Canadian Dry Peas, Chickpeas & Pulses

Canadian yellow peas, green peas and kabuli and desi chickpeas: CGC grades, sizes, moisture, colour, defects, packaging, export documents and buyer inquiries.

Illustration of yellow peas, green peas and kabuli chickpeas — Illustration, not a photograph of a specific lot.

Buyer summary

What it is: Canadian yellow peas, green peas and kabuli and desi chickpeas: separate commodities graded under separate Canadian Grain Commission tables.
Main applications: Whole and split peas, pea flour and pea protein fractionation, feed peas, canned and snack chickpeas, hummus, chana dal and besan flour.
Critical purchasing specifications: Product and form: yellow or green peas, kabuli or desi chickpeas; whole, split or flour
Grade: No. 1 to No. 3 Canada for peas, No. 1 to No. 3 CW for chickpeas
Moisture: peas straight grade below 16.1 percent, chickpeas below 14.1 percent
Bleaching (green peas), splits, damage and foreign material
Chickpea calibre in millimetres, with method
Qualification considerations: Treat each product separately: colour retention matters for green peas, splitting and protein yield for yellow peas, and calibre and colour for kabuli chickpeas. Confirm current import duties for the destination before contracting.
First step: Send the product, grade or specification, quantity, packaging, destination port and shipping window through the export inquiry.
How PAXOMER can assist: PAXOMER evaluates international purchasing requirements for North American agricultural commodities and works to identify suitable producer and export-channel arrangements based on product specifications, quantity and destination. No producer or exporter arrangement for peas or chickpeas is established at present. PAXOMER does not hold export inventory, producer allocations or exclusive producer relationships for this commodity. Any supply arrangement depends on producer and exporter confirmation, specifications, quantity, destination requirements and terms.

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Detailed technical guidance, data tables, FAQs and technical references follow below.

Import, food-safety and phytosanitary requirements. Import permits, phytosanitary certification, food or feed safety rules, pesticide maximum residue limits, tariffs and labelling are set by the destination country and can change at short notice. Confirm the current requirements with the importing authority for each shipment; this page confirms none and is not trade, legal or customs advice.

General technical information published by PAXOMER Inc. to support preliminary material evaluation. It is compiled from the sources cited on this page and has not been independently reviewed or certified by a professional engineer, laboratory or certification body. Values marked typical, illustrative or requiring confirmation are not specifications. Confirm properties, standard editions, regulatory status and suitability for your specific application with the manufacturer and, where the use is regulated or safety-related, with a qualified professional or the relevant authority.

Canadian dry peas and chickpeas are different commodities with different grades, buyers and trade conditions. The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) grades green peas and peas other than green (mainly yellow) under separate tables (S1), and grades kabuli and desi chickpeas under their own tables (S2). The Saskatchewan Pulse Growers describe Canada as the number-one exporter of peas globally, with exports averaging 3 million tonnes a year from 2018–2019 to 2022–2023 (S4), and report Canadian chickpea exports averaging 170,000 tonnes over a similar period (S5).

This page is for pulse importers, splitting and packing plants, food and snack manufacturers, protein-fractionation plants, feed buyers and distributors. It sets out how each product is graded, the moisture and defect limits that matter, documented destination markets with the trade conditions that changed in 2025 and 2026, documents, packaging and what PAXOMER needs to evaluate a requirement. PAXOMER does not hold pulse inventory or producer allocations.

A. Product identity and terminology

1. How do yellow peas, green peas and chickpeas differ?

Yellow peas have yellow cotyledons and are sold whole, split or as flour, and the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers note they are frequently fractionated into protein, fibre and starch (S4). Green peas have green cotyledons; colour retention (absence of bleaching) is a key value factor, and they are usually sold whole or split (S4). Chickpeas are a separate species: kabuli types are large and cream-coloured, while desi types are smaller and darker and, according to the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, are ground for flour (S5). Each needs its own specification.

2. How are grades named?

Peas, Canada Green are graded No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 Canada; Peas, Canada other than Green are graded No. 1, No. 2, Extra No. 3 and No. 3 Canada, with the colour added to the grade name (S1). There is also a Peas, Canada Feed grade (S1). Kabuli and desi chickpeas are graded No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 CW (S2).

