The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) has made significant revisions to its pulse crop production estimates in its December 2024 report compared to the previous September 2024 forecast.

• Gram production: The estimate for gram production has been increased substantially by 42%, rising from 1.3 million tonnes to 1.9 million tonnes. This increase is attributed to a larger sowing area and improved yields, thanks to favorable weather conditions. Quality of the gram is reported to be excellent, which will ensure smooth export activities. In particular, the crop conditions in New South Wales and Queensland provinces have been very favorable, leading to this significant upward revision.

• Lentil production: In contrast, the estimate for lentil production has been reduced by 34%, from 1.7 million tonnes to 1.1 million tonnes. This revision is due to adverse weather conditions in the Victoria and South Australia provinces, which have caused substantial losses to the lentil crop.

• Faba beans: For faba beans, the production estimate has been raised in the eastern provinces, while it has been reduced by 42% in South Australia. Notably, New South Wales is expected to achieve a record 350,000 tonnes of faba beans, which is more than double the previous peak production of 165,000 tonnes in the 2023-24 season.

• New South Wales and Queensland's role: In New South Wales, gram production is anticipated to exceed 1 million tonnes for the first time, reaching an all-time high of 1.1 million tonnes. Meanwhile, in Queensland, although the harvest is nearing completion, the production of gram is set to increase to 750,000 tonnes, marking the second-largest production after the record-setting 1.15 million tonnes in 2016-17.

This revised production outlook highlights Australia's continued leadership in pulse crop production, particularly in the export markets for gram and lentils.