Mung Beans Panel at Qingdao Pulses Congress/
Food safety takes priority as China diversifies supply

China remains the key demand center for mung beans, with annual consumption estimated at roughly 650,000 to 1 million tons and imports reaching around 550,000–600,000 tons. Myanmar, Uzbekistan and Australia remain core suppliers, but sourcing is becoming more diversified as Chinese buyers place greater emphasis on food safety, traceability, uniformity and delivery reliability. Myanmar’s position has weakened following pesticide-related issues, prompting tighter government controls and greater scrutiny from Chinese importers. Security challenges along the Myanmar-China border have also increased logistics costs and uncertainty, while Australia continues to offer a premium proposition based on consistent quality, strong residue controls and reliable shipping.

India is meanwhile emerging as a significant supplier after exporting around 130,000 tons to China in the first half of 2026, although domestic consumption remains the priority and exports account for only a small share of production. Australian production benefited from favorable conditions, with yields of around 2–3 tons per hectare and new varieties targeting larger seed size, higher yields and disease resistance. Uzbekistan is also expanding its role, while Argentina, Venezuela, Brazil and Ethiopia see opportunities to gain access or increase volumes if they can meet China’s strict requirements. For Chinese buyers, price remains important, but pesticide compliance, germination, seed size, color, documentation and shipment timing can determine whether a cargo is commercially viable. The panel emphasized that exporters able to control quality and execution from origin to destination will be best positioned to capture China’s growing demand.

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