Diana Sarungbam
Market Analyst
International Grains Council (IGC)
Global pulses trade eased to an estimated 21.0 million tonnes in 2025 (Jan/Dec), down 6% year-on-year as weaker Indian buying, particularly of dry peas and lentils, offset firm demand elsewhere, while the IGC expects flows to rebound modestly in 2026 on stronger Asian demand and a potential recovery in China’s yellow pea imports.
REVIEW OF TRADE IN 2025
Global production of pulses has been expanding over many years, with the emergence of new export origins, notably the Black Sea region. At the same time, pulses trade remains structurally firm, with demand supported by population growth and dietary shifts across key consuming areas.
Against this backdrop, world trade in pulses (including dry peas, lentils, chickpeas, urd/mung beans, kidney beans, broad beans and other minor pulses) is estimated at 21.0m t in 2025 (Jan/Dec), down 6% y/y but above the near-term average.
Demand for dry peas, which normally accounts for around 30% of total trade in all pulses, contracted by almost one-quarter y/y, to 5.1m t, linked to a marked fall in Indian purchases, contrasting with larger Chinese arrivals. Moreover, against the backdrop of sizeable inventories, deliveries to the Indian market shrank markedly y/y, with trade restrictions limiting arrivals in the latter part of the year. However, purchases by China grew by 40% y/y, boosted by strong domestic feed and processing demand.

Trade in lentils also fell by 9% y/y, to 4.4m t, mainly on smaller shipments to South Asia and Near East Asia. Given plentiful local availabilities and import restrictions, Indian demand is seen down by as much as 27% y/y, with reduced shipments to Bangladesh also notable. In contrast, a 14% y/y increase in chickpeas trade flows, to 3.6m t, reflected solid demand from South Asian buyers, notably India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Trade in urd/mung beans expanded by 15% y/y, to 2.7m t, on bigger purchases by India and China. Demand for kidney beans held broadly steady y/y, at 1.6m t, while broad beans trade was also little-changed y/y, at 1.2m, with Egypt remaining the main destination for global shipments.
Owing to a slow pace of shipments of dry peas and lentils, dispatches by Canada are estimated to have declined by 14% y/y, to 4.4m t, with exports by the USA also seen at a three-year low of 1.0m, down 28% y/y. Dispatches by Australia rose by 7% y/y, to 4.0m t, chiefly on shipments of lentils, chickpeas and mung beans. In the Black Sea region, exports by Russia were above normal, but declined for a second consecutive year, while Ukrainian volumes also contracted by nearly one-third y/y.
Among relatively smaller players, sales by Kazakhstan, mostly of lentils, registered solid growth y/y, to above 0.5m t. Similarly, exports by Brazil surged, mainly tied to substantial growth in urd/mung beans shipments.
PROSPECTS FOR 2026
Global trade in pulses is tentatively projected to rebound by around 5% y/y in 2026 (Jan/Dec), underpinned by firmer demand in the key regional markets of Near East Asia and Pacific Asia.
While India is expected to remain the largest buyer, arrivals may fall y/y. Dry peas imports could be partly limited by import restrictions, while chickpeas purchases may also contract owing to comfortable local supplies. However, lentils demand could firm, especially in view of potentially ample and attractively priced supplies at major origins, notably Canada and Australia.
In contrast, Chinese demand for yellow peas may recover following an anticipated significant reduction in import tariffs on Canadian shipments, effective 1 March 2026. Purchases by other key Asian buyers including Pakistan, Bangladesh and Turkey are also likely to increase. In Pakistan, a shortfall in domestic pulses output, particularly of chickpeas, combined with firm consumer demand, has supported large imports in recent years and is expected to continue to do so in 2026.
Outside of Asia, shipments to the EU may grow modestly y/y, but remain below average, while a slight y/y recovery in demand in the Americas is anticipated.
IGC WORK PROGRAMME ON PULSES
With the aim of improving pulses market transparency, the International Grains Council (IGC) formally added pulses to the official definition of grains on 1 November 2021. Since then, the Secretariat has significantly expanded its coverage of global pulses markets. The IGC database now encompasses global supply and demand data for dry beans, dry peas, lentils, chickpeas, broad beans and pigeon peas. It also monitors and analyses total pulses trade, while also publishing indicative fob (free-on-board) prices for key pulses at major export origins, including Canada and Australia.
The flagship monthly Grain Market Report (GMR) provides comprehensive analysis of supply, demand and trade flows, complemented by regular daily and weekly updates for members. In addition, a dedicated pulses workshop is held annually as part of the IGC Grains Conference, bringing together leading players from across the sector to discuss issues ranging from policy developments to supply and demand dynamics.
Looking ahead, a specialist workshop will be held at the IGC Grains Conference on 9-10 June 2026 in London. The session will explore emerging trade opportunities in pulses. Further details, including participating speakers and organisations, will be made available in due course. For further details, visit:
https://www.igc.int/en/conference/confhome.aspx