# Lentil Market

> Lentil Market Size, Share, Industry Trend & Analysis Research Report: By Type (Red Lentils, Green Lentils, Black/Brown Lentils, Others), By Form (Dried/Whole Lentils, Split Lentils, Lentil Flour & Protein Isolates), By End Use (Food & Beverage, Animal Feed, Industrial & Others), By Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East & Africa) - Forecast to 2035.

- **Forecast Period:** 2026-2035
- **CAGR:** 7.00%
- **2025:** USD 6.28 Billion (2025)
- **2035:** USD 12.36 Billion (2035)
- **Key Players:** AGT Food and Ingredients, Cargill, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Simpson Seeds, Bühler Group, ETG (Export Trading Group), Ingredion Incorporated, Murad Foods

**Report ID:** MRFR/Agri/40311-HCR · **Pages:** 200 · **Author:** Snehal Singh · **Last Updated:** August 07, 2026

**URL:** https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/lentil-market-41975

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## Market Summary

The global lentil market reached USD 6.28 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow from USD 6.72 billion in 2026 to USD 12.36 billion by 2035, registering a CAGR of 7.00% over the forecast period. Flexitarian and plant-forward dietary shifts across South and Southeast Asia are a primary catalyst, with India's National Food Security Act procurement quotas locking in minimum support prices that underpin grower margins and stabilize import demand cycles. Carbon credit schemes rewarding pulse crop production and trade for nitrogen fixation have simultaneously widened per-acre returns in Saskatchewan and South Australia, incentivizing rotation-intensive planting calendars [2].

Mid-stream processing technology is revolutionizing the lentil market. Legacy gravity-fed sorting tables are being replaced with optical color sorters, presently available for about USD 160,000, which level the playing field for quality access between major integrators and mid-tier facilities. These technologies have pushed the global average No. 1 grade recovery rate to about 78%, opening export grade yields for processors who previously sold via domestic cheap channels. Governments of Ethiopia and Bangladesh have pledged nearly USD 420 million cumulatively to pulse milling facilities up to 2028, indicating sustained investment in dry and split lentil types [3][4].

Asia-Pacific commands a dominating position in the lentil market, generating about 49% of the worldwide income, propelled by household consumption habits in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Africa is the fastest expanding area with a projected CAGR of 6.9% through 2035, driven by school feeding regulations and urbanization-driven demand for convenient foods. Europe is second at 22% share, from organic retail premiums for red, green and black lentils purchased under identity-preserved contracts. Increased acknowledgment by food formulators of the importance of lentil protein and fiber content suggests the potential for increasing value addition at each node of the supply chain until 2035 [5].

## Key Report Takeaways

### • By Type

- Red lentils accounted for the largest revenue share of the lentil market in 2025, reflecting dominant consumption in South Asian dal preparations and Middle Eastern [soups](https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/soups-market-1846)
- Green lentils are forecast to grow at a CAGR of 7.6% through 2035, propelled by rising demand in European salad and ready-meal applications
- Black and brown lentil varieties are gaining traction in specialty health-food channels, reaching USD 0.74 billion in 2025

### • By Form

- Dried and split lentil varieties represented over 68% of global volume in 2025 due to shelf stability and cost efficiency in bulk trade
- Lentil flour and protein isolates are the fastest-growing form segment in the lentil market, with emerging applications in [plant-based meat](https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/plant-based-meat-market-8583) analogs

### • By Geography

- Asia-Pacific dominated the lentil market at approximately 49% share in 2025, underpinned by Indian government procurement programs
- Africa is projected to register a 6.9% CAGR as school feeding mandates expand pulse crop production and trade volumes

## Lentil Market Size and Forecast (2021–2035)

Market size estimates are based on FAO production and trade statistics and national customs data from the top 15 producing and importing nations, supplemented with primary interviews with grain traders, processors and pulse breeding programs. Historical statistics (2021-2024) are based on realized wholesale values; the base year 2025 is anchored to validated shipment records. Forecasts (2026–2035) are derived from a calibrated compound growth rate based on modeling of consumption elasticity, predictions of the trend in area, and policy scenario analysis[6].

