In the international pulses trade, harvest timing directly affects raw material availability, lot quality and purchasing decisions. For buyers, importers, distributors and food manufacturers, understanding the main agricultural calendars means knowing when new crops may enter the market and how supplies can be planned throughout the year.
However, there is no single calendar that applies worldwide. Planting and harvesting periods vary according to the product, variety, country, production region and weather conditions of each crop year.
From planting to commercial availability
Harvesting is only one of the stages preceding the commercial availability of a product.
After harvest, pulses may undergo drying, cleaning, sorting, sizing, quality inspection, packaging and preparation for export. Therefore, the beginning of the harvest does not necessarily mean that the product is immediately ready for international delivery.
Effective B2B planning must consider the indicative planting period, expected harvest window, processing time and actual availability of new lots. Documentation, logistics and transit time to the final destination must also be taken into account.
Understanding the harvest date is important, but it is not enough. Buyers must consider the entire journey from the field to the market.
Northern and Southern Hemispheres
The distribution of production areas between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres creates different and sometimes complementary harvest windows.
In Canada and the northern United States, many pulses are generally planted between April and June and harvested between August and October. New-crop products may therefore begin to enter the market between late summer and autumn, after processing and quality inspections have been completed.
In Europe, the calendar varies significantly according to the crop and production region. Some crops are planted in autumn, while others follow a spring planting cycle. Harvests generally take place between June and September, making new lots available during summer and early autumn.
In Türkiye and the eastern Mediterranean region, planting may occur between autumn and spring, while harvesting is mainly concentrated between May and August. These origins may therefore provide new availability between late spring and summer.
South Asia has a more complex production system. Several countries have multiple crop cycles throughout the year, influenced by monsoon rainfall, irrigation and regional conditions. Some crops are harvested between February and April, while others mature between September and November. This allows certain Asian origins to enter the market at different times of the year.
In Australia, chickpeas, lentils and other winter pulses are generally planted between April and June. Harvesting is mainly concentrated between October and January, with new-crop products entering commercial channels between the end of the year and the beginning of the following year.
In South America, production periods vary according to country, growing region and pulse type. Many harvests take place between late summer and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Following cleaning, sorting and export preparation, new lots may reach Northern Hemisphere markets during spring and early summer.
There is no single crop calendar for Africa either. Agricultural cycles depend heavily on the region, rainfall seasons and access to irrigation. Each origin must therefore be evaluated individually.
All these windows are indicative and may change considerably depending on rainfall, temperatures, crop variety and local conditions.
New crop and previous-crop stocks
In B2B trading, it is important to distinguish between new-crop material and stocks from the previous crop year.
“New crop” generally refers to products from the most recent harvest. However, this definition alone does not represent an absolute guarantee of quality. Newly harvested lots must still be assessed in terms of moisture, size, uniformity, colour, defects, foreign matter and compliance with contractual specifications.
Likewise, a product belonging to the previous crop year may retain suitable characteristics when it has been stored and handled correctly.
Purchasing decisions should therefore not be based exclusively on crop year. Buyers must consider actual quality, intended application, availability, price and delivery schedule.
When to plan purchases
Understanding crop calendars allows companies to anticipate key commercial decisions.
Before harvest, buyers and importers can begin discussing planted areas, crop development and preliminary production estimates with suppliers. During harvesting, effective volumes and quality characteristics become clearer.
In the following weeks, samples can be assessed, specifications verified, packaging formats selected and shipments planned.
Effective sourcing begins with an analysis of annual requirements and the identification of suitable origins. It continues with crop monitoring and quality verification, followed by the definition of volumes, deliveries, transportation and possible storage requirements.
This approach reduces dependence on urgent purchasing decisions and supports a more organised and informed supply programme.
Crop calendars are not delivery calendars
One common mistake is to treat the harvest date as a guaranteed availability date.
Several stages separate the field from the final destination: processing, analysis, sorting, packaging, freight booking, customs operations and international transit. Container availability, port congestion and logistics delays may also affect the initial schedule.
The agricultural calendar must therefore be integrated with a commercial and logistics calendar. Only by considering both dimensions can buyers obtain a realistic forecast of delivery times.
The role of SAG Pulses BV
SAG Pulses BV operates across different origin and destination markets, connecting producers, importers, distributors and food manufacturers.
Knowledge of agricultural campaigns, combined with the assessment of quality specifications and logistics requirements, supports the identification of the most appropriate solution for each customer.
The objective is not simply to find an available product, but to coordinate origin, quality, format, quantity and delivery time according to the actual requirements of the B2B market.
Are you planning your next purchase of pulses, grains or seeds? Contact SAG Pulses BV to explore available origins and supply solutions tailored to your market.
