Kabuli and Desi Chana for Importers: Sizes, Uses and Order Specs

A practical guide to Indian chickpeas: kabuli count per ounce and mm sizes, desi chana, chana dal and besan, which suits which use, and what to specify.

This guide explains how kabuli and desi chickpeas are sized and graded in the Indian trade, which sizes suit which use, and what to put in a purchase order so the goods you receive match what you priced.

India is the world's largest chickpea producer, and it grows both main types. Most of that crop is eaten at home, but Indian kabuli in particular is a regular export, and buyers who know the sizing language get better offers and fewer disputes.

Kabuli vs desi: two different products

Kabuli chana is the large, cream-coloured chickpea with a thin seed coat. It is the garbanzo bean of supermarket shelves, cans, salads and hummus.

Desi chana is smaller and darker (brown, tan or black) with a thick, rough coat. It is mostly processed: split and dehulled into chana dal, or ground into besan (gram flour). It is also sold whole as kala chana for home cooking.

Both are rabi (winter) crops in India. Sowing is in October and November and harvest runs roughly from February to April, so new-crop offers start in spring. Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are the main growing states. Indore and the wider Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh are major trading centres for kabuli.

How kabuli is sized

Kabuli is sold by size, and size drives price. Bigger seeds cost more per tonne.

The trade uses two systems:

Count per ounce: the number of seeds in one ounce (28.35 g). A lower count means bigger seeds. Common counts include 38/40, 40/42, 42/44, 44/46 and 58/60. "42/44" means between 42 and 44 seeds per ounce.
Millimetre size: the sieve the seed is retained on, for example 12 mm, 11 mm, 10 mm, 9 mm or 8 mm. Indian sellers often quote in mm.

The two systems do not map exactly, because seed weight depends on variety and moisture as well as diameter. As a rough guide, 12 mm is often quoted as about 42/44 count, and 58/60 count is a much smaller seed. Pick one system for your contract and ask the seller to confirm the other on the sample.

Size band	Typical description	Common uses
38/40 to 42/44 count (about 12 mm and up)	Extra large, bold	Premium retail packs, salads, display, some canning
44/46 to 46/48 count (about 10–11 mm)	Large to medium	General retail, food service, canning
58/60 count and smaller (about 8–9 mm)	Small	Hummus, falafel, processing, value packs

For hummus and other purées, seed size matters little after cooking, so processors usually buy smaller, cheaper calibres and focus on colour, cookability and cleanliness. For retail and canning, uniformity of size is part of the product.

What else to specify for kabuli

Size alone is not a spec. Add these:

Uniformity: the share of seeds allowed outside the stated size, for example "max 5% below size".
Colour: cream or light beige, uniform. Specify maximum discoloured or immature (greenish) seeds.
Splits and brokens: a cap, for example 1–2%.
Damage: weevil, insect, shrivelled and wrinkled seeds.
Foreign matter: stones, mud balls, husk, other grains.
Moisture: commonly 10–12% maximum for export.
Crop year: new crop seeds cook faster and look brighter. Old crop can darken.
Cleaning: machine cleaned, or machine cleaned plus sortex (optical sorting) for retail and canning.

Ask for a pre-shipment sample, and keep a sealed counter-sample for comparison at arrival.

Desi chana and its products

Most importers buy desi in one of three forms.

Whole desi chana

Sold for home cooking and sprouting, and to processors abroad who split or grind locally. Specify colour (brown or black), size uniformity, and limits on damaged and weevilled seeds.

Chana dal

The dehulled, split desi chickpea. It is yellow, with two flat halves. The specification is close to other dals:

Polished or unpolished
Size (bold or medium) and maximum brokens
Moisture, foreign matter and damaged grains limits

India's FSSAI standard for chana dal, like other dals, caps moisture at 14% and sets limits on foreign matter and damaged grains. Export contracts are usually tighter.

Besan (gram flour)

Ground from chana dal. Besan buyers should specify:

Purity: 100% chickpea. Besan can be blended with cheaper pulse flours, so ask for a declaration and, for larger orders, a lab test.
Particle size: fine (for batters and sweets) or coarse (for some snacks). Give a sieve size.
Moisture and free fatty acid or acid value, which affect shelf life.
Microbiology limits for ready-to-eat use.

Flour has a shorter shelf life than whole seed. Plan quantities so stock turns within a few months, and ask for the manufacturing date on each bag.

Which product for which use

End use	What to buy
Hummus manufacturing	Kabuli, small calibre (around 58/60 count or 8–9 mm), clean and sortexed
Retail dry packs	Kabuli, 42/44 count or bolder, high uniformity
Canning	Kabuli, medium to large, good hydration and uniform colour
Chana dal for retail and catering	Desi chana dal, polished or unpolished
Snacks, batters, sweets	Besan, fine or coarse grind
Roasting and namkeen	Desi chana, whole or split

Packing and shipping

Kabuli and desi travel well in 25 kg or 50 kg PP bags, or in retail packs of 500 g to 5 kg for private label. Containers are fumigated before loading, and each shipment carries a phytosanitary certificate. For besan, use laminated or lined bags to keep out moisture.

Before you order

Type: kabuli, desi whole, chana dal or besan
Size: count per ounce or mm, with tolerance
Colour and uniformity
Moisture, foreign matter, splits and damage limits
Cleaning: machine cleaned or sortexed
Crop year
For besan: purity declaration, mesh size, moisture
Residue or aflatoxin tests required by your market
Pack, labelling, Incoterm (FOB or CFR) and destination port
Sample approval before loading

If you are buying chickpeas, send us the type, size, pack and destination port and we'll come back with a written quote.