Recalling back to my days in school, and having grown up on a small Saskatchewan farm, I was keenly aware of the importance of wheat as a crop and Canada’s reputation for producing and delivering the highest quality wheat. This country was seen as the ‘breadbasket’ of the world, a reputation well-earned and economically significant.
That was in the 1970s, and I doubt many saw the importance of wheat being usurped.
But, then from rapeseed evolved canola, a crop offering an oil that met a changing diet and growing demand, and over several years the Prairie landscape turned yellow.
As canola oil grew in popularity, the crop offered a better return to producers. While wheat remains a significant crop, canola is the queen these days. The question that is interesting to ask is whether canola itself will one day be usurped as the key Prairie crop?
Some look at pulse crops as potentially achieving that. Of course, pulses cover a range of crops from chickpeas, to yellow and green field peas, to a range of lentils and beans. As a collective group, they are intriguing because they fix nitrogen in the soil, a definite side benefit to the crop itself, as it can reduce fertilizer costs.
The pulse range is also generally grown as a protein source, both for the livestock sector, and human consumption. The latter area of human consumption would seem to offer the most significant potential. That comes from two factors; on the one side, the world’s population continues to grow, which means added demand for food in general and, of course, protein. When you look at the impact African Swine Fever has had in decimating the pig herd in countries like China; protein demand will grow.
Here in North America, there is also a growing market for protein alternatives, as seen by the push from restaurants to offer an alternative to real meat with products made to look like meat, but that largely plants protein and a range of other ingredients.
While some might see the meat alternatives as a fad, likely to go the way of the pet rock, that may not be the case. Legumes stand to benefit if the market lasts and grows.
If the world and domestic demands are to rise, pulses could undoubtedly move into the mix regarding what crop is the key one for Prairie producers.
- Calvin Daniels
Comment on this article at lmtimes.ca/calvin
Disclaimer: opinions expressed are those of the writer.
