Red and green lentils
Whole or split red lentils and small or large green classes. Colour, seed size, dehulling quality and cooking behaviour affect value.
IMEX / Commodities / Pulses
Commodity 06 · Pulses
Pulses graded for market.
Species, variety, calibre, crop year, colour and cooking quality decide whether a pulse fits retail, canning, splitting or ingredient use.
Key distinctionWhole, split, hulled or processed
Common measuresMoisture, defects and calibre
Typical useRetail, canning, milling and foodservice
Product families
Different seeds, distinct markets.
Commercial names should be tied to the species, class, size and processing state.
Kabuli and desi chickpeas
Kabuli trades strongly by calibre; desi types are smaller and darker, often destined for splitting or flour.
Dry edible beans
Kidney, navy, black, pinto, cranberry and other classes require variety, colour, count/size, defects and cooking performance.
Yellow and green peas
Whole or split dry peas for retail, foodservice, flour, starch and protein fractionation.
Cowpeas and pigeon peas
Important staples in African, Asian and Caribbean markets, traded by variety, colour, size and processing state.
Mung and urad beans
Whole, split or dehulled products for dals, noodles, sprouts and other uses, with tight controls on variety and residue compliance.
Representative origins
Origins specialise by pulse.
Crop cycles, import policy and grading systems change route viability.
Canada and United StatesMajor origins for lentils, dry peas, chickpeas and several dry-bean classes.
AustraliaStrong export routes in chickpeas, lentils, field peas and faba beans.
India and TürkiyeLarge production, consumption and processing centres across multiple pulse types.
Myanmar, East Africa and Latin AmericaImportant routes for beans, mung, pigeon peas, cowpeas and regional classes.
Buyer brief
State class, size and condition.
A sample and agreed inspection method are often essential.
IdentitySpecies, variety/class, colour, whole or split, hulled or unhulled.
SizeCalibre, screen size or count per agreed weight.
GradeMoisture, foreign matter, damaged, discoloured, broken and insect-affected seeds.
PerformanceCooking time, hydration, canning suitability, dehulling yield or milling use.
SafetyResidues, contaminants, infestation, fumigation and microbiological requirements.
Trade routeCrop year, quantity, bag size, private label, origin, destination and delivery window.
Technical reference: Codex Standard for Certain Pulses, CXS 171-1989. Trade context: USDA pulse-crops data.
Pulses enquiry
Identify the pulse, class and calibre.
Send the intended use, processing state, size and defect tolerances, crop preference, quantity, packing and destination.
Email a pulses brief- Email: contact@thefoodeconomist.co.uk
- Mobile: 07878 228201
- Landline: 020 8050 1884
- Scope: product definition, origin route and evidence checks
Representative information only. Samples, grading, safety and destination requirements must be verified.