the next three days, with stable fundamentals and no new supply shocks.
• Beijing (FOB, small green organic): Likely to hover around EUR 1.08–1.12/kg, with limited liquidity but no clear drivers for a sharp move in either direction.
• Import parity into East China ports (Canadian greens): Implied CN-delivered values should remain broadly steady, tracking flat Canadian FOBs and stable freight.