Pulses sector also hit by the war in 2022

According to real-time harvest data, 269 K mt of peas were harvested in Ukraine in 2022, or half as much as the year before. Due to active hostilities in the southeast, the pea area shrank from the usual 240-250 Th ha to 118 Th ha. Supposedly, plantings of other, later pulses also decreased amid related challenges faced by the Ukrainian farmer (difficulties in selling products abroad, a lack of money for sowing, a shortage and increasing prices of fuels, fertilizers and other inputs).

In addition, the harvest decrease is confirmed by a drop in the export of late-season pulses, from 48.5 K mt in 2021 to 29.1 K mt in 2022 (down 40%).

The only pulse crop whose exports increased compared to last year was kidney beans. The reason was the proximity of the main buyer (the EU absorbing 68% of Ukrainian exports). Before the full-scale russian invasion, 40% of Ukrainian kidney beans were supplied there by trucks through the western border. So, the blockade of Ukraine’s deep-water seaports affected this crop’s export to the least extent compared to other pulses.

The logistical difficulties in Ukraine and strong competition from corn and other grains made it impossible to export as much chickpeas and lentils to distant markets as went there before February 24, 2022. Moreover, the pulses trade development is complicated by the fact that traders cannot collect a large enough consignment for shipment (low harvests).

The current situation has shown that it is much more profitable to sell more expensive commodities or value-added products, therefore the production of pulses in Ukraine could still get a new boost. UkrAgroConsult expects Ukrainian farmers to plant a larger area to pulses in 2023 – this primarily concerns peas as the least demanding pulse crop. Kidney bean plantings may expand amid increased demand, while chickpeas and lentils could at least return to their pre-war levels.