3. Which terms appear in pulse contracts?

Bleached (green peas), peas of other colours, other classes, heated, splits, total damage, foreign material, mechanical damage including splits (chickpeas), green seeds (chickpeas), ergot, excreta, insect parts, seed size or calibre (millimetres, chickpeas), seed count per weight, dehulled split, moisture classes, crop year, phytosanitary certificate, fumigation and certificate of origin.

4. Who buys Canadian peas and chickpeas?

Pea buyers include importers and splitters in South Asia and China, food manufacturers, pulse-protein fractionation plants, feed and pet-food makers (for off-grade peas, per the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers) and distributors (S4). Chickpea buyers include importers, canners, hummus and snack manufacturers, and flour millers for desi types. The end use determines which grade factors matter most.

B. Properties and performance

5. Which limits define the pea grades?

For yellow peas, No. 1 Canada allows 3 percent total damage, 1.0 percent peas of other colours, 1 percent splits and 0.2 percent total foreign material (S1). For green peas, No. 1 Canada allows 3 percent total damage, 2.0 percent bleached, 0.5 percent other classes, 1 percent splits and 0.1 percent total foreign material (S1).

Selected CGC grade limits for Canadian peas

Maximum percentages from the CGC primary and export grade determination tables (S1), page dated 2026-08-01. Other limits apply; the official table governs.

Selected CGC grade limits for Canadian peas
Property	Value or range	Unit	Test conditions	Test method	Grade or construction	Source	Verification status
Total damage, yellow peas	3 / 5 / 9 / 10	% max	No. 1 / No. 2 / Extra No. 3 / No. 3 Canada	CGC grading (S1)	Peas, other than green	S1	Verified reference value (published source)
Peas of other colours, yellow peas	1.0 / 2.0 / 2.0 / 3.0	% max	No. 1 / No. 2 / Extra No. 3 / No. 3 Canada	CGC grading (S1)	Peas, other than green	S1	Verified reference value (published source)
Total foreign material, yellow peas	0.2 / 0.5 / 0.5 / 1.0	% max	No. 1 / No. 2 / Extra No. 3 / No. 3 Canada	CGC grading (S1)	Peas, other than green	S1	Verified reference value (published source)
Total damage, green peas	3 / 5 / 12	% max	No. 1 / No. 2 / No. 3 Canada	CGC grading (S1)	Peas, green	S1	Verified reference value (published source)
Bleached, green peas	2.0 / 3.0 / 5.0	% max	No. 1 / No. 2 / No. 3 Canada	CGC grading (S1)	Peas, green	S1	Verified reference value (published source)
Splits, green peas	1 / 3 / 5	% max	No. 1 / No. 2 / No. 3 Canada	CGC grading (S1)	Peas, green	S1	Verified reference value (published source)
Total foreign material, green peas	0.1 / 0.2 / 0.5	% max	No. 1 / No. 2 / No. 3 Canada	CGC grading (S1)	Peas, green	S1	Verified reference value (published source)

6. Which limits define the chickpea grades?

For kabuli chickpeas, No. 1 CW requires good natural colour and allows 0.5 percent damage, 1 percent mechanical damage including splits, 0.5 percent green seeds and 0.1 percent total foreign material (S2). For desi chickpeas, No. 1 CW allows 1 percent damage, 2.0 percent mechanical damage including splits, 1.0 percent green seeds and 0.1 percent total foreign material (S2).

Selected CGC grade limits for Canadian chickpeas

Maximum percentages from the CGC chickpea grade determination tables (S2), page dated 2026-10-15.