## Market Drivers

| Driver | ~% Impact on CAGR | Geographic Relevance | Impact Timeline | Ref |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Plant-protein dietary shifts | ~1.8% | Global | Short-term (≤2 yr) | [11] |
| Government procurement & MSP programs | ~1.4% | India, Bangladesh | Medium-term (2–4 yr) | [9] |
| Carbon credit schemes for pulse rotation | ~0.9% | Canada, Australia | Long-term (≥4 yr) | [2] |
| School feeding mandates in Africa | ~0.8% | Sub-Saharan Africa | Medium-term (2–4 yr) | [10] |
| Optical sorting technology democratization | ~0.7% | Global | Short-term (≤2 yr) | [3] |
| Lentil flour in plant-based formulations | ~0.6% | North America, Europe | Medium-term (2–4 yr) | [11] |
| E-commerce direct-to-consumer channels | ~0.4% | Asia-Pacific, Europe | Short-term (≤2 yr) |   |

### Plant-Protein Dietary Shifts

Consumer migration toward flexitarian and plant-forward diets is the single largest accelerant for the lentil market. The Good Food Institute reported that plant-based food retail sales in the United States alone exceeded USD 8.1 billion in 2023, with legume-based products capturing a growing share of the protein alternative aisle. Lentil protein and fiber content — averaging 25 g protein and 15 g fiber per 100 g of dried lentils — positions this pulse as a cost-effective ingredient for manufacturers replacing soy and pea isolates in meat analogs and protein bars [11].

### Government Procurement and Minimum Support Prices

India's Ministry of Consumer Affairs has progressively raised minimum support prices for pulses, with masoor dal (red lentils) reaching INR 6,425 per quintal for the 2024–25 season. These administered price floors give smallholder growers confidence to expand acreage, and they anchor import demand when domestic harvests fall short — as occurred in the 2023 kharif season when India imported over 1.2 million metric tons of lentils. Bangladesh's Directorate General of Food similarly procures red, green and black lentils through its Open Market Sales program, absorbing an estimated 180,000 metric tons annually [9][16].

### Carbon Credit Schemes for Pulse Rotation

The integration of pulses into crop rotations is increasingly recognized for its environmental benefits, particularly nitrogen fixation. While specialized "pulse-only" carbon credit programs are still emerging, farmers globally are beginning to access broader soil-health and carbon-sequestration frameworks. In Canada and Australia, agricultural producers are increasingly encouraged to adopt sustainable practices, including crop diversification, to qualify for participation in evolving carbon offset markets. These initiatives are designed to stack with commodity revenues, providing additional financial incentives for growers to incorporate high-protein pulses into their standard farming cycles.

### Optical Sorting Technology Democratization

The democratization of high-resolution optical sorting technology has lowered the barrier to entry for mid-tier processors in key regions like Turkey, India, and Ethiopia. With entry-level industrial optical sorters now available for significantly lower capital investments (often in the range of USD 15,000 to USD 40,000 for basic configurations, depending on capacity and throughput), regional processors can now achieve higher purity levels. This technological shift allows a greater percentage of raw harvests to meet premium export specifications, effectively increasing the addressable market value for processors who were previously unable to afford high-end integrated systems.

## Restraints

The restraint impact percentages are directional estimates of downward pressure on the headline CAGR. They do not sum directly and should be interpreted as relative magnitudes.

| Restraint | ~% Impact on CAGR | Geographic Relevance | Impact Timeline | Ref |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Climate volatility and drought risk | –0.9% | Canada, India, Australia | Long-term (≥4 yr) | [18] |
| Trade policy and tariff fluctuations | –0.7% | India, Turkey | Medium-term (2–4 yr) | [9] |
| Competition from chickpeas and peas | –0.5% | Global | Medium-term (2–4 yr) | [15] |
| Aflatoxin and quality compliance barriers | –0.4% | Sub-Saharan Africa | Short-term (≤2 yr) | [10] |
| Limited cold-chain and storage infrastructure | –0.3% | South Asia, Africa | Long-term (≥4 yr) | [4] |

### Climate Volatility and Drought Risk

Lentil cultivation and harvesting are highly sensitive to terminal drought — the moisture stress that occurs during pod fill in the final 20–30 days before maturity. Canada's Prairie region experienced a 34% yield decline during the 2021 drought, dropping national production to 2.3 million metric tons from a five-year average of 3.1 million metric tons. As climate models project more frequent heat-dome events across the northern Great Plains, insurers are repricing crop coverage, adding CAD 8–12 per acre to input costs and potentially slowing acreage expansion in Saskatchewan [18].

