Brazil boosts pulses output as exports jump 30% in 2025

The United Nations marks World Pulses Day, an initiative launched in 2016 to encourage the production and consumption of foods such as beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas. In Brazil, legumes remain central to national diets and agricultural policy, combining nutritional value with growing opportunities for farmers and exporters, as reported by the government’s website.

“Pulses are part of Brazilians’ everyday meals and have major nutritional importance, especially beans, which are present on the table every day. Here at the Ministry, we work to increasingly encourage the production of these foods through policies and incentives for rural producers,” said the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Carlos Favaro.

According to the National Supply Company (Conab), beans continue to lead domestic output in the 2025/26 season. Total production is forecast to exceed 3 million tonnes, a 0.5 per cent increase compared with the previous harvest, signalling stability with a slight upward trend in national supply.

Foreign sales have also advanced. In 2025, Brazilian pulses exports rose by 30 per cent year on year to reach US$448.1 million. Dried beans dominated the export basket, accounting for more than 98 per cent of the total value, followed by prepared or preserved peas at US$3.9 million and prepared or preserved beans at US$859,900.

To access overseas markets, exporters must comply with hygienic and sanitary requirements. Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock may additionally verify adherence to the destination country’s rules, while the issuance of the International Sanitary Certificate for Products of Plant Origin (CSIV) confirms compliance with agreed standards. The Secretariat of Agricultural Defence oversees inspection and certification procedures, including sampling and classification, with beans – particularly cowpea and common beans – among the most frequently checked products, ensuring quality, traceability, and consumer protection.