Markets

Australian chickpea, lentil exports kick in May

Liz Wells July 7, 2025

Lentils load last week on-farm in Victoria’s Wimmera region to start their journey to Sri Lanka via Riordan Grains’ loader at Portland. Photo: Ryan Milgate

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.

CHICKPEAS Mar Apr May Total
Bangladesh 1083 618 373 2075
Belgium 120 280 80 480
Canada 424 1638 1171 3233
Fiji 24 0 0 24
India 33000 0 0 33000
Japan 22 0 0 22
Jordan 48 0 0 48
Malaysia 73 23 0 96
Mauritius 96 72 48 216
Nepal 685 119 245 1050
New Zealand 121 43 125 289
Pakistan 30239 6131 9420 45791
Saudi Arabia 72 0 0 72
Singapore 25 0 0 25
South Africa 0 32 0 32
South Korea 48 65 96 209
Sri Lanka 296 0 77 373
Thailand 52 68 0 120
UAE 4208 1259 1417 6884
UK 1142 703 481 2326
US 0 118 117 235
Vietnam 0 0 24 24
Yemen 0 25 0 25
TOTAL 71779 11195 13674 96648

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

LENTILS Mar Apr May Tonnes
Bahrain 1059 0 249 1308
Bangladesh 22699 22997 27938 73634
Fiji 0 25 0 25
India 26114 1125 3515 30754
Italy 75 0 0 75
Japan 0 0 25 25
Mauritius 25 75 74 174
Nepal 1993 2252 833 5078
New Zealand 22 8 65 95
Pakistan 23504 1367 1862 26733
South Africa 0 4 0 4
South Korea 49 0 0 49
Sri Lanka 16708 11867 14896 43471
UAE 12853 0 251 13104
TOTAL 105101 39719 49707 194528

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

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