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Pulse production has continued to decline over the last few years while the country remains a top importer of dry peas and mung beans.

FAS China attended the annual China Pea Conference and Plant-Based Congress, which was held in Shanghai, July 2024.

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a legume full of protein, fiber, complex carbohydrates, and are relatively low in calories. Chickpeas are used in many Indian and Mediterranean dishes. Australia, India, and Canada are the top three chickpea exporters accounting for more than 40 percent of the world’s exports in 2022. Pakistan is the largest importer, followed by the European Union, Bangladesh, and Turkey.

Pursuant to General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC) Department of Animal and Plant Quarantine (DAPQ) requirements, exporters of “pulse crops” such as dried beans, dried peas, and lentils are required to register exporting facilities prior to product shipment.

China’s marketing year (MY) 2021/2022 (September – August) kidney bean production is estimated at 250,000 metric tons (MT), down 15 percent on lower area harvested.

Global lentil exports in 2020 jumped from $1 billion to $2.6 billion compared to the year before. Canada and Australia led the surge, accounting for more than three-fourths of the exports. Lentil exports peaked at $2.7 billion in 2015 but drifted lower through 2019, primarily due to reduced shipments from Canada to India and Turkey and from the United States to Canada and India.

On February 6, 2020, the State Council Tariff Commission announced that China would cut in half the additional tariffs for certain commodities from the United States on February 14, 2020.

China’s 2019/20 total pulse production is forecast at 4 million tons, down about 10 percent from 2018/19 due to lower area harvested and unfavorable weather in major producing provinces.

On May 13, 2019, the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Finance (MOF), State Council Tariff Commission (SCTC) announced that supplementary import tariffs levied on certain U.S. products....

China’s total pulse production from Marketing Year 2018/19 (October 2018 until September 2019) is forecast at 4.4 million tons, down about 5 percent from MY2017/18 due to lower harvested area.

On December 31, 2014, China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) published its final rule, the National Food Safety Standard on Nut and Seed Food (GB 19300-2014).

China’s market year 2014/15 kidney bean production is forecast to increase by 20 percent to 950,000 tons based on increased acreage and higher yield.