Pulse Crop Production Hurt Dramatically by Dry Conditions

The beginning of the year for pea and lentil growers held a lot of promise according to Lance Honig with USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

“The potential was there for a big crop. We actually planted a record high number of acres for lentils this year.”

Unfortunately the keyword in that sentence is “was” since abnormally dry, or drought conditions across the Inland Northwest and Northern Plains did significant damage to crops.

Lentils and other pulse crops could see production down 41 percent due to record low yields.

When it comes to peas, they suffered the same fate Honig said.

“Dry edible peas, we’re expecting production to be down 45 percent there. Again, yield down sharply from last year, in fact it’s the lowest yield expected since 1996.”

Most of Washington and all of Northern Oregon is in a moderate drought condition.