### Trade Policy and Tariff Fluctuations

India, which accounts for roughly 30% of global lentil imports, has historically toggled import duties between 0% and 33% depending on domestic stock levels and election-year food inflation politics. This on-off tariff regime introduces demand uncertainty that reverberates through Canadian and Australian export pipelines. Turkey similarly imposes seasonal import quotas on red, green and black lentils to protect its domestic Southeastern Anatolia growers, creating price dislocations that disadvantage smaller exporters lacking hedging infrastructure [9][16].

### Competition from Alternative Pulses

The broader pulse complex — particularly chickpeas, yellow peas, and fava beans — competes for the same rotational acreage and many of the same end-use applications. Yellow pea protein isolates have gained a price advantage of USD 200–400 per metric ton over lentil-derived isolates due to larger-scale extraction facilities in France and Belgium, which pressures lentil protein and fiber content positioning in the ingredient supply chain.

## Opportunities

### Lentil-Based Protein Isolate and Flour Expansion

Food formulators seeking clean-label, allergen-free protein sources are increasingly specifying lentil protein and fiber content in product briefs. The global plant-protein ingredients sector is projected to exceed USD 20 billion by 2030, and lentil-derived isolates command a 15–20% price premium over pea equivalents in organic-certified grades. Processors who invest in wet fractionation lines can capture margins of USD 800–1,200 per metric ton above whole-lentil commodity prices [11].

### Digital Trade Platforms for Smallholder Growers

Digital commodity platforms in India and Turkey are connecting smallholder growers directly with export buyers, disintermediating the multi-layered commission agent chain that historically absorbed 8–12% of farmgate value. Platforms such as Arya.ag and Ninjacart's pulse vertical have collectively onboarded over 600,000 growers, and they are extending working-capital financing that accelerates the flow of dried and split lentil varieties from farm to port.

### African School Feeding and Institutional Procurement

The African Union’s Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) initiative continues to serve as a vital social safety net, reaching tens of millions of children across the continent. By emphasizing the procurement of locally sourced staples, including pulses, nations like Ethiopia and Kenya are creating predictable demand for domestic farmers. This institutional procurement model serves as a strategic "demand floor," encouraging farmers in highland zones to increase their cultivation of pulses, thereby enhancing local food security and rural income stability.

### Ready-to-Eat and Convenience Lentil Products

Consumer demand for convenience-oriented pulse products—including shelf-stable pouches, meal kits, and microwaveable cups—is rising in major European and North American markets. As retailers like Tesco and Carrefour expand their private-label offerings to meet the demand for plant-forward, quick-prep meals, there is a clear opportunity for processors to move beyond basic milling. Success in this segment requires integrating primary processing with co-packing and retail-ready distribution channels.

### Precision Breeding and Short-Season Varieties

Collaborative research between organizations such as ICARDA and the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Center remains critical to the evolution of the lentil market. Modern breeding programs are focusing on the development of short-season, disease-resistant cultivars that can thrive in semi-arid environments. By shortening the maturity cycle, these advancements allow for the expansion of lentil production into new agro-ecological zones, effectively increasing the resilience and total geographic footprint of the crop.

## Future Outlook

### Precision Agriculture and Data-Driven Agronomy

Satellite-guided variable-rate seeding and in-season NDVI monitoring are poised to lift lentil yields by 12–18% across major producing regions by 2030. The University of Saskatchewan's Pulse Agronomy Lab has demonstrated that prescription seeding maps tailored to soil electrical conductivity zones reduce seed waste by 15% while improving stand uniformity. These precision tools will be especially impactful for lentil cultivation and harvesting on the heterogeneous soils of the Canadian Prairies and the Indian Gangetic Plains [13][17].

### Value-Added Processing and Ingredient Platforms

The lentil market is evolving from a commodity-centric trade model to an ingredient-focused economy. Advanced wet and dry fractionation technologies now allow processors to extract distinct protein concentrates (typically reaching 55–65% purity), starch fractions, and hull fiber from a single lentil feedstock. Major industry players, including AGT Food and Ingredients and Ingredion, are actively expanding their fractionation capabilities. This shift signifies that processed lentil derivatives are increasingly valued as high-performance raw materials for food and beverage applications.

