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Chickpea and Lentil Exports Surge in December 2024
Five trucks wait their turn to unload chickpeas for transfer onto an export vessel at the Wagner wharf at Pinkenba, one of Brisbane’s four grain-export points. Photo: JSM Bulk Shipping
In December 2024, Australia recorded significant exports of chickpeas and lentils, with the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealing that the country exported 780,917 tonnes of chickpeas and 239,900 tonnes of lentils. This marks a substantial increase in the export figures, particularly for chickpeas, which have seen a rise in demand primarily from the Indian market.
The total chickpea exports for the first quarter of the shipping year have reached approximately 1.3 million tonnes. Notably, the tariff-free Indian market has accounted for nearly 1 million tonnes of this total. In December alone, India was the primary destination for Australian chickpeas, importing 589,198 tonnes, which constitutes a remarkable 75 percent of the month’s exports. Other significant markets included Bangladesh, receiving 136,875 tonnes, and Pakistan, which imported 33,697 tonnes.
The Port of Brisbane served as a crucial hub for these exports, facilitating the departure of over 300,000 tonnes of bulk chickpeas in December, as reported in the January edition of Port News. This figure represents an impressive 88 percent increase in chickpea exports compared to November, with the November exports themselves being more than quadruple the amount recorded in October.
This surge in exports can be attributed to two primary factors: the heightened demand from India ahead of the anticipated reinstatement of tariffs in April, and the availability of a large, high-quality Australian chickpea crop that growers were eager to sell for cash during harvest. The favorable conditions for chickpea production have significantly contributed to this increase.
Turning to lentils, the December export total of 239,900 tonnes marked over a five-fold increase from November’s figures. This spike is again reflective of new crop availability and strong demand for the relatively small harvest from Victoria and South Australia, which experienced a low-rainfall growing season.
India also emerged as the leading market for lentils in December, importing 114,365 tonnes, followed by Bangladesh with 81,854 tonnes and the United Arab Emirates with 25,727 tonnes.
Chickpea Export Data: October to December 2024
| CHICKPEAS | Oct | Nov | Dec | Tonnes |
| Bangladesh | 2,688 | 18,854 | 136,875 | 158,417 |
| India | 77,561 | 328,558 | 589,198 | 995,317 |
| TOTAL | 100,996 | 414,873 | 780,917 | 1,296,786 |
Table 1: Australian chickpea exports for October, November, and December 2024. Source: ABS
Lentil Export Data: October to December 2024
| LENTILS | Oct | Nov | Dec | Tonnes |
| India | 9,822 | 7,408 | 114,365 | 131,595 |
| TOTAL | 26,081 | 45,882 | 239,900 | 311,864 |
Table 2: Australian lentil exports for October, November, and December 2024. Source: ABS
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