Australian chickpeas are mostly exported in containers out of Brisbane and Sydney. Pictured is Sydney’s Port Botany. Photo: NSW Ports

AUSTRALIA exported 85,426 tonnes of chickpeas and 97,840t of lentils in March, according to the latest export data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

On chickpeas, the March total is up 3 per cent from 83,197t shipped in February, while the lentil total represents a drop of 15pc from 114,650t over the month.

As was the case in February, Pakistan was the biggest market for chickpeas, followed by Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates.

In the lentil market Bangladesh, followed by Sri Lanka and Egypt, was the biggest-volume market in March.

Container freight rates remain high, and availability of empty boxes remains limited.

However, all chickpeas exported in March appear to have been shipped in containers, while in lentils, around two thirds of the export tonnage went in containers, and supplemented bulk tonnage ex South Australia.

Table 1: Australian chickpea exports in January, February and March 2021. Source: ABS

Table 2: Australian lentil exports in January, February and March 2021. Source: ABS