### Climate Adaptation and Resilient Supply Chains

Climate change remains a significant risk to pulse production, particularly due to terminal heat stress during grain filling. Research organizations like ICARDA are focused on developing heat-tolerant and early-maturing cultivars to mitigate yield losses as growing-season temperatures rise. Furthermore, the adoption of hermetic grain storage systems—such as the GrainPro SuperGrainbag—has proven highly effective in Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and other regions. These technologies reduce post-harvest losses from traditional, non-sealed storage (which can exceed 10–12%) to under 2%, significantly improving food security without the need for increased acreage.

### ESG Reporting and Sustainable Sourcing Mandates

The European Union's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) has heightened the need for transparency in Scope 3 emissions. Lentils are well-positioned in this environment, with an average carbon footprint of approximately 0.7–0.9 kg CO₂e per kg—significantly lower than the footprint of animal-based protein sources. As food manufacturers seek to reduce their supply-chain emissions to comply with CSRD targets, the demand for verified, low-emission ingredients like lentils is expected to grow, encouraging transparent sourcing for red, green, and black lentil varieties.

## Segment Insights

### By Type

| Segment | Key Metric | Primary Demand Driver |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Red Lentils | ~52% share (2025) | South Asian dal and Middle Eastern cuisine |
| Green Lentils | CAGR of 7.6% | European salad and ready-meal applications |
| Black/Brown Lentils | USD 0.74 Billion (2025) | Specialty health-food retail channels |
| Others (Puy, Beluga, Yellow) | CAGR of 6.3% | Gourmet and foodservice positioning |

Red lentils dominate the lentil market because they cook quickly, absorb spices readily, and serve as the base ingredient for dal across South Asia and soups across the Middle East. India alone processes approximately 3.8 million metric tons of red lentils annually through its extensive network of split-dal mills, and this volume underpins the segment's revenue leadership. The red lentil supply chain benefits from well-established trade corridors linking Saskatchewan, South Australia, and Turkey to Kolkata, Dhaka, and Dubai, with freight logistics optimized over decades of high-volume shipments [6][16].

Green lentils are gaining momentum as Western consumers associate them with salad-ready textures and higher visual appeal in prepared foods. French and Italian green lentil varieties retain their shape after cooking, making them preferred ingredients for dried and split lentil varieties used in chilled salads, grain bowls, and meal kits. UK retailers have reported 14% year-on-year growth in green lentil SKUs since 2022, and foodservice operators across Germany and Scandinavia are substituting green lentils for rice in plant-forward entrées.

### By Form

| Segment | Key Metric | Primary Demand Driver |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dried/Whole Lentils | ~43% share (2025) | Bulk trade and household cooking |
| Split Lentils | USD 2.18 Billion (2025) | Industrial dal milling; South Asian retail |
| Lentil Flour & Protein Isolates | CAGR of 9.4% | Plant-based formulation ingredients |

Split lentils represent the backbone of pulse crop production and trade in South Asia, where mechanized dal mills process whole lentils into dehulled, polished splits for retail packaging. India's estimated 12,000 dal mills — ranging from village-scale stone dehullers to automated facilities processing 200 metric tons per day — collectively handle the largest share of global lentil form conversion. The flour and isolate segment, while the smallest by current revenue, is growing fastest as food manufacturers recognize lentil protein and fiber content as a versatile, [clean-label ingredient](https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/clean-label-ingredients-market-5352) [3][11].

### By End Use

| Segment | Key Metric | Primary Demand Driver |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Food & Beverage | ~87% share (2025) | Direct consumption and food processing |
| Animal Feed | CAGR of 5.8% | Poultry and aquaculture rations |
| Industrial & Others | USD 0.11 Billion (2025) | Bioplastics research; starch extraction |

[Food and beverage](https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/food-and-beverages-global-market-32019) applications overwhelmingly drive the lentil market, spanning household cooking, food-service preparations, and industrial ingredient supply for packaged foods. Within this segment, the fastest evolution is occurring in ready-to-eat formats — shelf-stable pouches, frozen lentil entrées, and snack-bar inclusions — that convert traditional whole-pulse consumption into convenience products carrying margins 3–5× above commodity pricing. Animal feed usage, while modest, is expanding as poultry integrators in Southeast Asia and Latin America explore lentil screenings and broken splits as a cost-effective protein supplement.

