Kabuli chickpeas harvested this week in the Mallee region. Photo: Matt Witney, Dodgshun Medlin

AUSTRALIA exported 42,278 tonnes of chickpeas and 39,191t of lentils in October, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The chickpea exports represented a 66 per cent rise on the September figure, and the lentil exports rose 51pc over the month.

The rise in chickpea exports represents an increased flow of new-crop exports through the container market.

Trade sources say no bulk new-crop chickpeas have yet been exported, but 27,000 tonnes in total for Bangladesh is due to load in Brisbane and Mackay this month.

On lentils, container business also accounted for all volume shipped in October.

Australia’s chickpea harvest in the main producing states of New South Wales and Queensland has almost finished, while the lentil harvest is around half through.

Table 1: Australian chickpea exports for August, September and October 2020. Source: ABS

Table 2: Australian lentil exports for August, September and October 2020. Source: ABS

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