ABARES tips record lentil crop as pulse forecasts lift

ABARES has lifted its forecasts for Australia’s pulse crops, with lentils now seen at a record 1.707 million tonnes (Mt), according to estimates released in its September 2025 Australian Crop Report.

Lentil area is seen at a record 1.136M hectares, 99,000ha above the record of 1.037Mha set last season.

Australia’s chickpea crop at 2.102Mt is forecast to be the second-biggest on record after last year’s 2.267Mt harvest, and from a record planted area of 1.078Mt, just ahead of the 2024-25 planting of 1.039Mha.

The national field pea crop is seen at 220,000t from 184,000ha, while lupins are seen at 840,000t from 551,000ha, including 650,000t from 400,000ha expected from Western Australia.

Most of Australia’s lentil crop is grown in South Australia and Victoria, and the improvement in the SA season after a rugged start has seen both area and production estimates increase substantially.

In NSW, the estimated lentil planted area has increased by 150 percent to a record 75,000ha, while the production estimate has tripled to 90,000t.

The national estimate for faba bean production has risen 26pc over the quarter to 854,000t, mostly because of a 40pc rise for NSW, and a 25pc rise for SA, where conditions have improved considerably in the South East, home to much of the SA crop.

“Much-needed rainfall fell across many parts of South Australia’s cropping regions in June and July, including the Eyre and Yorke peninsulas, improving upper-layer soil moisture,” the ABARES report said.

“However, lower-layer soil moisture remains below average to extremely low in other areas, particularly in marginal cropping regions like the Mallee.

“The late start to the season and variable conditions to date have resulted in uneven crop establishment and development, with paddocks at varying growth stages.”

In Vic, ABARES said after a mostly dry and sporadic start to the winter-cropping season, average to above-average June and July rainfall across the north-central and western cropping regions supported crop establishment and growth.

“Warmer conditions throughout July and August accelerated crop development, especially across areas in the eastern Mallee that also benefitted from late April rain.

“Improved seasonal conditions have lifted yield potential, mostly benefitting cereal crops.

“By contrast, planting and establishment has been less favourable in some areas across the northwest of the Mallee.

“Timely and sufficient rainfall throughout spring in these areas will be critical to support crop development and grain fill.”

Table 1: Initial and revised estimates released June 3 and September 2 respectively for Australian chickpea area in hectares and tonnes produced. Source: ABARES

Table 2: Initial and revised estimates released June 3 and September 2 respectively for Australian lentil area in hectares and tonnes produced. Source: ABARES

Table 3: Initial and revised estimates released June 3 and September 2 respectively for Australian faba bean area in hectares and tonnes produced. Source: ABARES

Tags: crop, chickpea, forecasts, faba bean, field pea, lupins, pulse crops, lentils, planted area, Australia, Production