Pea value chain: how to increase domestic use of pea? (Lithuania)

Nowadays the demand for plant-based products is increasing and pea could play an important role in the future food and feed supply chains thanks to its high quality proteins. Pea like other legumes constitutes an important renewable agrobiological resource and can help mitigate some environmental problems.

Despite the possible benefits from legumes, they occupy only 6 percent of the total arable land in Lithuania. Farmers have been recently focusing on legumes, and peas represent the most cultivated legume grains. It could be noticed that there is a long experience of pea cultivation in Lithuania. For farmers are offered suitable pea varieties developed at the Institute of Agriculture of Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry for several decades. Farmers use cultivation technologies based on research recommendations, apply the latest varieties of peas and good management practise. Pea is cultivated in conventional and organic farming systems and is relatively productive in northern climatic conditions. The locally grown pea grain is used for processing into feed or food products, but its incorporation into these products is rather small.  A significant part of the pea grains is most often exported. Because of the small domestic market, export plays a crucial role in the development of pea production. However, exporting this potential raw material for a variety of innovative healthy and safe products does not generate maximal value. The potential to develop more pea-based products or pea proteins enriched products needs to be explored. Peas have huge potential to provide multiple benefits; for this, a comprehensive analysis of their utility within the value chain is needed.