ABARES forecasts 32 percent tumble in major pulses in Australia

ABARES has forecast production of Australia’s major winter pulse crops to 2.684 million tonnes, down 32 percent from the 3.95Mt grown in 2022-23. In figures released today in its Australian Crop Report, the national forecaster is predicting a 1pc increase in chickpea production to 544,000t, but has forecast big drops for Australia’s other major winter pulses, namely faba beans, field peas, lentils, and lupins. Climate modelling suggests El Niño conditions are likely to develop in spring, and this has contributed to southern Australian growers reducing area planted to pulses, which are likely to produce average yields at best if spring brings hot and dry conditions. Table 1: Current crop and initial new-crop hectare and tonnage estimates for Australia’s major pulses. Source: ABARES Queensland chickpea area is forecast at 250,000ha, up 50,000ha from last year, to produce 315,000t, up from 292,000t in the most recent harvest. “Area planted to barley and chickpeas are forecast to ...