Pulse check: Global pulse industry trends and outlook

The global pulse industry is undergoing a transition – with pulses shifting from being primarily a staple food to becoming a versatile ingredient used well beyond alternative meat products. This transition is being shaped primarily by changing consumer preferences, alongside evolving trade flows and production patterns. Key forces driving change include:

Market volatility and opacity: The global pulse market remains highly volatile, due to opaque price discovery, concentrated production, fragmented demand, and reactive trade policies. The absence of a futures market creates a challenging environment for both buyers and sellers to manage price risk.

Innovation and consumer trends: Pulses are increasingly featured in innovative food products, especially in Europe and North America, where plant-based protein is being used as a food ingredient more often, for example, in snacks and pasta. However, pulses remain a niche food in some regions, such as Australia, despite their agronomic and nutritional benefits.

Trade disruptions and new players: Traditional exporters like Canada and Australia face mounting competition from Russia and shifting demand from major importers such as India and China. Trade barriers, tariffs, and diplomatic tensions are redrawing global supply lines, with Turkey emerging as a pivotal hub connecting producers and consumers across continents.

Structural deficits and policy responses: Many regions, notably the EU, the UK, and India, have a structural deficit in pulses, relying on imports to meet domestic demand. Policy initiatives, such as the EU Protein Strategy and India’s self-sufficiency program, aim to address these deficits with the goal of reducing import dependency.