News Capsule: Australia – Pulse market mirrors wheat and barley trends as increased supply pressures prices
08-Oct-2025 12:17 PM
News Capsule: Australia – Pulse market mirrors wheat and barley trends as increased supply pressures prices
★ In Australia, chickpea and lentil production is projected to exceed 2.2 million tonnes and 1.8 million tonnes, respectively. This could mark the third-largest chickpea crop and an all-time record for lentils.
★ In recent weeks, Australian pulse prices have softened, mainly due to an intensified monsoon across South Asia. The heavy rains have caused flooding in parts of India and Pakistan, but also improved subsoil moisture, creating favorable conditions for the upcoming Rabi (winter) crop in the region.
★ At the same time, rising imports and easing domestic stock tightness are contributing to downward price pressure. India’s slower import pace suggests that supply and demand are finding a new balance.
★ Russia and Kazakhstan together have increased lentil production by about one million tonnes, while Canada’s pea output has risen by 0.5 million tonnes year-on-year, reaching 3.6 million tonnes.
★ In India, pulse imports typically peak between November and January and decline between May and July. Demand is expected to strengthen in the coming months, but there is also a growing likelihood that India may reinstate higher import duties after March 2026.
★ In 2018, lentils faced a 30% duty and chickpeas 40%, which were reduced to zero in mid-2021. Currently, both stand at 10%.