ABARES Projects Record Surge in Lentil and Chickpea Production for 2025-26

Australia’s winter crop production for Marketing Year (MY) 2025/26 is projected to rise by 9.60% year-on-year to an estimated 66.26 million metric tonnes (MMT). According to the latest ABARES Australian Crop Report released on 2 December 2025, this would be the nation’s second-largest winter crop on record. The revised outlook is also 4.34 MMT higher than the September 2025 forecast of 61.92 MMT, reflecting better-than-expected growing conditions and stronger yields across key producing regions.

Australia's main pulse crops have also seen upward revisions, according to the quarterly ABARES update.

Chickpea production is projected to reach 2.12 MMT, positioning it as the second-largest harvest on record and up slightly from the September estimate, reflecting strong demand from export destinations such as South Asia.

The production of lentils is expected to reach a new record of 1.91 MMT, demonstrating the swift expansion of pulse cultivation in Australia's agricultural environment. For lentils, ABARES' most recent estimate is 11.9% higher than its September figure.

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