A crop of lentils in SA’s Strathalbyn district, south-east of Adelaide. Photo: James Stacey

AUSTRALIA exported 27,260 tonnes of chickpeas and 198,368t of lentils in May, according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Compared with April totals, the May figure is up 37 percent from 19,933t for chickpeas, and more than double 81,256t for lentils.

On chickpeas, Pakistan on 15,069t was the only five-figure destination, followed by India on 4047t and Bangladesh on 3460t.

On lentils, Bangladesh on 72,692t, India on 53,444t and Pakistan on 36,000t were the three biggest markets, followed by Sri Lanka on 23,647t.

The impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz can be seen on volume destined for the United Arab Emirates, with chickpeas dropping to 125t from 9000t in April, and lentil volume dropping from 36,176t to zero.

Independent Darling Downs-based broker Peter Wilson said ahead of big lentil crops expected from Canada and then Australia, May held some surprise volume.

“I think there was a bit of an organised push to load before new-crop Canada comes to market,” Mr Wilson said.

Last week’s World Meteorological Organization update confirmed its prediction of a strong El Niño developing by September, and Mr Wilson said concerns about it impacting Australia’s chickpea crop, and what India’s monsoon brings to its crop, were on the market’s radar.

Precipitation anomalies for rainfall from 5 June to 4 July 2026 versus 1991-2020 averages. Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

“People are watching the monsoon, and the Indian Government will be watching it too.”

While some heavy rain is falling on the west coast and in the north of India now, June as the first month of the monsoon season brought relatively little rain to much of the country.

“In Australia, the critical reproductive phase for chickpeas is next month, and lentils are some weeks after that, so what this El Niño brings is also being watched.”

Mr Wilson described both the chickpea and lentil markets as “a bit spongey”.

“We’re not seeing really strong demand.”

On lentils, bids into major South Asian ports are sitting at around US $515/t cfr, down roughly $70/t from March-April levels, and Australian growers have pulled up volume selling in softening market.

Table 1: Australian chickpea exports in March, April and May 2026. Source: ABS

Table 2: Australian lentil exports in March, April and May 2026. Source: ABS

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