India: How Delhi's bold tariff-free chickpea deal has left an upbeat trade outlook

As nervous farmers and exporters rush to get a whopping 1.5 million tonne chickpea harvest into ships bound for the tricky Indian market, there is rising optimism about improving trade stability for one of India's most valued food staples. Until May, India had effectively banned Australian chickpeas since 2017 imposing import tariffs of between 33 per cent and 66pc. In a notable and politically-bold move, the government in Delhi dropped its import tax until March 1, 2025, re-opening its gates to the world's biggest chickpea exporter. The introduction of the tariff-free period was actually timed to give Australian croppers confidence to plant knowing they would get access to the valued Indian trade and could be rewarded with relatively predictable harvest prices. India endured a patchy monsoon season last year and below average crop yields. The government recognised local production was unlikely to satisfy the nation's big hunger for desi chickpeas before its next winter (rabi) ...