Scale of Australia’s Dec Chickpea, Lentil Exports Surprises

Why It Matters

The unexpected volume spike underscores Australia’s growing strategic importance in the global pulse market and signals robust demand resilience despite trade barriers, reshaping pricing dynamics for growers and traders.

Key Takeaways

• Chickpea exports jumped 57% month‑on‑month.
• Lentil shipments more than doubled versus November.
• India absorbed 63% of chickpeas, 39% of lentils.
• Tariff regime did not curb Indian demand.
• Total legume exports reached 998,927 tonnes in December.

Pulse Analysis

Australia’s legume sector has long been a cornerstone of its agricultural export portfolio, but December 2025 marked an unprecedented surge. Shipping 588,122 tonnes of chickpeas and 410,805 tonnes of lentils, the country posted a near‑million‑tonne legume haul, eclipsing the modest November totals. This acceleration reflects not only favorable harvest conditions in Western Australia and the Murray‑Darling basin but also a broader tightening of global supply as major producers in Canada and the United States face weather‑related constraints. The result is a tighter global market where Australian pulses are increasingly called upon to fill gaps.

India’s appetite for Australian pulses defied expectations, absorbing 63% of the month’s chickpea shipments and 39% of lentils despite an 11% tariff on chickpeas and a quota‑limited tariff on lentils. Traders attribute the surge to a combination of domestic shortfalls, competitive pricing, and the strategic use of the most‑favoured‑nation quota that smooths supply. The Indian market’s willingness to pay premium prices has reinforced Australia’s position as a reliable source, prompting buyers to lock in volumes ahead of the upcoming planting season. This dynamic illustrates how tariff structures can be navigated when demand fundamentals are strong.

For Australian growers, the December export boom translates into higher farm‑gate prices and incentives to expand acreage devoted to chickpeas and lentils. However, the concentration of sales in a few key destinations, especially India, raises concerns about market concentration risk. Diversifying into emerging markets such as Bangladesh and Pakistan could mitigate exposure, while continued investment in research—like Murdoch University’s nitrogen‑fixation projects—promises yield gains and sustainability benefits. Looking ahead, the legume sector is poised for sustained growth, provided weather patterns remain favorable and trade policies stay conducive.

Scale of Australia’s Dec chickpea, lentil exports surprises

Australian Chickpea and Lentil Exports · December 2025

Australia exported 588,122 tonnes of chickpeas and 410,805 tonnes of lentils in December, according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Image: Woman with sun hat squatting near the green plants in a field

Caption: Western Australia’s Murdoch University is involved in a GRDC project looking at the ability of chickpea (pictured), lupin, and mungbeans to fix nitrogen. Photo: Legume Rhizobium Sciences, Murdoch University

The chickpea figure is up 57 percent from the November total of 373,959 t, while the lentil figure has more than doubled from 183,790 t shipped in November.

• India was the biggest market by far for December‑shipped chickpeas, taking 368,177 t (63 % of the total).

• Bangladesh (106,735 t) and Pakistan (96,094 t) were the second and third‑biggest markets respectively for Australia’s December‑shipped chickpeas.

On lentils, India (159,067 t) and Bangladesh (139,343 t) took 39 % and 24 % respectively of December shipments, with Pakistan (53,762 t) the third‑biggest market.

Traders say the depth of India’s buying has surprised the market. India has had an 11 % tariff on chickpeas in place since April last year, and lentils are subject to the same tariff, bar a most‑favoured‑nation quota of 150,000 t spread equally across four quarters.

Chickpea Exports (tonnes)

| Country | Oct | Nov | Dec |

|----------------|------:|------:|------:|

| Bangladesh | 16 412 | 89 006 | 106 735 |

| Belgium | 0 | 0 | 425 |

| Canada | 888 | 1 185 | 734 |

| Germany | 0 | 0 | 18 |

| Greece | 0 | 24 | 0 |

| India | 39 881 | 224 422 | 368 177 |

| Israel | 0 | 25 | 0 |

| Italy | 0 | 245 | 146 |

| Japan | 20 | 0 | 135 |

| Malaysia | 168 | 408 | 1 379 |

| Mauritius | 96 | 146 | 125 |

| Nepal | 2 306 | 1 988 | 5 680 |

| Netherlands | 0 | 0 | 25 |

| New Zealand | 81 | 32 | 123 |

| Pakistan | 33 547 | 30 720 | 96 094 |

| Saudi Arabia | 0 | 250 | 250 |

| Singapore | 48 | 24 | 121 |

| South Africa | 0 | 24 | 0 |

| South Korea | 144 | 46 | 68 |

| Spain | 0 | 0 | 24 |

| Sri Lanka | 0 | 151 | 76 |

| Sweden | 0 | 0 | 50 |

| Thailand | 25 | 0 | 2 |

| Türkiye | 120 | 293 | 119 |

| UAE | 2 896 | 23 997 | 6 457 |

| UK | 796 | 683 | 910 |

| US | 172 | 265 | 249 |

| Vietnam | 0 | 24 | 0 |

| TOTAL | 97 600 | 373 959 | 588 122 |

Table 1: Australian chickpea exports for October, November and December 2025. Source: ABS

Lentil Exports (tonnes)

| Country | Oct | Nov | Dec |

|----------------|------:|------:|------:|

| Bahrain | 248 | 1 007 | 701 |

| Bangladesh | 22 500 | 54 566 | 139 343 |

| Canada | 2 | 0 | 0 |

| Egypt | 2 252 | 8 281 | 22 917 |

| India | 3 140 | 97 263 | 159 067 |

| Japan | 0 | 0 | 24 |

| Lebanon | 48 | 0 | 0 |

| Malaysia | 0 | 250 | 244 |

| Mauritius | 25 | 97 | 0 |

| Nepal | 1 271 | 4 640 | 10 569 |

| Netherlands | 0 | 20 | 0 |

| New Zealand | 22 | 15 | 27 |

| Pakistan | 9 569 | 1 142 | 53 762 |

| Singapore | 1 | 0 | 0 |

| South Africa | 0 | 0 | 24 |

| Sri Lanka | 5 749 | 4 332 | 18 054 |

| Türkiye | 0 | 126 | 125 |

| UAE | 479 | 12 052 | 5 946 |

| US | 5 | 0 | 0 |

| TOTAL | 45 311 | 183 790 | 410 805 |

Table 2: Australian lentil exports for October, November and December 2025. Source: ABS