India remained the largest buyer of Australian chickpeas in July, with over 64% share in total chana exports from the country. This was despite the chana imports from Australia falling 63% from June to 9,288 tn, website graincentral.com said in a report, citing the Australian Bureau of Statistics.Overall exports of chickpeas from Australia fell to 14,500 tn in July from 38,816 tn in June, the report said. The chickpea exports in July were down 63% from June, "and show the usual seasonal rundown in the lead-up to new-crop exports expected to start in October", the report said. Bangladesh, Nepal, Canada, and the UK – the other top importers of chickpeas from Australia – imported 1,582 tn, 905 tn, 854 tn, and 709 tn, respectively, in July, the report said. The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences estimates chickpeas production in 2024- 25 (Jul-Jun) to surge 171% to 1.3 mln tn. "This reflects a significant expansion in area and high expected yields in New South Wales and Queensland, given high expected margins and favourable conditions. If realised, this will be the second-highest chickpea harvest on record," according to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences. Meanwhile, exports of lentils, which is the second-largest variety of pulses grown in Australia, were also lower in July, the Grain Central's report said. The country exported 128,043 tn of lentils in July, against 134,268 tn in June. "The slowdown reflects competition from Canada’s new crop into South Asian markets," the report said. India is also the top buyer of Australian lentils, with its imports at 52,631 tn in July, against 52,519 in June, the report said. During May-Jul, India imported a total of 164,848 tn of the commodity from Australia, according to the report. Bangladesh, Eqypt, Sri Lanka, and Nepal – other top importers of lentils from Australia – bought 32,058 tn, 14,402 tn, 13,998 tn, and 7,747 tn, respectively, in July, according to the report. The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences estimated lentil production to increase 7% to 1.7 mln tn in 2024–25. "This is more than double the 10-year average to 2023–24, with the expansion in area planted to lentils expected to more than offset lower yields," the bureau said.
