Harvesting lentils in early November which yielded a very much below-average 1t/ha in SA’s Mallee region. Photo: Rebekah Starick

AUSTRALIA exported 109,622 tonnes of chickpeas and 29,887t of lentils in October, according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

October’s chickpea exports are more than four times the 25,692t shipped in September, and represent the arrival of new-crop bulk and containerised business out of Queensland ports.

India on 82,418t was the major destination for October-shipped chickpeas, followed by Pakistan on 14,384t, and Bangladesh on 3948t.

On lentils shipped in October, India was also the leading destination, taking 10,952t, followed by Sri Lanka on 7615t and Bangladesh on 4943t.

In contrast, October 2023 shipment figures for chickpeas and lentils show more lentils on 97,841t leaving the country than chickpeas on 80,426t.

The change reflects both India’s removal of its tariff on Australian chickpeas, and a much-improved season for Queensland, where early-shipment chickpeas are grown, against a harsh season in South Australia and Victoria, Australia’s two major lentil-growing states.

Table 1: Australian chickpea exports for August, September and October 2024. Source: ABS

Table 2: Australian lentil exports for August, September and October 2024. Source: ABS

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