July 14, 2026
The UAE has been the main market for Argentine Light Red Kidney Beans in the last campaigns, but shipping disruptions and soaring freight costs have halted new-season demand and forced exporters to redirect cargo — though finding alternative buyers has proved only part of the challenge.
The UAE has been Argentina's leading destination for Light Red Kidney Beans for several consecutive campaigns, accounting for nearly one-third of the country's 2025 production.
The UAE has long been one of Argentina's most important destinations for pulse exports — a relationship built over years of consistent trade, strong commercial partnerships, and a complementary fit between Argentine supply and Gulf demand. But since regional instability began disrupting shipping lanes across the Gulf in late February 2026, that relationship has been put under considerable strain, forcing Argentine exporters to adapt — and to wait.
The commodity feeling the pressure most acutely is Light Red Kidney Beans (LRKB). Argentina produced close to 22,000 tons of LRKB in 2025, and the UAE absorbed approximately 7,100 tons of that — around 32% of total production — making it the single largest destination. The year prior, production was significantly lower at around 9,000 tons, yet the UAE remained the dominant buyer, taking approximately 2,400 tons. The consistency of that demand made the UAE not just an important market, but a structurally significant one for Argentine LRKB.
Gulf shipping disruptions have forced Argentine exporters to rethink established trade routes while waiting for freight costs to return to commercially viable levels.
Argentine exporters have redirected Light Red Kidney Bean shipments to markets including Colombia, Central America, Portugal and France while trade with the UAE remains constrained.
Argentina pulse trade / Light Red Kidney Beans / UAE pulse imports / Khorfakkan / Gulf shipping / freight rates / pulse export markets.
Disclaimer: The opinions or views expressed in this publication are those of the authors or quoted persons. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Global Pulse Confederation or its members.
