Russia’s pulse crops caught in a global oversupply trap

Russia harvested a record crop of pulse crops in the 2025/26 season, but instead of boosting revenues, producers are facing a sharp deterioration in market conditions. Excess global supply has erased the benefits of higher output, leaving exporters under mounting price pressure.

The global pulses market this season is marked by strong harvests in several key producing countries, including Canada, Australia, India, and the Black Sea region. The combined increase in supply has pushed export prices lower and intensified competition for traditional sales markets.

Russian farmers expanded acreage of peas, chickpeas, and lentils, targeting exports to the Middle East, South Asia, and North Africa. However, these regions also gained access in 2025 to large volumes of lower-priced pulses from competing origins, limiting demand for Russian supplies.

Additional pressure comes from logistical and financial constraints, which reduce export flexibility and increase costs. As a result, a portion of the pulse harvest is being diverted to the domestic market, where demand is insufficient to absorb record production volumes.

Analysts note that the situation highlights a structural risk in an agricultural strategy focused on volume growth without sufficient regard for global supply-and-demand balances. In a year of high global output, even record harvests do not guarantee profitability.

In the near term, Russian pulse producers may be forced to cut planted areas or shift toward niche markets and value-added processing. Otherwise, record harvests are likely to continue turning from an advantage into an economic trap.

Tags: lentil, pea, Russia, chickpea, pulses