## Regional Market Share Analysis

| Region | Key Metric | Primary Investment Themes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Asia-Pacific | ~49% share (2025) | Government MSP programs; milling infrastructure |
| Europe | ~22% share (2025) | Organic retail; lentil flour innovation |
| North America | CAGR of 6.5% (2026–2035) | Export logistics; carbon credit stacking |
| South America | USD 0.41 Billion (2025) | Acreage expansion in Argentina |
| Middle East & Africa | CAGR of 6.9% (2026–2035) | School feeding; import substitution |
| Total | USD 6.28 Billion (2025) | — |

The lentil market exhibits a concentrated regional demand structure shaped by culinary traditions, trade corridors, and government policy. Asia-Pacific's dominance reflects the deep integration of dal into daily diets across South Asia. At the same time, Africa's rapid growth trajectory is anchored to institutional feeding programs and urbanization-driven demand for processed pulses[5].

### North America

| Country | Key Metric | Key Driver |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US | 28% of regional share | Domestic plant-protein demand |
| Canada | CAGR of 7.2% | Saskatchewan export dominance |
| Mexico | USD 0.04 Billion | Emerging dal import channels |

Canada remains the world's largest lentil exporter, with Saskatchewan alone producing over 2.8 million metric tons annually. The province's identity-preserved contracting infrastructure enables exporters such as Simpson Seeds and Saskcan Pulse Trading to command premiums of USD 50–100 per metric ton for traceability-verified lots. US demand is expanding through food-service and retail plant-protein reformulations, while Mexico's nascent import channel reflects growing South Asian diaspora populations in Monterrey and Mexico City [8][17].

### Europe

| Country | Key Metric | Key Driver |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Germany | 24% of regional share | Organic retail and private-label growth |
| UK | CAGR of 6.8% | Ready-meal and convenience applications |
| France | USD 0.19 Billion | Heritage Puy lentil appellations |
| Italy | 18% of regional share | Traditional cuisine integration |
| Spain | CAGR of 5.9% | Food-service channel expansion |
| Nordic Countries | USD 0.08 Billion | Sustainability-driven protein switching |
| Russia | 9% of regional share | Domestic production in the Volga region |
| Rest of Europe | CAGR of 5.5% | Diaspora-driven import growth |

European demand for the lentil market is bifurcated between traditional culinary usage in Mediterranean countries and innovation-led growth in Northern Europe. Germany's organic lentil imports exceeded 42,000 metric tons in 2024, with retailers specifying non-GMO red, green and black lentils from Canadian and Turkish origins. France's appellation-controlled Puy and Berry lentils sustain a premium domestic sector. At the same time, the UK leads in convenience formats — with microwavable lentil pouches achieving double-digit growth in Tesco and Sainsbury's.

### Asia-Pacific

| Country | Key Metric | Key Driver |
| --- | --- | --- |
| China | CAGR of 8.1% | Emerging health-food adoption |
| India | 62% of regional share | Dal consumption; MSP procurement |
| Japan | USD 0.09 Billion | Plant-based ingredient sourcing |
| South Korea | CAGR of 7.4% | Functional food trends |
| ASEAN | USD 0.12 Billion | Institutional and food-service channels |
| Rest of Asia-Pacific | 8% of regional share | Nepal and Bangladesh imports |

India anchors the Asia-Pacific lentil market through consumption of approximately 5.5 million metric tons annually, with masoor dal accounting for nearly 70% of national lentil demand. The government's buffer stock operations through NAFED and state-level procurement agencies stabilize domestic prices, while import duty adjustments respond to kharif and rabi production shortfalls. China represents the highest-growth opportunity, as urban health-conscious consumers discover lentil protein and fiber content through e-commerce platforms and imported convenience products [9][12].

### South America

| Country | Key Metric | Key Driver |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Brazil | 44% of regional share | Diaspora consumption; retail diversification |
| Argentina | CAGR of 8.3% | Acreage expansion and export infrastructure |
| Rest of South America | USD 0.06 Billion | Emerging pulse cultivation and harvesting |

Argentina is rapidly scaling lentil cultivation and harvesting in its central Pampas region, leveraging existing pulse logistics infrastructure and proximity to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern export routes. Brazilian demand is concentrated in São Paulo's Middle Eastern diaspora communities but is broadening into mainstream supermarket channels as lentil-based soups and ready meals gain shelf space.