Selected CGC grade limits for Canadian chickpeas
Property	Value or range	Unit	Test conditions	Test method	Grade or construction	Source	Verification status
Damage, kabuli	0.5 / 1.0 / 2.0	% max	No. 1 / No. 2 / No. 3 CW	CGC grading (S2)	Kabuli	S2	Verified reference value (published source)
Mechanical damage including splits, kabuli	1 / 2 / 3	% max	No. 1 / No. 2 / No. 3 CW	CGC grading (S2)	Kabuli	S2	Verified reference value (published source)
Green seeds, kabuli	0.5 / 1.0 / 2.0	% max	No. 1 / No. 2 / No. 3 CW	CGC grading (S2)	Kabuli	S2	Verified reference value (published source)
Damage, desi	1 / 2 / 3	% max	No. 1 / No. 2 / No. 3 CW	CGC grading (S2)	Desi	S2	Verified reference value (published source)
Total foreign material, kabuli and desi	0.1 / 0.2 / 0.2	% max	No. 1 / No. 2 / No. 3 CW	CGC grading (S2)	Kabuli and desi	S2	Verified reference value (published source)
Kabuli seed size (calibre)	per contract	mm	Sieve and tolerance stated	Agreed sizing method	Buyer specification	None	Application-specific verification required

7. Which moisture classes apply?

Under the CGC moisture specifications, green and yellow peas are straight grade below 16.1 percent, tough at 16.1 to 18.0 percent and damp above 18.0 percent; chickpeas are straight below 14.1 percent, tough at 14.1 to 16 percent and damp above 16.0 percent (S3). Contracts may set lower limits for storage or processing.

8. How are size and colour specified?

Colour is built into the grade descriptions (bleaching for green peas, other colours for yellow peas, natural colour for kabuli chickpeas) (S1, S2). Size is usually a contract term: kabuli chickpeas are commonly traded by calibre in millimetres, and peas by seed size or count. State the size, the sieve or count method and the tolerance.

C. Manufacturing and processing

9. How are peas and chickpeas processed?

Cleaning, sizing and colour sorting prepare whole peas and chickpeas; dehulling and splitting produce split peas and split chickpeas (chana dal from desi types); milling produces flours; and wet or dry fractionation of yellow peas produces protein concentrates and isolates, fibre and starch (S4). Specify the form required: whole, split, flour or fraction.

10. Why does crop year matter?

Weather affects bleaching in green peas, damage and colour in chickpeas, and moisture at harvest. The CGC revises its grade tables for each crop year (S1). State the crop year and whether older crop is acceptable, and request a representative sample.

11. Which storage and transit risks matter?

Moisture, heat and insects. Green peas lose colour with light and heat exposure over time. Keep lots dry and cool, use clean containers and liners where required, and confirm fumigation or insect-free requirements for the destination.

D. Applications and qualification

12. How are peas and chickpeas used?

Whole and split peas for soups and dal; pea flour and pea protein for food and beverage manufacturing; feed peas for animal feed and pet food; kabuli chickpeas for canning, hummus and snacks; desi chickpeas for chana dal and besan flour. The Saskatchewan Pulse Growers state that most western Canadian peas go into human food markets (S4).

13. Which destination markets are documented?

For peas, the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers name China as the largest buyer of Canadian yellow and green peas, followed by the United States, Bangladesh and India (S4). For chickpeas, the same organisation names the United States as the largest buyer, typically 25 percent of exports, followed by Pakistan, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates and India, with growing European demand (S5). Markets for peas and chickpeas should not be treated as interchangeable.

14. Which recent trade conditions affect peas?

India (customs duty and import policy are separate measures). A Reuters report of 30 October 2025 states that India set a new customs duty on imported yellow peas for shipments with a bill of lading dated from 1 November 2025 (S6). A Reuters report of 4 April 2026 states that India extended the period for "duty-free" yellow pea imports to 31 March 2027 (S10); trade summaries describe this as an extension of the "free" import policy, which concerns whether imports are permitted, and the customs duty is set separately. No Indian government notification was read for this page, and reports differ on the duty in 2026, so no rate is stated here. Confirm the duty for your bill-of-lading date with the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (opens in a new tab), the import policy with the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (opens in a new tab), or your customs broker.

China. A Government of Canada backgrounder of 16 January 2026 states that Canadian peas were expected to avoid China's anti-discrimination tariffs from 1 March 2026 (S7). On 4 November 2026 Global Affairs Canada announced that this favourable market access for peas is extended by two years, to the end of 2028 (S9). This is Canada's announcement of the extension; China's implementing notice was not reviewed. Both positions are subject to change; confirm them for your shipment date with the importing authority.

