High hopes for chickpeas

Significant Indian demand is holding Australian chickpea prices firm, and good prices are expected to last for the rest of the season.

Pulse Australia industry development manager for northern NSW, Tim Weaver, said chickpea prices are hovering between $700 to $800 a tonne.

The most recent crop forecast from Pulse Australia estimated northern NSW had 235,000ha of chickpeas and the southern NSW had planted between 30,000ha to 40,000ha.

Mr Weaver said India could need up to one million tonnes of chickpeas this year and with more rain, Australia's crop could hit that mark.

"We're still unsure if we'll get to one million tonnes," he said.

"We might get to 800,000 to 900,000t, but with more rain, we might (hit one million tonnes)."

Strong demand kept chickpea prices stable which gave some growers enough confidence to forward sell their crop.

Mr Weaver said farmers had marketed both area and tonnage contracts, although some have chosen to wait until their crops are in the silo.

If yields fall before season's end prices could jump again. Mr Weaver said there was still people who will wait until they have chickpeas in the silo before they decide to sell.

The quality of crops across the state looked promising and Mr Weaver said those planted on good soil moisture profiles will hold on until the end of the season, but some areas were planted on minimal moisture where more rain is needed to finish crops.

"It would be good to see some rainfall on crops planted on marginal profiles," he said.

"In the more western regions, farmers planted on half a profile or less, so they'd be looking for some rain to finish off."

Mr Weaver said as crops head into pod fill, growers should be vigilant in monitoring insect movement as it was the time of year for heliothis.

Harvest is tipped to kick off during November, but some farmers could still be stripping into January.