Pulses · guide
Pulses travel with a stack of paper that goes well beyond an invoice. Plant-health, fumigation, quality and origin papers can each decide whether a cargo clears or waits on the quay.
| Market | Imports | Year |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $16.5B | 2024 |
| Germany | $8.8B | 2024 |
| United Kingdom | $5.2B | 2024 |
| India | $5.1B | 2024 |
| France | $4.8B | 2024 |
| Canada | $4.1B | 2024 |
| Market | Exports | Year |
|---|---|---|
| China | $12.3B | 2024 |
| Mexico | $10.7B | 2024 |
| Netherlands | $9.7B | 2024 |
| Spain | $9.4B | 2024 |
| Canada | $6.7B | 2024 |
| United States | $5.9B | 2024 |
Figures are for the whole of HS chapter 07 (edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers). Source: UN Comtrade.
Pulses are dried, storable and seem harmless, but they are agricultural products that can carry pests, seed-borne diseases and residues across borders. Importing countries therefore treat them as plant products, and that is why the document set usually includes phytosanitary evidence in addition to the usual commercial papers. Requirements differ by destination and change over time, so treat every item below as usually required, confirm current rules with the importer.
The scale of the trade is one reason inspection is routine. In 2024 customs data the largest importers of HS chapter 07 goods were the United States at $16.5B, Germany at $8.8B and the United Kingdom at $5.2B. That chapter includes all edible vegetables, not just pulses, so read it as context on the size of the wider trade. Pulses themselves sit in heading 0713 of that chapter.
The invoice, issued by the seller, must name the pulse precisely: species, whether whole or split, skinned or unskinned, cleaned or not, crop year if agreed, packing, quantity, value, currency, Incoterm and payment terms. A description such as beans is not enough, because heading 0713 separates peas, chickpeas, lentils, broad beans, pigeon peas, kidney beans and the mung and urad group, and customs may query an unclear description.
The packing list shows the count and net and gross weight of bags, the bag material, marks and numbers, container numbers and seal numbers. For pulses the net weight per bag and the tare are worth stating exactly, because shortages of a few bags are a routine source of small claims.
A phytosanitary certificate is issued by the plant-protection authority of the exporting country after inspection of the consignment and, where relevant, testing of samples. It states that the goods have been inspected and are considered free from quarantine pests according to the importing country’s requirements. Many destinations ask for it as a condition of entry, and it is normally requested for pulses even when the goods have been processed.
Apply early. The authority will want to know the origin of the lot, the packing, the treatment and the destination, and it may want to draw samples at your premises or at the port. The certificate names the consignment, so a late change to quantity, container or consignee can require a new certificate.
Stored-grain pests are the main quarantine and quality risk in pulses, and fumigation is the standard answer. A fumigation certificate, issued by the treatment provider or the authority depending on the country, states the chemical used, the dose, the exposure time, the date and the place, and whether the treatment was done in the container or in a stack under sheets.
The destination may specify which method is acceptable or may ask that fumigation happen in a specific way, and some importers refuse cargoes that were treated before loading or that show a date too far from the shipping date. Ask the importer for its written requirement instead of assuming, and make sure the details on the certificate match the packing list.
Buyers of pulses commonly rely on an independent inspection company to check quality and quantity at loading. The resulting report or certificate covers grade parameters such as moisture, foreign matter, damaged and split grains, colour and size, plus the number of bags and the weight. A sampling and sealing record supports the report.
This paper carries real weight in a dispute. If a buyer claims that the cargo arrived above the agreed moisture or with too many defects, the independent load-port certificate is the reference, so the contract should say which certificate is final and how a second inspection at destination would be handled.
A certificate of origin, issued by an authorised chamber or government body, records where the pulses were grown or produced and supports any tariff preference claimed by the buyer. The export declaration, filed by you or your broker, records the HS code, value and quantity for customs clearance and statistics. The bill of lading is issued by the carrier, is the receipt and the contract of carriage, and often controls the release of goods at destination.
Confirm the eight-digit national tariff line with your customs broker, because the six-digit code alone does not fix the duty or the destination’s import conditions. Then check that all the documents describe the same goods.
Most delays come from paper that does not agree with itself or arrives too late. A phytosanitary certificate issued before a change of container, a fumigation date that does not match the packing list, or a quality certificate that reports a lot number not on the invoice can each stop a clearance or a payment.
Work through the set before presenting it to the bank or forwarding it to the buyer.
The core set is a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading and customs export declaration. For pulses you should also expect a phytosanitary certificate, often a fumigation certificate, a quality or inspection certificate and an origin certificate where the buyer requires one.
The plant-protection authority of the exporting country issues it after inspecting the consignment. It confirms the goods meet the importing country's plant-health conditions. Apply early, because the certificate is tied to the specific consignment and changes may require reissue.
Not always. It depends on the destination, the buyer's contract and the authorities involved. Where required, the certificate has to show the chemical, dose, exposure time and date. Confirm current requirements with the importer before you load.
It gives both sides a neutral record of quality and quantity at loading. If a claim arises about moisture, defects or shortage, the load-port certificate is normally the reference, provided the contract says so.
Yes. Dried leguminous vegetables are under heading 0713, and subheadings split by species. The code on the export declaration should match the species on your invoice and certificates, and the national tariff line should be confirmed with a customs broker.
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