15. Which documents may be required?

Official grade certificate, phytosanitary certificate, certificate of origin, fumigation certificate, weight certificate, and commercial and shipping documents, according to the destination and buyer. The CFIA issues phytosanitary certificates only when the importing country requires one (S8). Import permits or registrations may also apply in some markets.

E. Procurement, comparisons and decisions

16. Which packaging and shipment formats are used?

Bulk vessels for large yellow-pea programmes, bulk in lined containers, bagged product in containers and bulk bags (FIBC). Specify the format, net weight per bag, bag type, marking, and container or vessel quantity.

17. Which commercial terms should be stated?

Incoterms rule and named place, payment terms, quantity tolerance, inspection, claims and arbitration, and the shipment period. Because duties can change between contract and shipment, state which party bears a duty change. No price is published here.

18. What should a pea or chickpea export inquiry include?

Product: yellow peas, green peas, kabuli or desi chickpeas, and form (whole, split, flour).
Grade, or the buyer's specification for colour, damage, splits and foreign material.
Size or calibre for chickpeas, with method.
Destination country and port, import permit or registration status.
Quantity, unit, packaging, crop year and shipping window.
Inspection, fumigation and certificates required.

Submit these through the export inquiry.

19. What does PAXOMER need before evaluating a supply arrangement?

Your company, role and end use, annual and per-shipment volumes, the specification, the destination's import conditions (including current duties) and the documents required. PAXOMER reviews whether a suitable producer or exporter channel can be identified. No producer or exporter arrangement for peas or chickpeas is established at present.

Production Regions & Export Markets

Where the commodities on this page are produced in North America, and import markets documented by government or industry sources, with the date of the evidence. Market listings describe trade flows only. They do not indicate a PAXOMER customer, producer relationship, allocation or price, and trade rules for any destination can change.

Saskatchewan: About 85 percent of Canadian chickpea output, per the source; pea production by province was not reviewed. Production region · Industry association page, date not stated · R62
China: Named as the largest buyer of Canadian yellow and green peas; peas were expected to avoid China's anti-discrimination tariffs from 1 March 2026, and on 4 November 2026 that access was extended to the end of 2028. Documented import market · Industry association page, date not stated; Government of Canada backgrounder, January 2026, and announcement, November 2026 · R61, R65, R71
India: Named among the top pea buyers; India set a new customs duty on imported yellow peas from 1 November 2025 (bill of lading date) and extended its free import policy to 31 March 2027; the 2026 duty is not stated because reports differ. Documented import market · Industry association page, date not stated; news reports, October 2025 and April 2026 · R61, R67, R72
Bangladesh: Named among the top buyers of Canadian peas. Documented import market · Industry association page, date not stated · R61
United States: Named among the top pea buyers and as the largest buyer of Canadian chickpeas, typically 25 percent of exports. Documented import market · Industry association pages, date not stated · R61, R62
Pakistan: Named as a chickpea market after the United States. Documented import market · Industry association page, date not stated · R62
Türkiye: Named as a chickpea market. Documented import market · Industry association page, date not stated · R62
United Arab Emirates: Named as a chickpea market. Documented import market · Industry association page, date not stated · R62

Pea and chickpea markets are listed separately in the sources and should not be treated as interchangeable.
Duty and tariff positions were confirmed only to the dates of the sources; check the position for the shipment date.

When you submit an export inquiry, state the destination country and port, the documents your import authority requires and the shipping window.

Import and purchasing FAQs

Each answer is general technical information, not a specification or a quotation.

What is the difference between yellow peas and green peas for buyers?

They are graded separately. Green peas are valued for colour and limited for bleaching; yellow peas are limited for peas of other colours and are widely used for splitting, flour and protein fractionation.

Are chickpeas graded like peas?

No. Chickpeas have their own CGC tables for kabuli and desi classes, with limits for damage, mechanical damage including splits, green seeds and foreign material, and a different moisture specification.

What moisture should I specify for Canadian peas?

Peas are straight grade below 16.1 percent moisture under CGC specifications. Many buyers set a lower contract limit; state the method and sampling point.

Does India charge import duty on Canadian yellow peas?

