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World's Top Exports

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Top Chickpeas Exports & Imports by Country

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Plate of chickpeas
Chickpea dish
In 2020, worldwide shipments of chickpeas exported from all countries totaled US$1.24 billion.

Overall sales of exported chickpeas decreased by an average -38.9% since 2016 when globally exported chickpeas amounted to $2 billion.

From 2019 to 2020, the dollar value of chickpea exports slipped by -4.5%.

The 5 biggest chickpeas exporters (Australia, Turkey, India, Russia and Mexico) generated 60.2% of all international sales of chickpeas during 2020.

Applying a continental lens, Asian countries sold the highest dollar worth of exported chickpeas during 2020 with shipments valued at $359.3 million or 28.9% of the global total. In second place were North American exporters at 22.2% while 19% of international chickpeas sales originated from Oceania (19%) mostly Australia. Smaller percentages came from Africa (5.6%) and Latin America (5.4%).

Turning to imported chickpeas, the 5 leading importers of chickpeas in 2020 are India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. Collectively, that quintet of top buyers bought 42.2% of globally imported chickpeas.

Those percentages suggest a more concentrated cohort of 100 total chickpeas exporters (60.2% for top 5 suppliers) compared to 181 importing countries, islands and territories for the top 5 importers (42.2%).

However, 63.5% of globally imported chickpeas were delivered to Asian countries well ahead of importers in Europe (17.7%), Africa (8%), North America (5.9%), Latin America (4.7%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania (0.2%) mostly New Zealand.

Worldwide, the average unit price paid by chickpeas importers was $1,285 per ton in 2020. That dollar amount reflects a 13.2% uptick from the average tonnage rate of $1,135 for 2019.

For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 071320 for dried, shelled chickpeas.

Top Chickpeas Exports by Country

Below are the top 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of chickpeas during 2020.

  1. Australia: US$236.6 million (19% of total exported chickpeas)
  2. Turkey: $148.9 million (12%)
  3. India: $140.7 million (11.3%)
  4. Russia: $116.3 million (9.4%)
  5. Mexico: $105.8 million (8.5%)
  6. United States: $105.2 million (8.5%)
  7. Argentina: $66.7 million (5.4%)
  8. Canada: $64.8 million (5.2%)
  9. Tanzania: $56.3 million (4.5%)
  10. United Arab Emirates: $24.4 million (2%)
  11. Malawi: $18.6 million (1.5%)
  12. Sudan: $18.6 million (1.5%)
  13. Ukraine: $15.2 million (1.2%)
  14. Myanmar: $13.7 million (1.1%)
  15. Ethiopia: $13.6 million (1.1%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 92.2% of global chickpeas exported in 2020.

Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing chickpeas exporters since 2019 were: Malawi (up 3,176%), Ukraine (up 37%), Argentina (up 32.9%) and India (up 32%).

Those countries that posted declines in their exported chickpeas sales were led by: Myanmar (down -53.8%), Ethiopia (down -45.9%), United Arab Emirates (down -44.6%), Russia (down -29.7%) and Canada (down -22.1%).

Top Chickpeas Imports by Country

The overall cost for imported chickpeas dropped by -33.8% over the 5-year period starting in 2016 and slipped by -11.8% year over year since 2019.

Below are the 15 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of chickpeas imported during 2020.

  1. India: US$162.2 million (13.4% of total imported chickpeas)
  2. Pakistan: $100.9 million (8.3%)
  3. Bangladesh: $99.5 million (8.2%)
  4. Turkey: $91.7 million (7.6%)
  5. United Arab Emirates: $57.8 million (4.8%)
  6. Algeria: $56.8 million (4.7%)
  7. United Kingdom: $50.1 million (4.1%)
  8. United States: $47.1 million (3.9%)
  9. Iraq: $47.1 million (3.9%)
  10. Spain: $45.5 million (3.7%)
  11. Saudi Arabia: $40.2 million (3.3%)
  12. Italy: $32.1 million (2.6%)
  13. Nepal: $29.9 million (2.5%)
  14. Canada: $24.6 million (2%)
  15. Sri Lanka: $24.5 million (2%)

By value, the listed 15 countries bought 75% of globally imported chickpeas in 2020.

