News Capsule: Australian Desi Chickpea Prices Rise, Supply Concerns Grow in India
08-Aug-2026 12:34 PM
News Capsule: Australian Desi Chickpea Prices Rise, Supply Concerns Grow in India
★ Australian desi chickpea prices for India have continued to strengthen amid expectations of a much smaller crop this year and improving domestic demand. For August/September shipment, Australian desi chickpea offers to India have risen to $665 per tonne CNF, compared with $645 last week and $620 on July 23. Prices are up 3% week-on-week and 9% above the four-week average of $608.
★ The main factor supporting prices is the expected sharp decline in Australia’s 2026-27 desi chickpea production. This year’s crop is estimated at around 1.2–1.4 million tonnes, compared with nearly 2.4 million tonnes last year. The significant reduction is raising concerns over export availability for India.
★ Meanwhile, domestic demand for besan has started improving in India. Rising consumption demand, along with lower expected Australian supplies, is providing additional support to the Indian chana market.
★ NAFED’s selling pattern is another important factor. The agency is currently not selling aggressively and is releasing stocks only in small quantities. This limited selling has further supported chana prices by keeping market availability relatively tight.
★ If NAFED continues selling in limited quantities while domestic besan demand strengthens, Indian chana prices could rise further.
★ Going forward, Australia’s actual crop size, NAFED’s selling pace and domestic besan demand will remain the key factors determining the direction of the Indian chana market.