India set a new customs duty on imported yellow peas for bills of lading from 1 November 2025 and later extended its "free" import policy for yellow peas to 31 March 2027, according to Reuters reports. Reports differ on the duty in 2026, so no rate is stated here. Confirm the current duty for your shipment date with India's customs authority (CBIC) or your customs broker.

Can Canadian peas be shipped to China?

A Government of Canada backgrounder states that Canadian peas were expected to avoid China's anti-discrimination tariffs from 1 March 2026, and on 4 November 2026 Global Affairs Canada announced that this favourable access is extended to the end of 2028. Confirm the position for your shipment date before contracting.

How do I submit a pea or chickpea purchasing requirement?

Use the export inquiry form linked on this page, stating the product, grade or specification, size, quantity, packaging, destination port, crop year, shipping window and documents. The form is in demonstration mode on this site and sends nothing.

Technical References

References below were opened on the access date shown. A source supports only the statement it is cited for. Standards are cited by number and title from public catalogue entries; their full text was not read unless stated.

S1. Official Grain Grading Guide, Chapter 16: Peas — primary and export grade determination tables. Canadian Grain Commission, 2026-08-01. www.canada.ca/en/grain-commission/services/grain-quality/official-grain-grading- (opens in a new tab) regulatory · accessed 2026-10-30
Opened 2026-10-30; grade names and the green-pea and yellow-pea limits were read from this page.
S2. Official Grain Grading Guide, Chapter 22: Chickpeas — primary and export grade determination tables. Canadian Grain Commission, 2026-10-15. www.canada.ca/en/grain-commission/services/grain-quality/official-grain-grading- (opens in a new tab) regulatory · accessed 2026-10-30
Opened 2026-10-30; kabuli and desi grade names and limits were read from this page.
S3. Official Grain Grading Guide, Chapter 2: Moisture specifications. Canadian Grain Commission, 2026-08-01. www.canada.ca/en/grain-commission/services/grain-quality/official-grain-grading- (opens in a new tab) regulatory · accessed 2026-10-30
Opened 2026-10-30; straight, tough and damp ranges for peas and chickpeas.
S4. Pea market opportunities. Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, date not stated. saskpulse.com/growing-pulses/peas/pea-market-opportunities/ (opens in a new tab) industry body · accessed 2026-10-30
Opened 2026-10-30; cited for export position, 3 million tonne average exports, market names, food and feed uses and fractionation.
S5. Chickpea market opportunities. Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, date not stated. saskpulse.com/growing-pulses/chickpeas/chickpea-market-opportunities/ (opens in a new tab) industry body · accessed 2026-10-30
Opened 2026-10-30; cited for the 170,000 tonne average exports, the 25 percent United States share and the market order.
S6. India imposes duty on yellow pea imports. Global News (Reuters report by R. Jadhav), 2025-10-30. globalnews.ca/news/11502721/india-yellow-pea-imports-duty (opens in a new tab) technical literature · accessed 2026-10-30
Opened 2026-10-30; cited for India setting a new duty on imported yellow peas and the 1 November 2025 bill-of-lading cut-off. The rate it reports is not repeated here because it could not be confirmed for 2026 shipments.
S7. Backgrounder: Preliminary Joint Arrangement on Addressing Bilateral Economic and Trade Issues between Canada and the People's Republic of China. Global Affairs Canada, 2026-01-16. www.international.gc.ca/news-nouvelles/2026/2026-01-16-china-chine.aspx?lang=eng (opens in a new tab) regulatory · accessed 2026-10-30
Opened 2026-10-30; cited for peas avoiding the relevant anti-discrimination tariffs from 1 March 2026 (originally to the end of 2026).
S8. D-99-06: Policy on the issuance of phytosanitary certificates for export and for re-export. Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 2024-04-22. inspection.canada.ca/en/plant-health/invasive-pests-and-plants/directives/export (opens in a new tab) regulatory · accessed 2026-10-30
Opened 2026-10-30; certificates are issued only where the importing country requires one.
S9. Minister Sidhu announces extension of favourable market access for Canadian canola meal, peas, lobsters and crab through 2028. Global Affairs Canada, 2026-11-04. www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2026/11/minister-sidhu-announces-extension- (opens in a new tab) regulatory · accessed 2026-11-05
Opened 2026-11-05; cited for the two-year extension, to the end of 2028, covering peas.
S10. India extends duty-free yellow peas imports until March 2027. Yahoo Finance (Reuters), 2026-04-04. sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/india-extends-duty-free-yellow-122100604.html (opens in a new tab) technical literature · accessed 2026-11-05
Opened 2026-11-05; cited for the extension to 31 March 2027, which the report calls the duty-free import period.

