News Capsule: Australia Pulses Market: War Impact Begins to Show
18-Mar-2026 12:55 PM
News Capsule: Australia Pulses Market: War Impact Begins to Show
★ Rising tensions in the Middle East are now starting to impact global agricultural trade, with Australia’s pulses sector (chickpeas and lentils) facing shipping disruptions and higher logistics costs.
★ Typically, growers in South Australia and Victoria deliver crops to ports and backload urea for the upcoming planting season. However, limited availability of urea has disrupted this cycle, discouraging one-way trips and slowing bulk supply movement.
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Chickpeas
★ Chickpeas delivered in containers at Brisbane are trading around AUD 700/tonne (approx. USD 500), slightly lower than mid-February levels.
★ Container trade continues, but bulk exports to India (Mundra) and Pakistan have largely stalled due to elevated freight rates and increased risk premiums.
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Lentils
★ Lentil prices are holding firm at AUD 660–680/tonne (approx. USD 483). Nipper types are trading near AUD 640 (USD 455), while Nugget types are fetching up to AUD 720 (USD 512) per tonne.
★ Demand remains steady from Sri Lanka, eastern India, and Bangladesh, though freight rates to India’s west coast have surged significantly.
★ With fertiliser prices high and availability tight, growers may increase pulse acreage in the upcoming season, given their lower nitrogen requirements.
★ Overall, despite supply chain disruptions, strong global demand and restrained selling are keeping prices supported for now.