China’s black bean exports to Japan, Taiwan and the US are surging while FOB prices for mung, kidney and adzuki beans in Beijing remain broadly stable.
China’s black bean export market is in a clear uptrend, with exports to Japan, Taiwan and the United States rising strongly, while domestic FOB prices for major beans in Beijing show only mild softening. Concentrated demand from a few stable Asian and US buyers is tightening export availability but has not yet triggered a sharp price spike.
Over the last 12 months, non-seed black soybean exports have expanded rapidly, led by Japan and Taiwan, reinforcing China’s role as a key supplier of specialty black beans to Northeast Asia. At the same time, recent domestic offers for mung, kidney and adzuki beans out of Beijing suggest a broadly sideways price environment with slight week-on-week easing in several kidney bean lines. With export destinations highly concentrated and structurally short of black beans, the balance of risks for Chinese black bean values remains skewed to the upside into late Q3, especially if any weather or logistics issues curtail supply.
Prices
Recent offers (FOB, Beijing, converted to EUR) indicate a broadly stable to slightly softer tone across Chinese beans between 13 and 20 August 2026:
This minor pullback reflects normal mid-season adjustment rather than a structural downturn. Given the strong export performance in black soybeans/black beans, export-oriented grades are likely to find solid support on dips.
Supply & Demand
Export data for non-seed black soybeans (customs code 1201902000) show a robust and accelerating demand trend over the past year. Total exports from July 2025 to June 2026 reached around USD 10.24 million, with the last three months averaging USD 1.33 million per month, up roughly 170% from the start of the period.
April 2026 marked the strongest month in the window, with export value peaking near USD 1.76 million. For calendar 2025, exports grew by 26.29% year-on-year, followed by a further 6.61% year-on-year increase in the first half of 2026. This confirms a sustained, not merely seasonal, expansion in demand.
Destination concentration is striking. In the first half of 2026, Japan (about USD 2.80 million), Taiwan (USD 1.63 million) and the United States (USD 0.47 million) together accounted for over 70% of China’s black bean exports. Historically, Japan alone takes roughly 54% of Chinese black bean shipments, reflecting its structural dependence on imports due to limited arable land and tight domestic black bean supply.
Beyond these core buyers, Korea, other parts of East Asia and Southeast Asia form an additional growth engine, reinforcing a two-pillar demand pattern: Northeast Asia plus broader Asian markets. This concentrated yet stable buyer base supports predictable offtake and encourages Chinese exporters to prioritise quality and long-term relationships.
Fundamentals & Weather
On the supply side, China’s broader grain harvest has been stable, and bean production areas in Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia and parts of Northeast and Northwest China have so far avoided extreme nationwide crop stress in 2026. Official climate and agricultural bulletins point to largely adequate moisture and seasonally high temperatures through July, with only localised heavy rains and heat spells reported.
For the coming days, regional forecasts for Northern China (including key pulse provinces in the Northeast) indicate typical late‑summer conditions: warm to hot temperatures and scattered showers, without clear signals of a major production shock in the very short term. This suggests that near-term supply risks stem more from logistics or quality issues during harvest and drying than from large-scale yield loss.
Outlook & Trading Strategy
Market outlook (4–6 week horizon)
- Black beans/black soybeans: Strong and diversified Asian demand, plus structurally tight import dependence in Japan and Taiwan, point to a firm price bias. Any CNF weakness is likely to be short‑lived.
- Mung, kidney and adzuki beans: With FOB Beijing prices only marginally down week-on-week, the market appears balanced. Export growth in black beans may gradually lend indirect support to related pulses as buyers broaden sourcing.
- Risks: Concentrated destination structure means any policy or currency shock in Japan/Taiwan, or freight disruptions in Northeast Asia, could quickly translate into short-term export demand volatility.
Trading suggestions
- Exporters in China: Use current minor price softness in mung and kidney beans to lock forward sales with core buyers, especially where black bean-linked demand is strong.
- Importers in Japan/Taiwan/US: Consider securing additional Q4 coverage for black beans now, before any weather or logistics issues tighten CN FOB offers.
- Traders: Favor long exposure in China-origin black beans against more liquid but less tight pulse markets, watching closely for any freight or port disruptions in Northeast Asia.
3‑Day Directional Price View (FOB, EUR)
- Beijing – Mung beans (organic & 3.8 mm up): Slightly firm bias after recent small dips; scope for EUR 0.01–0.02/kg rebound if fresh export interest emerges.
- Beijing – Kidney beans (black, dark red, large white): Sideways to mildly firm; export-linked grades supported by strong black bean flows.
- Beijing – Adzuki beans (red): Stable; tight quality specs and steady East Asian demand underpin current price band.