Australian chickpea, lentil exports kick in May

Australia exported 13,674 tonnes of chickpeas and 49,707t of lentils in May, according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The chickpea figure is up 22 percent from the 11,195t exported in April, while lentils posted a rise of 25pc from 39,719t.

Pakistan on 9420t was the major market for May-shipped chickpeas, with the United Arab Emirates on 1417t and Canada on 1171t the second and third-biggest respectively.

With an 11pc tariff now in place on Australian chickpea exports to India, that market has effectively stopped, although a 50pc tariff reduction is available for 150,000t per annum under the bilateral trade agreement.

On lentils, Bangladesh on 27,938t, Sri Lanka on 14,896t, and India on 3515t were the three largest markets for May shipment.

According to Lachstock Consulting’s latest Australian Vessel Line-ups report, the last three months of the marketing year will see no bulk chickpeas exported.

On lentils, two Victorian cargoes loading early this month, one in Melbourne and the other in Portland, look to be the last for 2024-25 in the bulk program.

Table 1: Australian chickpea exports for March, April and May 2025. Source: ABS

Table 2: Australian lentil exports for March, April and May 2025. Source: ABS

Tags: India, chickpeas, United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, lentils, Australia, export, Pakistan, Canada