Despite the rise of canola as a break crop, pulses remain a very important part of the crop rotation for broadacre croppers. In fact, the latest forecasts from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) have pulse plantings outstripping last year’s record to post a new high.
Apart from the agronomic benefits of planting pulse crops in a winter crop rotation, they can, at times, be extremely profitable. Figure 1 shows that when conditions are right, chickpea plantings in the north boom, while the lentil share of acres in the south has been growing consistently over the last ten years.
Lupins are a staple in the west, with WA accounting for 77% of expected production this year. In NSW, Victoria and South Australia, faba bean plantings have been on the rise at the expense of lupins over the last six years.
Pulse yields are highly variable, with crops susceptible to a range of potential issues. Figure 2 shows pulse production over the past twelve years along with a forecast for 2025–26. Thanks to the increase in area, lentils were forecast to hit a new production high of 1.7 mmt on yields of 1.5 t/ha. This forecast is from September, and crops will likely not hit this mark thanks to dry conditions.
Chickpeas have had a more favourable run and are being harvested in Queensland and northern NSW. Last year, chickpeas yielded 2.2 t/ha, with the forecast for this year at 1.95 t/ha.
Lupin supply in WA should be the strongest since 2022–23, while faba bean forecasts might be a little overstated thanks to the dry spring.
Price series for pulses are a little hard to come by, but we can find spot prices. Pulses are usually exported or used as protein supplements in feed rations. If export demand is weak or impacted by trade barriers, prices can be hit hard.
Most pulse values seem to be down on last year. Chickpeas at Brisbane are around $600/t, down from $1,000/t last year. Lentil prices in the Wimmera are being quoted at $560/t, which is weak in historical terms.
What does it mean?
For feed consumers, strong pulse production and weaker prices are good news. Not so for growers, with low yields not likely to be compensated by price, at least for now. Pulse prices can be volatile historically, so there could be a bounce at some point.
Key Points
- ABARES are forecasting record pulse plantings and production in 2025-26.
- A dry spring in some areas could see lentil and faba bean yields lower than forecast.
- Pulse prices are weak, but are historically volatile and can move sharply.
Click on figure to expand
Data sources: ABARES, Mecardo
