New Opportunities for Dry Beans in Greece and Turkey

USDBC completed a successful trade mission to Greece and Turkey in November in an effort to re-establish market share and service existing customers in expanding new market segments. Both nations have been impacted by economic, political, and general market forces including the loss of US market share to cheaper competitors.

U.S. market share in Greece has all but disappeared over the last decade but there are still several niche areas where the U.S. can achieve new sales of great northern, cranberry, garbanzo, and black eye beans. This is a broker-dominated market where no buyer imports directly from suppliers. Despite a strong preference for Mexican type garbanzos and Alberta Great Northerns, Greek buyers remain interested in buying U.S. beans to inject competitiveness into the market.

U.S. market share in Turkey is dominated by Great Northern beans and Garbanzos, with total exports of almost 8,000 MT for the period January – September, 2015. These numbers are expected to rise in the coming months, with some likely sales of U.S. cranberry beans, and pintos for the food service sector. Turkish production of pulses is on the decline making Turkey, a former exporter of dry beans, a net importer. The refugee situation in Turkey has added to the need to bring in more dry beans for food rations as part of ongoing food assistance programs.

The Turkish market presents several opportunities for new sales of U.S. dry beans, despite the setbacks caused by defaults in 2014. The USDBC trade mission met with nine companies in five days and concluded that starting from a base of zero, the U.S. is now one of the principal suppliers of dry beans to Turkey. This is the result of consistent and effective marketing on the part of USDBC. Please see the Turkey trip report for specific company information.

USDBC Europe Representative Johanna Stobbs and industry representatives Melva Calloway and Cindi Allen visit with the Aral Company in Turkey