Among the top importers, the fastest-growing chickpeas importers since 2019 were: Nepal (up 81.3%), Italy (up 74.6%), Turkey (up 25.8%) and the United States of America (up 20.2%).

Those countries that posted declines in their imported chickpeas purchases were led by: Pakistan (down -48.3%), Bangladesh (down -32.7%), Canada (down -23.7%), India (down -20.3%) and Iraq (down -12.2%).

Lowest and Highest Unit Prices for Imported Chickpeas

In 2020, the world’s average unit price for imported chickpeas was US$1,285 per ton.

The average tonnage charge for the number one chickpeas importer, India, was $530 per ton.

Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the most economical average unit prices for imported chickpeas in 2020.

  1. Burundi: US$167 per ton (down -85.2% from 2019)
  2. Senegal: $175 per ton (down -8.9%)
  3. Togo: $233 per ton (up 75.2%)
  4. Uzbekistan: $238 per ton (down -58.7%)
  5. Cambodia: $357 per ton (up 13.3%)
  6. Kyrgyzstan: $363 per ton (up 12.4%)
  7. Zimbabwe: $391 per ton (down -7.1%)
  8. Tajikistan: $393 per ton (up 12%)
  9. Estonia: $408 per ton (down -8.1%)
  10. Burkina Faso: $428 per ton (up 114%)
  11. Namibia: $444 per ton (down -28.5%)
  12. Latvia: $459 per ton (down -40.9%)
  13. Moldova: $470 per ton (down -9.4%)
  14. Pakistan: $474 per ton (down -8.7%)
  15. Uruguay: $480 per ton (up 34.8%)

Experiencing double-digit reductions in average unit price per ton for chickpeas from 2019 to 2020 were low-cost importers Burundi (down -85.2%), Uzbekistan (down -58.7%), Latvia (down -40.9%) and Namibia (down -28.5%).

The following countries paid for imported chickpeas costing the highest average unit prices.

  1. Finland: US$37,429 per ton (up 3,009% from 2019)
  2. Greenland: $4,000 per ton (up 100%)
  3. Bermuda: $3,750 per ton (down -73.2%)
  4. Grenada: $3,400 per ton (2019 data unavailable)
  5. Marshall Islands: $3,000 per ton (2019 data unavailable)
  6. Faroe Islands: $3,000 per ton (2019 data unavailable)
  7. Cook Islands: $3,000 per ton (2019 data unavailable)
  8. Honduras: $2,917 per ton (up 70.2%)
  9. Afghanistan: $2,578 per ton (up 173.7%)
  10. Gabon: $2,500 per ton (up 25%)
  11. Ireland: $2,298 per ton (up 48.4%)
  12. Gibraltar: $2,143 per ton (up 19.1%)
  13. Paraguay: $2,067 per ton (down -17.3%)
  14. Montenegro: $2,000 per ton (up 3.7%)
  15. St Vincent/Grenadines: $2,000 per ton (up 20%)

The 6 major gains in terms of higher average unit prices in 2020 compared to 2019 were experienced by Finland (up 3,009%), Afghanistan (up 173.7%), Greenland (up 100%), Honduras (up 70.2%), Ireland (up 48.4%) and Gabon (up 25%).

See also Soya Beans Exports by Country, Best Tofu Exports by Sales, Average Unit Prices & Weight, Pineapples Exports by Country, Top Salmon Exports & Imports by Country and Top Lentils Exporters by Country

Research Sources:
Alibaba, Chick Peas Suppliers. Accessed on January 24, 2022

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on January 24, 2022

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on January 24, 2022

Wikipedia, Chickpea. Accessed on January 24, 2022