China Bean FOB Prices Mixed as Mung Firms, Kidney Softens

China-origin beans show a mildly divergent picture: mung beans are edging higher while most kidney and adzuki segments soften slightly on FOB Beijing basis. Overall moves are small, but signal a gradual normalization of supply after earlier tightness, with export competitiveness improving versus Brazil and Europe. Domestic and export-oriented bean markets in China remain orderly, with no major supply shock reported in the last few days. Weather in North China is seasonally hot but not extreme, supporting crop development without immediate yield threats. Against this backdrop, buyers see small price declines in several kidney and adzuki lines, while demand for high-quality and organic mung beans keeps that segment better supported. With freight conditions broadly stable and no fresh trade policy headlines, near‑term bean pricing is likely to remain range‑bound, with only modest downside/upside tests around current levels.

Prices

All prices are FOB Beijing, converted approximately to EUR at 1 USD = 0.92 EUR.

Mung beans are the relative outperformer: conventional 3.8 mm up is modestly firmer week-on-week, while organic holds near recent highs despite a slight dip. Kidney beans, especially large white and dark red (both conventional and organic), are drifting lower, suggesting better spot availability. Adzuki prices have eased, reflecting cautious demand and seasonally comfortable stocks.

Supply & Demand

In North China, current summer weather is hot but mostly favorable for late growth stages of pulses, with highs around 32–33°C and mainly dry conditions interspersed with localized storms. This pattern supports yield potential without the severe flooding or prolonged drought that would trigger sharp price reactions in the immediate term. 

Domestic food and snack demand for mung and adzuki remains steady, but export interest has become more price-sensitive, especially for conventional kidney beans where buyers have alternative origins like Brazil. Brazilian bean offers remain broadly competitive in USD terms, limiting upside room for Chinese FOB quotes and encouraging Chinese sellers to trim prices marginally to defend market share.

Fundamentals

• Mung beans: Tightness seen earlier in the season is easing but quality lots are still well bid. Small price gains in conventional product contrast with slightly softer organic, implying some normalization of premium as organic supply improves.
• Kidney beans: Broad-based mild declines across large white, dark red and organic lines point to comfortable near-term availability and restrained buying. Flat black kidney prices indicate a balance between steady demand and adequate pipeline stocks.
• Adzuki: The small downward adjustment suggests sellers are meeting resistance at previous highs, with buyers waiting for clearer signals from new-crop progress later in August and September.

Weather Outlook (North China, incl. Beijing)

For August 08–10, Beijing and surrounding North China plains are forecast to stay mostly sunny to partly sunny, with daytime highs around 32–33°C and lows near 19–24°C. A risk of an afternoon thunderstorm appears mainly on August 10, but no prolonged heavy-rain episode is indicated in the next three days. 

Such conditions are seasonal and should neither significantly stress bean crops nor materially tighten short-term supply. Weather therefore acts as a neutral to slightly supportive factor for continued stable-to-soft pricing rather than a catalyst for volatility in the immediate horizon.

Trading Outlook

• Short-term buyers (importers, packers): For kidney and adzuki beans, consider staggered spot and nearby coverage, as the soft bias suggests limited upside risk over the next week barring unexpected weather or logistics shocks.
• Buyers of high-quality mung: Given relative firmness in conventional mung and resilient organic demand, avoid becoming undercovered; lock in at least part of Q4 needs on current EUR/kg levels while monitoring any further crop updates.
• Sellers/exporters in China: For kidney and adzuki, be flexible on offers to protect volumes against Brazilian competition; for mung beans, current premiums look defensible, so focus on quality differentiation rather than price cuts.

3‑Day Price Direction (FOB, China-focused)

• Mung beans (organic & 3.8 mm up, CN FOB Beijing): Bias: sideways to slightly firmer in EUR over the next 3 days, supported by steady demand and no bearish supply news.
• Kidney beans (white, dark red, black, CN FOB Beijing): Bias: sideways to slightly softer, as comfortable availability and external competition cap rallies.
• Adzuki beans (red, CN FOB Beijing): Bias: sideways, with limited fresh catalysts; small additional easing is possible if buying remains cautious.