Chickpeas: Indian Chana Firms Quietly While Global Pulses Diverge

Indian chickpeas (chana) prices are firming in early October, but buying remains selective as mills focus on urad while demand in other pulses, including chana, stays comparatively subdued. Internationally, import offers for desi chickpeas are edging higher, signalling a cautiously bullish undertone but without broad-based momentum yet. The pulses complex in India is moving in different directions: urad is attracting stronger mill purchasing, whereas arhar, chana and masoor need more buying support to stage a sustained recovery. Against this backdrop, chickpeas are benefiting from generally firmer pulses sentiment and higher import offers, but physical trade is still governed by immediate procurement needs and the quality and availability of processing-grade stocks. With sowing for the new rabi pulse crop approaching and post-monsoon weather still a swing factor, participants are balancing near-term firmness with the risk of higher arrivals later in the season.

Prices

Price indications for chickpeas are stable to slightly firmer across key export origins.

• India FOB New Delhi: Chickpeas dried count 42-44, 12 mm at 1.02 EUR/kg FOB; count 44-46, 11 mm at 0.99 EUR/kg FOB; count 46-48, 10 mm at 0.96 EUR/kg FOB; count 58-60, 9 mm at 0.95 EUR/kg FOB; count 60-62, 8 mm at 0.90 EUR/kg FOB (all updated 10 October 2026).
• India FOB Rajkot: Generic chickpeas dried at 1.10 EUR/kg FOB (updated 6 October 2026), up from 1.00 EUR/kg at the start of October.
• Mexico FOB Mexico City: Chickpeas dried count 42-44, 12 mm at 1.23 EUR/kg FOB; count 75-80, 8 mm at 0.90 EUR/kg FOB (updated 10 October 2026).
• Domestic India: Recent mandi data show median kabuli chana prices around the mid-90s INR/kg and desi chana in the upper-60s INR/kg range, both trading above official support levels, confirming a firmer tone in the chickpea complex.

Supply & Demand

The broader Indian pulses market currently shows divergent trends, underlining commodity-specific dynamics rather than a uniform upturn.

• Urad is seeing stronger mill buying, while arhar, chana and masoor remain comparatively weak, highlighting that the firmer tone in chickpeas is still fragile and dependent on targeted procurement rather than broad consumption-led demand.
• Domestic chana prices trading above support levels indicate underlying tightness, likely linked to moderated stocks and cautious selling by farmers ahead of the new sowing window.
• Internationally, import offers for desi chickpeas have risen alongside other pulses, suggesting tighter global availability and stronger replacement values for import-dependent buyers.
• Millers and wholesalers remain highly focused on actual procurement volumes and the ready availability of processing-quality lots, limiting speculative stock-building at current price levels.

Weather & Crop Outlook

Weather remains a key uncertainty for the upcoming rabi sowing season in India, when most chana is planted.

• The India Meteorological Department’s latest seasonal outlook for October and the post-monsoon period points to regionally variable but broadly normal-to-slightly mixed rainfall and temperatures, following the withdrawal of the southwest monsoon.
• For chickpeas, adequate soil moisture at sowing and the absence of late heavy rain or early heat spikes will be crucial; any disruption could tighten the 2026/27 supply outlook and reinforce current price firmness.

Fundamentals & Market Drivers

• Pulses divergence: Stronger urad demand versus subdued interest in arhar, chana and masoor shows that chickpeas cannot rely on a blanket pulses rally; demand must improve specifically in chana-based products.
• Import parity and offers: Rising international offers for desi chickpeas and higher kabuli valuations in domestic INR terms raise the floor for export-grade chickpeas and support the recent uptick in FOB indications.
• Inventory management: Market participants are prioritising near-term processing needs rather than aggressively building stocks, mindful of the upcoming Indian harvest cycle and policy risk on import duties or stock limits.
• Speculative positioning: With other pulses like urad attracting more immediate attention, chickpeas may see slower speculative inflows, tempering upside volatility but also limiting near-term downside if physical demand holds.

Trading Outlook

• Importers/Buyers: Consider staggered coverage for Q4 2026–Q1 2027 requirements, prioritising higher counts and origin diversification (India vs Mexico), as FOB levels have firmed but remain below recent peaks.
• Exporters: Use current firmness to secure forward sales in limited volumes, especially from origins showing the strongest EUR gains (e.g. Rajkot and small-count Indian chickpeas), while guarding against a potential correction if Indian sowing progresses well.
• Millers: Focus on quality procurement and flexible product mix, keeping an eye on urad-driven margins but avoiding under-coverage in chana in case post-monsoon weather tightens 2026/27 chana output.

3-Day Directional Price Outlook (FOB)

• India – New Delhi chickpeas FOB: Sideways to slightly firm, supported by steady domestic chana and higher import offers but capped by still-cautious mill buying.
• India – Rajkot chickpeas FOB: Mildly bullish bias after recent step-up, with further gains depending on local demand and pre-sowing sentiment.
• Mexico – Mexico City chickpeas FOB: Stable to marginally firm, tracking global pulses strength and competitive positioning versus Indian and Australian supplies.