Cross-Border Demand Continues to Shape Bean and Pulse Markets Across Africa
Regional market signals indicate that bean and pulse markets across Africa remain strongly influenced by cross-border trade, particularly within East and Central Africa, where demand continues to outpace localized supply in several consumption hubs.
Beans and pulses play a critical role in food security across the region, with countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya serving as key supply sources for neighboring deficit markets including DRC, South Sudan, Rwanda, and Burundi. Despite widespread production, availability at scale remains uneven, largely due to fragmentation among smallholder producers, quality variability, and limited aggregation infrastructure.
Market observations suggest that traders operating along cross-border corridors continue to face price volatility and quality consistency challenges, especially during peak demand periods. At the same time, urban consumption growth and humanitarian procurement are reinforcing sustained regional demand for pulses.
These dynamics indicate that bean and pulse traders in 2026 will need to closely monitor regional demand signals, border flows, and quality standards, as market outcomes are increasingly shaped beyond national boundaries rather than domestic supply alone.