Skip to main content
Ko Impex Limited

Dry Beans

Black Beans (Black Turtle)

Black beans of the turtle type from Tanzanian and Ethiopian origins, cleaned and graded with gloss and colour depth approved on sample.

Black beans — the black turtle type — are traded into Latin American, Caribbean and Central American cuisines, into food processing, and into retail channels serving those communities elsewhere. East African production is smaller than for the kidney and speckled types, so availability should be established early in the enquiry rather than assumed.

Request QuoteView Specification
Black turtle beans showing the glossy black seed coat
Origin
Tanzania · Ethiopia
Processing
Whole, dried · Machine cleaned
Crop year
Stated on contract
Packing
25 / 50 kg PP
Quantity
Container quantities
Incoterms
FOB · CFR · CIF
HS code
0713.33
Availability
Available

Specification

Typical export specification

Indicative contract parameters, not laboratory results. The specification that applies is the one written into the contract.

Black Beans

Black turtle type, machine cleaned

Indicative
Product
Black beans, Phaseolus vulgaris
Origin
Tanzania, Ethiopia
Crop year
Stated on contract
Moisture
14% max
Purity
99% min
Foreign matter
0.5% max
Admixture
1% max
Damaged and discoloured
2% max
Broken and split
1% max
Insect damaged
1% max
Size
Against buyer requirement
GMO status
Not genetically modified

Notes on specific parameters

  • Crop year — Contract on a specific crop year; it materially affects colour, cooking behaviour and insect load.
  • Admixture — Other colours are highly visible against black and are the first thing a buyer sees.
  • Size — Contracted as count per 100 g.
  • GMO status — There are no commercially cultivated genetically modified varieties of this crop.
  • Gloss and colour depth are approved on sample; both fade with age, so crop year should be stated.

Grades and forms

Available grades

Commercially distinct types, each contracted separately.

  • Standard black turtle

    The commercial grade, with gloss, colour depth and size approved on an agreed sample.

Packing and supply

Packing and container supply

Standard formats below, and buyer-specific packing where it can be supported. Planned net weight per 20ft container is indicatively 19 MT, confirmed against packing, density and destination.

  • Packing

    • 25 kg PP woven bag
    • 50 kg PP woven bag
    • Buyer-branded bags

  • Container

    • 20ft FCL — standard for bagged pulses
    • 40ft FCL where the density suits it
    • ~19 MT indicative net per 20ft

  • Terms

    • FOB
    • CFR
    • CIF
    • FCA on request

  • Loading

    • Net weighed and marked to contract
    • Container inspected before stuffing
    • Final payload confirmed against density and destination

Packing is confirmed in writing before bagging begins. Packing formats and marking in full.

Quality and trade

Quality and export documentation

What decides quality in black beans

Gloss
A fresh bean has a distinct sheen that dulls with age and rough handling.
Colour depth
Fades over time, which makes crop year commercially relevant for this type.
Admixture
Off-colour seed is instantly visible against black; tolerance is tight and colour sorting is common.
Size (count per 100 g)
Contracted as a band and confirmed against the current crop.
Moisture
Commonly 14% max, set against the route and destination.
Broken and split seed
Reduces the visual grade and shows clearly against the dark coat.

Third-party inspection can be nominated at the loading point — sampling, analysis, weight verification and loading supervision. Quality and processing in full.

Typical export documents

  • Commercial Invoice
  • Packing List
  • Bill of Lading
  • Certificate of Origin
  • Phytosanitary Certificate
  • Fumigation Certificate
  • Weight Certificate

Final documentation depends on the commodity, origin, destination and buyer requirements. Not every document listed is required on every shipment.

Logistics, Incoterms and documentation

Origin and sourcing

Where this commodity is sourced

Sourced through established growers, aggregators and processors, with origin, crop and lot confirmed on each offer. Seasonal position is derived from the published crop calendar.
All commodities, all originsCheck availability

Typical sourcing window

Harvest Export

  • TanzaniaMay–Jul · Jun–Oct
  • EthiopiaNov–Jan · Dec–Apr

Tanzania: harvest May–Jul, export window Jun–Oct. Ethiopia: harvest Nov–Jan, export window Dec–Apr.

Indicative windows from the published crop calendar, not a live stock position.

More on black beans

Two visual characteristics govern acceptance. The first is gloss: a fresh, well-handled black bean has a distinct sheen, and it dulls with age and with rough handling. The second is colour depth, which likewise fades over time. Both point back to crop year, which for this type is a commercial parameter rather than an administrative detail.

The other defining feature of a black bean contract is the admixture tolerance. Any bean of another colour is instantly visible against black, so even a small percentage of off-colour seed is noticed on arrival. Colour sorting removes it effectively, and is commonly specified for retail-facing contracts.

Also traded as black turtle beans · frijol negro. These are trade names for the same commodity and are covered by this page rather than split across separate listings.

Destination markets

Typical destinations for this commodity. Import duty, quotas and phytosanitary conditions are set by the importing country — confirm the current position with your own broker.

End uses

  • Latin American and Caribbean retail
  • Food processing
  • Food service

Frequently asked questions

Yes. "Black turtle bean" is the varietal name for the type traded internationally as black beans, and both terms appear in contracts and packaging.

Catalogue

Related pulses and beans

Request a current black beans offer

Tell us the quantity, destination port and required specification. We will confirm current availability, packing and commercial terms.

  • Quantity
  • Destination port
  • Specification
  • Packing
  • Incoterm
  • Shipment window
Request a QuoteEmail the trading deskView published specifications
Request QuoteEmail