October 22, 2026
Rustam Guliev, commodity trader at Top Grain, sat down to talk us through a difficult season for Russian pulses — attacks on Novorossiysk’s grain terminals and the closure of the Sea of Azov have left the southern ports almost unusable since August. We discussed this year’s downsized peas, chickpeas and lentils, the old-crop stocks building up on farms, and how China remains a market Russia can reliably supply.
For peas, we have a crop decline. The acreage was reduced by 30%. For chickpeas, it’s definitely minus 30% compared with last year. The official data for yellow peas says 4.7–4.9 MMT, but we traders don't believe it's that high. We think it is something around 4 MMT. So peas and chickpeas are down 30%, and I think the same for lentils as well.
There were two reasons for the decline: the big carryover from last year’s crop, and the price decrease, especially for yellow peas.
READ THE FULL ARTICLERussian traders estimate the 2026 yellow pea crop at around 4 MMT, below the official forecast of 4.7–4.9 MMT.
Disruptions in the Azov and Black seas have forced Russian pulse exporters to seek alternative shipping routes, while limited port capacity and higher freight costs constrain trade.
Russian pulse trade / global pulse markets / agricultural exports / Black Sea logistics / China trade / commodity prices.
Disclaimer: The opinions or views expressed in this publication are those of the authors or quoted persons. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Global Pulse Confederation or its members.