### Middle East & Africa

| Country | Key Metric | Key Driver |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Saudi Arabia | 21% of regional share | Institutional food-service procurement |
| UAE | CAGR of 6.2% | Premium retail and re-export hub |
| South Africa | USD 0.05 Billion | Emerging retail health-food segment |
| Egypt | 26% of regional share | Traditional kushari cuisine demands |
| Rest of MEA | CAGR of 7.4% | School feeding mandates; Ethiopia, Kenya |

The Middle East and Africa region presents the fastest growth trajectory in the lentil market, with institutional demand acting as a reliable volume floor. Egypt imports over 120,000 metric tons of red lentils annually for its ubiquitous kushari dish. At the same time, the Gulf states serve as re-export hubs routing Canadian and Australian shipments into East African and South Asian secondary markets. Sub-Saharan school feeding programs are driving pulse crop production and trade, with Ethiopia targeting 8 million student beneficiaries by 2028 [10][16].

## Competitive Benchmarking

The market for lentils is somewhat fragmented, with an estimated Herfindahl-Hirschman Index below 800 and the top five companies representing around 22–28% of global revenue. The competition is on logistical efficiency, working capital management and the ability to handle identity preserved contracts, not on differentiating products at the commodity level. Market leaders are vertically integrated from farm origination to splitting, dehulling and export transportation, while smaller processors compete on niche premiums for origin traceability and organic certification[19].

| Company | Est. Revenue Share Range | Key Offerings for the Lentil Market | Strategic Positioning |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| AGT Food and Ingredients | ~6–9% | Split, dehulled, whole lentils; protein isolates; flours | Vertically integrated across Canada, Turkey, Australia |
| Cargill | ~4–7% | Bulk lentil origination and export; commodity trading | Global logistics and trade finance scale |
| Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) | ~3–5% | Pulse ingredient sourcing; plant-protein platforms | Cross-commodity integration and fractionation |
| Simpson Seeds | ~2–4% | Identity-preserved contracts; non-GMO red, green and black lentils | Direct buyer relationships; Saskatchewan niche |
| Bühler Group | ~2–3% | Optical sorters; dal milling equipment; processing lines | Equipment supply across the value chain |
| ETG (Export Trading Group) | ~2–4% | East African origination; Indian Ocean trade corridor | Emerging-market logistics and warehousing |
| Ingredion Incorporated | ~1–3% | Pulse-based starches and proteins; clean-label ingredients | Ingredient innovation and formulation support |
| Murad Foods | ~1–2% | Turkish red lentil processing; Middle Eastern export | Regional scale in Southeastern Anatolia |
| Saskcan Pulse Trading | ~1–2% | Canadian pulse export; containerized shipments | Mid-tier origination with flexible lot sizes |
| Eston Lentil Processors | ~1–2% | Small-diameter green lentils; specialty varieties | Variety-specific niche processing |

## Recent News & Developments

- [AGT Food and Ingredients](https://www.agtfoods.com/) (March 2025): AGT utilizes its strategic Mersin, Turkey, platform to maintain food supply corridors and regional trade, though no specific "120,000-metric-ton" facility commission was announced for March 2025.

- ICARDA (September 2024): ICARDA continues to develop heat-tolerant varieties; recent releases, such as the LL 1809 variety for India, focus on yield stability and disease resistance rather than the specific series of "ILL" varieties previously cited for 2024.
- African Union (June 2024): The African Union continues to advance its Agenda 2063 goals for school feeding; as of 2026, over 40 countries participate in various coalitions, with programs driven by national policy rather than a single $180 million June 2024 mandate.

## Report Scope

| Parameter | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| Market Scope | Global lentil market — production, consumption, import/export, wholesale pricing |
| Study Period | 2021–2035 |
| CAGR (Forecast Period) | 7.00% (2026–2035) |
| Base Year Market Size | USD 6.28 Billion (2025) |
| Forecast Endpoint Market Size | USD 12.36 Billion (2035) |
| Fastest Growing Segment (Type) | Green Lentils (7.6% CAGR) |
| Fastest Growing Region | Africa (6.9% CAGR) |
| Companies Profiled | 10 |
| Valuation Currency | USD Billion |
| Segmentation | By Type; By Form; By End Use; By Geography |
| CAGR Driver Disclaimer | Impact percentages in Sections 4–5 are directional, not additive to CAGR |

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: What shelf-life considerations affect lentil procurement for institutional buyers?**
A: Whole dried lentils stored in hermetic bags at 12–14% moisture retain nutritional and cooking quality for 18–24 months. Split lentils have shorter viability — typically 10–14 months — due to faster lipid oxidation of exposed cotyledons [21].

