Divisi
When to plant Chickpea in El Hamma
Khenchela, Algeria
Chickpea is a knee-high, branching legume grown for its round, protein-rich seeds — the pea behind roasted snacks, stews and hummus.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Moderate | |
| When to plant | 10 Jan 2027 – 19 Jan 2027 opens in 14 weeks | 21 Jan 2027 – 10 Feb 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 0.8–0.9 t/ha | about 2.7 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 10 Apr 2027 to 18 Jun 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 90–150 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 56–114 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 59% | |
Rain-fed. These dates are worked out from each place's own rainfall, for a field watered by the season — with irrigation a window can open earlier, close later, or come round more than once a year. Check your own field under What grows, or get the Divisi app for a calendar dated to your farm.
If you only get one chance to plant, aim for around 10 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
No seasonal forecast reaches El Hamma yet, so these dates follow the rains it usually gets rather than this year's.
Planting after 19 Jan 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in El Hamma
| Rain and temperature | 76% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For chickpea in El Hamma, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 76%. This one is fixed. It is why the planting window above is where it is — hitting those dates is the whole of your control here.
The 2026/27 season in El Hamma
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to March 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 328 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 328 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.5 °C over the growing months. Heat makes the same rain do less, so a dry spell bites sooner: do not plant late, and shade or mulch what you can. |
| What that supports | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it, warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth |
| Ground this covers | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 48% of this area. |
| 48% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 153 growing days · about 340 mm · October to March |
|---|---|
| 38% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 144 growing days · about 320 mm |
| 10% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date 141 growing days · about 460 mm |
| 5% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date 154 growing days · about 380 mm · October to April |
last updated 18 September 2026
Limited water holds back about 40% of yield here.
What chickpea needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained loam, clay loam or clay soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 8.0 |
| Spacing | 30 cm between rows, 10 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | phosphorus |
What it takes to grow chickpea in El Hamma
| Nitrogen (N) | About 36 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 4 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 14 kg per hectare |
| In the shops | A basal compound at planting — Compound D, or an NPK blend — covers the phosphate and potash. Skip the nitrogen top dressing; inoculated seed does that job. |
| Hand work | 56–114 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a chickpea crop of that size carries off the field. What you actually apply depends on what your soil already holds — which is what a soil test, or the app's field records, tell you.
What to watch for
Grow Chickpea with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes El Hamma as a whole — your own soil, slope and rainfall will shift the dates. The Divisi app works them out for your field, and dates each job that follows.
Chickpea in nearby districts
This calendar moves
Planting windows shift with the forecast. Leave your email and we'll send what changed, and a note when planting time nears — a couple of emails a month at most.
Frequently asked questions
Will chickpea grow well in El Hamma?
El Hamma rates as moderate for chickpea.
When should I plant chickpea in El Hamma?
Typically 10 Jan 2027 to 19 Jan 2027, typical season.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across El Hamma, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
