Chick Peas

Chickpeas have a history that goes back to as far as 10,000 BC and even more. These are one of the ancient crops that were used by the hunters for sustaining their lives. The area that first began to grow chickpeas was the Middle East but later they were being grown in ancient Egypt, Rome and Greece during 7500 BC, where these were consumed in various forms like raw, broth, snacks, etc. They were later brought during the 16th century by the Spanish explorers, and since then chickpeas have been used in many forms. In fact, during the First World War, Germany started cultivating chickpeas as a coffee substitute. Chickpeas are a versatile crop that are grown in almost every part of the globe today. Some of the major producers of desi chickpeas are India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Australia and Bangladesh while the top producers of kabuli chickpeas are Turkey, Iran, Spain, Canada, Syria, USA, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Tunisia, Sudan, Malawi and Portugal. India is the largest producer of chickpeas followed by Pakistan, Turkey and Iran. In fact, about 70% of the total world production of chickpeas is dominated by India.