Dried legumes imports in South Africa: data, top suppliers and prices
Imports of dried legumes by South Africa reached $74.1 million in 2024 (67.7 thousand tonnes). That is 78% more than in 2023. Across 2017-2024 the long-run trend was broadly stable.
Public statistics, latest complete year (2024). Values in US dollars. Page updated .
Imports by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $74.1M | 67.7K t |
| 2023 | $41.6M | 49.2K t |
| 2022 | $42.1M | 51.7K t |
| 2021 | $56.8M | 72.1K t |
| 2020 | $46.4M | 63.8K t |
| 2019 | $28.4M | 45.0K t |
| 2018 | $37.0M | 52.7K t |
| 2017 | $45.9M | 56.8K t |
Where South Africa imports dried legumes from
The largest suppliers were Brazil (34%), China (7%), Malawi (6%). Trade is spread widely: the top three suppliers together make up only 47%. Among the main suppliers, China grew fastest, more than tenfold on the year before.
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil | $25.1M | 34% |
| China | $5.2M | 7% |
| Malawi | $4.6M | 6.2% |
| Canada | $3.7M | 5% |
| Zambia | $3.6M | 4.9% |
| Turkey | $3.5M | 4.7% |
| Argentina | $3.5M | 4.7% |
| Ethiopia | $3.2M | 4.3% |
| Ukraine | $3.1M | 4.2% |
| India | $2.9M | 3.9% |
Product types under HS 0713
| 0713.33 | Vegetables, leguminous: kidney beans, including white pea beans (phaseolus vulgaris), shelled, whether or not skinned or split, dried | 59% |
| 0713.40 | Vegetables, leguminous: lentils, shelled, whether or not skinned or split, dried | 11% |
| 0713.39 | Vegetables, leguminous: n.e.c. in item no. 0713.3, shelled, whether or not skinned or split, dried | 9.2% |
| 0713.10 | Vegetables, leguminous: peas (pisum sativum), shelled, whether or not skinned or split, dried | 7.7% |
| 0713.20 | Vegetables, leguminous: chickpeas (garbanzos), shelled, whether or not skinned or split, dried | 4.4% |
| 0713.31 | Vegetables, leguminous: beans of the species vigna mungo (l.) hepper or vigna radiata (l.) wilczek, shelled, whether or not skinned or split, dried | 3.8% |
| 0713.90 | Vegetables, leguminous: n.e.c. in heading no. 0713, shelled, whether or not skinned or split, dried | 2.1% |
| 0713.60 | Vegetables, leguminous: pigeon peas (Cajanus cajan), shelled, whether or not skinned or split, dried | 1.4% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 0713.
Average import price per kg
The average declared value was about $1.10 per kg, 38% above the world average of $0.80. This usually points to higher-grade or processed goods.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Dried legumes exports from South Africa
South Africa exported $32.3 million of dried legumes in 2024 (21.2 thousand tonnes). Most of it went to Zimbabwe (23%), Eswatini (22%), Lesotho (19%). Among the main buyer markets, Botswana grew fastest (+123% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Zimbabwe | $7.5M | 23% |
| Eswatini | $7.1M | 22% |
| Lesotho | $6.2M | 19% |
| India | $1.9M | 6% |
| Botswana | $1.7M | 5.4% |
| Taiwan | $1.2M | 3.8% |
| United Kingdom | $1.1M | 3.4% |
| Mozambique | $1.0M | 3.2% |
| Djibouti | $932K | 2.9% |
| Namibia | $752K | 2.3% |
Who is behind these numbers in South Africa?
Public statistics stop at country totals and the last published year. EximDataX shows the shipment records underneath: the companies, dates, quantities and declared values, updated weekly.
Shipment records are in the platform
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Mirror data: built from the shipment records of the countries that trade with it.
Updated weekly on EximDataX (some markets daily), while public statistics stop at 2024.
Source: CEPII BACI (reconciled UN Comtrade data), HS 2017 edition, release 202601, Etalab Open Licence 2.0. Annual values in US dollars at the customs border; quantities in tonnes where reported. HS 0713: Vegetables, leguminous; shelled, whether or not skinned or split, dried.
Common questions
What is the value of dried legumes imported by South Africa?
South Africa imported dried legumes worth $74.1 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 67.7 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 40th of 220 countries worldwide, with 0% of world imports. The value was up 78% on 2023.
Which countries supply dried legumes to South Africa?
Brazil was the largest supplier with 34% of the value ($25.1 million), followed by China (7%) and Malawi (6%). The top three together account for 47%, out of 60 supplier countries in total. Argentina grew fastest among the top ten, up 145% on the year.
What is the average import price of dried legumes per kg?
The average declared import value was about $1.10 per kg in 2024, 38% above the world average of $0.80 per kg. It is total declared value divided by total weight, so it blends every grade and size; use it as a benchmark, not a quote. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
How have imports of dried legumes to South Africa changed since 2017?
Imports went from $45.9 million in 2017 to $74.1 million in 2024, an increase of 61%. 2024 was the highest year in the period. Monthly and weekly movements since then are in EximDataX.
Does South Africa also export dried legumes?
Yes. South Africa exported $32.3 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly to Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Lesotho. On balance South Africa is a net importer of this product, by about $41.8 million a year.
What is the HS code for dried legumes?
The HS code for dried legumes is heading 0713. In South Africa the largest six-digit codes were 0713.33 (59% of the value) and 0713.40 (11%). It sits in HS chapter 07 (vegetables and certain roots and tubers; edible). The full list of codes and descriptions is on the HS 0713 page.
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
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