Australia’s December Chickpea, Lentil Exports Surprise; India Emerges as Key Buyer
11-Feb-2026 10:15 AM
Australia’s December Chickpea, Lentil Exports Surprise; India Emerges as Key Buyer
★According to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australia exported 5.88 lakh tonnes of chickpeas and 4.10 lakh tonnes of lentils in December, significantly higher than November levels. Chickpea exports rose 57% month-on-month, while lentil shipments more than doubled.
★India was the largest buyer of chickpeas in December, accounting for 63% of total exports at 3.68 lakh tonnes. Bangladesh (1.06 lakh tonnes) and Pakistan (96,000 tonnes) were the second and third-largest markets.
★In lentils, India imported 1.59 lakh tonnes in December, followed by Bangladesh at 1.39 lakh tonnes, with Pakistan ranking third.
Despite an 11% import duty in place, India’s strong buying has surprised traders and supported Australian export volumes.
★Australia’s Exports to India (Oct–Dec 2025)
Chickpeas (Desi)
October – 39,881 tonnes
November – 2,24,422 tonnes
December – 3,68,177 tonnes
Total (Oct–Dec 2025) – 6,32,480 tonnes
★Lentils
October – 3,140 tonnes
November – 97,263 tonnes
December – 1,59,067 tonnes
Total (Oct–Dec 2025) – 2,59,470 tonnes