Australia Halves Chickpea Plantings as Indian Tariffs Kill Trade
- Indian tax hikes stopped trade “dead in the water”: CEO
- Australian production may slump to 500,000 tons this year
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Farmers in Australia, the world’s biggest exporter of chickpeas, have halved their plantings after the nation’s top customer hiked tariffs to levels that rendered the trade untenable, according to an industry association.
India imposed a 30 percent import tariff on chickpeas in December before increasing it to 40 percent in February and to 60 percent in March. The country raised it again this week to 70 percent in retaliation to the U.S. imposing higher levies on some products. India’s initial tax was already enough to deter growers from planting, regardless of the subsequent duty increases, Pulse Australia Chief Executive Officer Nick Goddard said.