Regional production and trade evidence

Government and industry publications cited in Production Regions & Export Markets. Each supports only the statement it is cited for (checked 29–30 October 2026). Naming a company here does not state or imply a relationship with PAXOMER.

R61. Pea market opportunities (China largest buyer of yellow and green peas; United States, Bangladesh and India; page undated). Saskatchewan Pulse Growers. saskpulse.com/growing-pulses/peas/pea-market-opportunities/ (opens in a new tab) checked 2026-10-30
R62. Chickpea market opportunities (United States typically 25 percent of exports; Pakistan, Türkiye, UAE, India; about 85 percent of output in Saskatchewan; page undated). Saskatchewan Pulse Growers. saskpulse.com/growing-pulses/chickpeas/chickpea-market-opportunities/ (opens in a new tab) checked 2026-10-30
R65. Backgrounder, 16 January 2026: Preliminary Joint Arrangement between Canada and the People's Republic of China (canola seed, canola meal and peas). Global Affairs Canada. www.international.gc.ca/news-nouvelles/2026/2026-01-16-china-chine.aspx?lang=eng (opens in a new tab) checked 2026-10-30
R67. India imposes duty on yellow pea imports from 1 November 2025 (30 October 2025). Global News (Reuters). globalnews.ca/news/11502721/india-yellow-pea-imports-duty (opens in a new tab) checked 2026-10-30
R71. Minister Sidhu announces extension of favourable market access for Canadian canola meal, peas, lobsters and crab through 2028 (4 November 2026). Global Affairs Canada. www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2026/11/minister-sidhu-announces-extension- (opens in a new tab) checked 2026-10-30
R72. India extends duty-free yellow peas imports until March 2027 (4 April 2026). Yahoo Finance (Reuters). sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/india-extends-duty-free-yellow-122100604.html (opens in a new tab) checked 2026-10-30

Evidence notes and limitations

What the information on this page does not establish. Confirm these points with the manufacturer, the current standard or the relevant authority before relying on them.

Kabuli calibre ranges, pea seed counts and processing descriptions are general trade practice; no exporter specification was read.
The India duty and China tariff positions were confirmed only to the dates of the sources; their status at the time of any shipment was not reviewed.
Reports on India's yellow pea duty after November 2025 differ; no Indian government notification (CBIC or DGFT) was read, so no duty rate is stated.
Destination rankings are from undated industry pages using multi-year averages; current-season shipments were not reviewed.
Import permits, registrations and residue limits were not reviewed for any destination.
No independent technical, trade or legal review has taken place.

Facts checked against the cited sources

CGC pea and chickpea grade tables and moisture specifications were opened on 2026-10-30; figures attributed to S1–S3 were confirmed.
Saskatchewan Pulse Growers pea and chickpea market pages were opened on 2026-10-30; figures attributed to S4 and S5 were confirmed.
The Global News (Reuters) report and the Global Affairs Canada backgrounder were opened on 2026-10-30; statements attributed to S6 and S7 were confirmed.
CFIA directive D-99-06 was opened on 2026-10-30.
The Global Affairs Canada announcement (S9) and the Reuters report S10 were opened on 2026-11-05; statements attributed to them were confirmed.

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How can I submit an export inquiry?

Open the export inquiry and state the product and grade, destination country and port, quantity and unit, packaging, quality specifications, crop year, shipping window and the inspection or certification documents your import authority requires. This page is carried into the form for you, and what you type is kept in this browser tab if you move between pages. PAXOMER reviews each requirement to see whether a suitable producer and export-channel arrangement can be identified; the form does not confirm availability, price, allocation or delivery.