Red Lentils Surge While Green Lentils Ease: Split Dynamics in Global Lentil Trade

Red lentils are entering a bullish phase, driven by strong South Asian buying, while green lentils face mild downward pressure despite steady volumes. For Chinese-origin green lentils, recent FOB moves remain modest, but the global price split between red and green segments is becoming more pronounced.

Import demand from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh is increasingly focused on red lentils, lifting export prices and likely boosting shipped volumes in the weeks ahead. In contrast, green lentil export prices have edged lower, even as trade flows remain relatively stable. Chinese green lentil offers are only slightly changed, but face firmer international competition from red lentils in price-sensitive destinations.

📈 Prices & Short-Term Trends

Chinese FOB prices for small green lentils (Beijing, CN) show only marginal week-on-week moves: organic lots are indicated around EUR 1.26/t, up from EUR 1.24/t, while conventional material is near EUR 1.17/t, fractionally below EUR 1.18/t one week earlier. This points to a broadly sideways to slightly firm domestic price environment for green types.

Canadian green lentils (Laird, Eston) are quoted roughly at EUR 1.77/t and EUR 1.67/t FOB, each about EUR 0.02/t higher than mid-March, signalling mild strengthening but no breakout. In contrast, Canadian red lentils (red football type) have climbed from about EUR 2.58/t to EUR 2.60/t over the same period, confirming that the more pronounced upward price momentum is concentrated in the red segment.

🌍 Supply & Demand: Red vs Green Divergence

Market feedback indicates that India remains the key global import hub for lentils, with solid demand for both green and red types and stable overall import volumes. However, price signals diverge: green lentil import prices into India are reported slightly lower, while red lentil import prices are moving sharply higher, reflecting stronger competition for available red supplies.

Turkey continues to act as both an importer and exporter. Its green lentil import prices have softened slightly, but demand for red lentils is rising, implying a potential increase in red lentil import volumes. Pakistan and Bangladesh are also stepping up red lentil purchases, with higher import prices suggesting that buyers are accepting a tighter red lentil balance in order to secure prompt coverage.

Overall, the global trade picture this week is clearly split: green lentil export prices are edging down with volumes broadly stable, while red lentil export prices are rising more sharply with likely growth in traded volumes, underpinned by persistent demand from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

📊 Fundamentals & Weather Context

Fundamentally, the relative abundance of green lentils compared with red varieties is keeping a cap on green prices even as international trade stays active. The resilience of India’s import appetite across both colours is an important floor, but buyers in that market are clearly prioritising red lentils, where substitution with other pulses is more limited in some processing and culinary uses.

Turkey’s dual role as importer and exporter magnifies its influence: increased red lentil imports into Turkey for re-export or domestic processing tighten regional availability further, amplifying upward pressure on red prices. Additional demand from Pakistan and Bangladesh compounds this effect, concentrating incremental buying on red lentils while green lentils see more balanced supply-demand conditions.

Weather in key producing regions has not triggered a new immediate supply shock in the last few days, so current price action appears demand-led rather than weather-driven. With no fresh crop threat dominating the narrative, short-term pricing is likely to remain anchored by import behaviour and any policy moves in South Asian markets rather than by production headlines.

📆 Trading Outlook & Risk Pointers

• For buyers (especially in Asia): Prioritise coverage of red lentil needs for nearby and early new-crop positions, as sustained demand from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh suggests limited downside in the short term. Consider staggering purchases of green lentils, where prices are softer and export volumes remain stable.
• For Chinese exporters: With domestic FOB green lentil prices relatively steady, there is room to defend current offer levels while monitoring red lentil strength as a benchmark. Competitive pricing against Canadian and Russian origins may be needed in price-sensitive destinations focusing on green types.
• For traders and processors: Maintain a cautiously bullish stance on red lentils, with attention to basis and freight spreads into South Asia and Turkey. For green lentils, favour range-trading strategies until a clearer fundamental catalyst emerges.

📍 3-Day Regional Price Indication (EUR, Directional)

Origin & Type	Location / Term	Current Level (EUR/t)	3-Day View
CN small green lentils, organic	Beijing, FOB	≈ 1.26	Slightly firm to stable
CN small green lentils, conventional	Beijing, FOB	≈ 1.17	Stable to slightly softer
CA green lentils (Laird)	Ottawa, FOB	≈ 1.77	Stable
CA red lentils (red football)	Ottawa, FOB	≈ 2.60	Slightly firm