A key issue for pulse growers in Saskatchewan has been market access to India.

The country has recently granted Canada a three-month exemption from their new policy for mandatory fumigation of imported crops, which is now in place through June 30th.

Carl Potts, Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers says there have been some new developments regarding the issue.

"India has published some draft, that has some potential changes to its planned quarantine order that potentially address some of  Canada's concerns with regards to India's import requirements," he said. "We view that as a positive development, certainly there are some more clarifications that are being sought and needed there. The fact that India is looking at potential changes that can address some of these issues is a positive development in our view." 

He also adds they’ve been talking with India about the integrity of Canadian pulses.

"Rather than trying to focus on one singular factor," Potts said. "We've been trying to highlight all the steps starting with our cold winters, good quality grain storage and levels of inspection throughout the system that really taken together really help to mitigate the risk of having stored grain and pulses to India."

Potts adds in Saskatchewan, pulse acreage this year is expected to be down between 10-15 percent from 2016.

Last year, Canada exported $1.1 billion worth of pulses to India, our biggest market for those crops.