Chinese Bean FOB Prices Edge Higher as Autumn Harvest Accelerates
Chinese FOB prices for adzuki, mung and kidney beans in Beijing edge higher on tight supplies and favorable harvest weather, with a firm short-term outlook.
Prices
Current indicative bean FOB prices in Beijing (all in EUR, FOB): adzuki beans red, 5.0 mm up, 99.95% purity, non-organic are at 1.36; adzuki beans red, organic, 5.0 mm up stand at 1.39. Mung beans (3.8 mm up, 99.5% purity) are quoted at 1.48, while organic mung beans of similar purity are at 1.55. Chinese kidney beans show a wide quality spread: dark red at 1.44, black at 1.02, large white at 1.64, dark red organic at 1.54, large white organic at 1.72, and small black organic at 1.12.
On a two-to-three-week view, adzuki prices have firmed, with non-organic 5.0 mm up moving from 1.29 on September 26 to 1.36 on October 8, while organic adzuki rose from 1.37 to 1.39 over roughly the same period. Mung beans are steady at 1.48 for conventional and 1.55 for organic compared with early October, holding the late-September gains recorded when Chinese FOB bean prices started to edge higher. Kidney beans show a modest upward adjustment in dark red and organic categories since mid-September, while black kidney has softened slightly, reflecting a shift from a seasonally soft phase into early new-crop availability.
| Product | Specification | Origin | Location | Delivery | Current price (EUR) | Recent trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adzuki beans | red, 5.0 mm up, 99.95% | CN | Beijing | FOB | 1.36 | Up vs. late Sep |
| Adzuki beans | red, organic, 5.0 mm up | CN | Beijing | FOB | 1.39 | Firm |
| Mung beans | 3.8 mm up, 99.5% | CN | Beijing | FOB | 1.48 | Stable, firm |
| Mung beans | organic, 99.5% | CN | Beijing | FOB | 1.55 | Stable, firm |
| Kidney beans | dark red, 99.5% | CN | Beijing | FOB | 1.44 | Moderately higher |
| Kidney beans | black, 99.5% | CN | Beijing | FOB | 1.02 | Slightly softer |
| Kidney beans | large white, 99.5% | CN | Beijing | FOB | 1.64 | Stable at highs |
| Kidney beans | dark red, organic, 99.5% | CN | Beijing | FOB | 1.54 | Stable after rise |
| Kidney beans | large white, organic, 99.5% | CN | Beijing | FOB | 1.72 | High, slightly firmer |
Supply & Demand
China remains a key player in global kidney, mung and adzuki bean trade, though overall kidney bean export volumes have structurally declined over the last decade as acreage shifted to other crops. Nonetheless, recent domestic and export demand for pulses has been resilient, supported by plant-based protein trends and steady use in food processing, particularly for mung beans used in sprouts and ingredients.
On the export side, China still accounts for a meaningful share of global kidney bean shipments and maintains an active role in regional trade flows. Brazil’s broader grain export complex continues to prioritize soybeans, with October soybean shipments projected lower year-on-year, which indirectly supports firm pricing for alternative protein and rotation crops such as dry beans, though beans remain a relatively small share of Brazil’s export basket. Overall, the international bean market is balanced but tight for high-quality Chinese origins.
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Weather & Harvest Conditions (China)
The latest national agro-meteorological guidance for October 7–9 calls for predominantly sunny, dry conditions across most autumn harvest regions in China, deemed “suitable” for harvesting and drying activities. Only parts of Sichuan and northern Yunnan are expecting more frequent rainfall, with some areas seeing moderate to heavy showers that could briefly slow local fieldwork.
For the Northeast and North China Plain—important areas for soybeans and other autumn crops used in rotation with pulses—the short-term outlook is generally dry to mildly warm, favoring completion of harvest and post-harvest handling. This pattern reduces near-term weather risk to bean supply, so any further price support is more likely to stem from structural tightness and demand than from immediate crop losses.
Market Drivers
- Structural tightness in Chinese beans: Reduced kidney bean acreage in past seasons has cut exportable surpluses, especially for red kidney and related high-value classes, leaving the market more sensitive to demand swings.
- Firm demand for mung beans: Strong food processing and sprout sector demand keeps mung beans in focus, supporting both conventional and organic prices despite the absence of acute weather threats.
- Favorable harvest weather: The broadly benign 7–9 October forecast for China’s autumn harvest zones facilitates timely gathering and drying, limiting upside from short-term supply disruptions.
- Global pulses context: The wider pulses complex remains underpinned by diet and food industry trends, while competing crops such as soybeans dominate acreage and export focus in South America, keeping high-quality Chinese beans relatively scarce.
Trading Outlook (next 3–5 days)
- Adzuki beans (CN, FOB Beijing): With prices already edging higher and no immediate harvest shock, expect a slightly firmer to steady tone. Buyers with Q4 needs may consider covering a portion of requirements on dips.
- Mung beans (CN, FOB Beijing): Stable but well-supported; downstream demand and structural tightness argue against meaningful downside. Forward coverage for premium organic lots looks prudent.
- Kidney beans (CN, FOB Beijing): Dark red and large white classes should remain firm, while black kidney may stabilize after recent softness. Exporters can hold offer ideas near current levels, watching for incremental buying from South and East Asia.
3-day Regional Price Direction (CN, FOB Beijing)
- Adzuki beans: Bias slightly up as exporters test higher offers in a tight, quality-conscious market.
- Mung beans: Expected to trade sideways to slightly up, supported by steady demand and no weather-driven supply shock.
- Kidney beans: Overall steady to firm; potential mild gains in red and large white types, while black kidney stabilizes around current levels.