Dry chickpeas (Cicer arietinum), also known as garbanzo beans, are a staple legume crop with deep historical roots, first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent around 7,000 years ago. Their cultivation spread through the Mediterranean, South Asia, and eventually to Africa and the Americas. Today, India is by far the world’s largest producer of dry chickpeas, accounting for over two-thirds of global output, thanks to its favorable climate and central role in local diets. Other top chickpea-producing countries include Turkey, Australia, Pakistan, and Myanmar, each contributing significantly to global supply. The crop’s resilience to drought and ability to fix nitrogen in the soil have made it a vital source of protein and a key rotation crop in many agricultural systems throughout history and into the present day.
Rank | Country | Metric Tons |
---|---|---|
1 | India | 11,910,000 |
2 | Australia | 876,468 |
3 | Ethiopia | 478,212 |
4 | Turkey | 475,000 |
5 | Myanmar | 467,341 |
6 | Russia | 316,840 |
7 | Pakistan | 233,934 |
8 | Mexico | 171,968 |
9 | Iran | 168,143 |
10 | United States of America | 129,770 |
11 | Sudan | 97,173 |
12 | Tanzania | 88,415 |
13 | Argentina | 84,709 |
14 | Canada | 76,192 |
15 | Morocco | 72,547 |
16 | Yemen | 40,477 |
17 | Algeria | 38,818 |
18 | Syria | 36,223 |
19 | China | 16,021 |
20 | Uzbekistan | 14,267 |
21 | Nepal | 11,065 |
22 | Tunisia | 9,900 |
23 | Kazakhstan | 7,239 |
24 | Egypt | 6,142 |
25 | Israel | 5,500 |
26 | Uganda | 5,331 |
27 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 5,285 |
28 | Bangladesh | 5,008 |
29 | Eritrea | 3,667 |
30 | Portugal | 3,208 |
31 | Moldova | 3,163 |
32 | Lebanon | 2,996 |
33 | Jordan | 2,434 |
34 | Togo | 1,506 |
35 | Palestine | 1,454 |
36 | Kenya | 1,442 |
37 | North Macedonia | 1,126 |
Data from United Nations FAO Stat