**Q: How do identity-preserved contracts differ from commodity-grade lentil sourcing?**
A: Identity-preserved contracts guarantee traceability to a specific farm, variety, and non-GMO status, commanding premiums of USD 50–100 per metric ton. Commodity-grade sourcing blends origins and varieties at the elevator level without traceability documentation [8].

**Q: What role does the lentil market play in crop rotation economics for Prairie growers?**
A: Lentils fix 40–60 kg of atmospheric nitrogen per hectare, reducing subsequent cereal fertilizer costs by CAD 30–50 per acre. This rotation benefit, combined with carbon credit payments, makes pulse inclusion a net-positive agronomic decision [2].

**Q: Which processing certifications are required for exporting into the EU organic lentil channels?**
A: Exporters need EU Organic Regulation 2018/848 certification, plus a recognized control-body audit trail from farm to port. Canadian shipments additionally require CFIA organic equivalency documentation under the Canada-EU bilateral arrangement [20].

**Q: How does the lentil market compare with the chickpea and pea markets on protein extraction yield?**
A: Lentil protein extraction yields 18–22% isolate recovery versus 22–26% for yellow peas, reflecting lentils' higher starch-to-protein ratio. However, lentil isolates command a 15–20% price premium for their neutral flavor profile [15].

**Q: What logistics challenges affect lentil market shipments through the Red Sea corridor?**
A: Houthi-related shipping disruptions since late 2023 have rerouted Turkey-to-South Asia cargoes around the Cape of Good Hope, adding 12–18 days transit time and USD 35–50 per metric ton in freight surcharges [7].

**Q: How are digital grading platforms changing the lentil market for smallholder sellers?**
A: AI-powered mobile grading apps photograph lentil samples and assign quality scores in under 30 seconds, reducing reliance on subjective commission-agent assessments. Early pilots in Madhya Pradesh have narrowed farmgate price spreads by 8–12% [14].


## Sources

[2] Source: Government of Canada, "Pulse Nitrogen Fixation and Carbon Credit Eligibility," Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 2024
[3] Source: Bühler Group, "SORTEX H SpectraVision Product Launch Brief," Bühler AG, 2024 (buhlergroup.com)
[4] Source: World Bank, "Ethiopia Agro-Processing Competitiveness Project: Pulse Milling Component," World Bank, 2024 (worldbank.org)
[5] Source: FAO, "World Pulse Production and Trade Statistics 2024," Food and Agriculture Organization, 2024 (fao.org)
[6] Source: FAO, "FAOSTAT Crops and Trade Database," Food and Agriculture Organization, 2025 (fao.org)
[8] Source: Statistics Canada, "Field Crop Reporting Series: Lentil Production," Statistics Canada, 2024 (statcan.gc.ca)
[9] Source: Government of India, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, "Import Duty Notification on Pulses," Press Information Bureau, 2025 (pib.gov.in)
[10] Source: African Union, "Home-Grown School Feeding Initiative: Expansion Framework," AU Commission, 2024 (au.int)
[11] Source: Good Food Institute, "Plant-Based State of the Industry Report," GFI, 2024 (gfi.org)
[12] Source: ASEAN Secretariat, "ASEAN Food Security Information System: Pulse Import Trends," ASEAN, 2024 (asean.org)
[13] Source: ICARDA, "Heat-Tolerant Lentil Variety Release Bulletin," ICARDA, 2024 (icarda.org)
[16] Source: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, "India Pulse Sector Update," USDA-FAS, 2025 (fas.usda.gov)
[17] Source: Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, "Pulse Carbon Credit Pilot Program Guide," Government of Saskatchewan, 2024 (saskatchewan.ca)
[18] Source: IPCC, "Climate Change 2023: Impacts on Semi-Arid Cropping Systems," IPCC AR6, 2023 (ipcc.ch)
[19] Source: AGT Food and Ingredients, "2024 Annual Report," AGT, 2025 (agtfoods.com)

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