This page offers data and analysis of current Australian lentil prices based on our unique industry access and insight. We include current and historical lentil prices, with pricing data for commodity, wholesale and retail.
Lentil Prices Today
Lentil prices in Australia vary based on growing area, variety and seasonal factors. Australia is a significant global exporter of lentils, but can be uncompetitive with Russia and Canada, especially into particular price sensitive countries. The vast majority of red lentils consumed in Australia are grown locally. Our smaller local crop of green, Spanish and puy lentils mean that a substantial quantity of lentils consumed are imported from North America. In 2024 the retail price of lentils in Australia is consistent with the last few years in major retailers, but has fluctuated in speciality ethnic retail stores.
Lentil Prices Per Kilogram in Australia
To determine the lentils price per kg we are going to look at retail pricing in packaging sizes of 1kg or more. In 2024 the average retail price of lentils in Australia is $4.20 per kg. This is based on dried red split lentils and whole green lentils available in major supermarkets and online retailers. Similar to how chickpea prices differ between canned and dried, the same is true for lentils. Canned lentils almost always contain brown lentils (also known as red whole lentils - skin on or nipper lentils) so we have not used canned prices for this calculation. Organic lentils have significant price variation so have been ignored, but they are significantly more expensive than conventional varieties, especially since they are generally imported.
Red Lentil Prices
Red lentil prices in Australia vary slightly between the cheaper red split lentils and red whole lentils. The average price of red split lentils per kg in 2024 is $4.16. At time of writing the cheapest 1kg bag of red lentils was available online for $2.87. This does not account for potential delivery costs that may be necessary with online shopping. These prices are based on dried products in 1kg or larger bags. Larger packaging sizes are available from food service distributors and occasionally speciality retails such as Costco.
Green Lentil Prices
The average price in Australia for green lentils per kg in 2024 is $4.25. At time of writing the cheapest 1kg bag of green lentils was available online for $2.79. This does not account for potential delivery costs that may be necessary with online shopping. These prices are based on dried products in 1kg or larger bags. All green and brown lentils are generally sold as whole product, so the average price is slightly higher than red lentils.
French Puy Lentil Prices
The average price of French Puy lentils is $9.87 per kg in Australia in 2024. French puy lentils are typically only available in retail packs smaller than 1kg which may explain some of the price difference. Wholesale prices of French Puy lentils are generally significant cheaper as the sales volume of this product is lower and retailers need to add margin to make it worthwhile as an item to stock.
Bulk Lentils Price
In Australia bulk lentils are generally considered what is available in bulk whole food stores and can be packaged 2.5kg or 5kg. There are also options to buy the product using scoop and weight in some stores. This suits more ethical shoppers who need smaller amounts and minimal packaging or are price conscious and consume larger quantities of the product. In 2024 price conscious shoppers will generally find that lentils that have been packed into retail packaging sizes above 1kg and above are generally cheaper than lentils in bulk food stores. Bulk lentil prices are more comparable to smaller prepackaged bags such as 375g and 500 commonly available in supermarkets.
Wholesale Lentil Prices
The most common bag size for wholesale lentils in Australia is 25kg. We looked at public pricing on a major search engine to calculate the approximate wholesale prices of lentils in Australia. The cheapest 25kg bags of red lentils were priced at $2.19 per kg while the average price was $2.67 per kg. The best value wholesale bags of green lentils were also $2.19 per kg with a slightly cheaper average 25kg bag price of $2.44 per kg. The average public price of wholesale french lentils (puy lentils) was $3.97 per kg and beluga lentils was $3.81 per kg. There is a significant margin difference on these products, similar to the retail product which might be artificially constraining consumption.
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