Tunisia is a broad-bean-loving market and a natural destination for Egyptian faba beans (dried broad beans, HS 0713.50). Faba is central to Tunisian cooking — in bsissa, soups and stews — and domestic supply is seasonal. Egypt, a recognised top-five global exporter of dried broad beans, supplies Tunisian importers, millers and processors with graded, food-grade faba. This guide covers grades, logistics, import requirements, crop calendar and pricing.

Quick Answer

Tunisia imports faba for bsissa, soups and stews. Egypt is a recognised top-five exporter of dried broad beans (HS 0713.50). Grades: large-seeded whole, small-seeded, split/decorticated. Ships in 25/50 kg bags in dry containers to Rades (Tunis), ~5–9 days. Imports require a phytosanitary certificate, health certificate, Halal handling and MRL compliance.

Why Tunisia Imports Egyptian Faba Beans

Faba is a Tunisian staple, from the roasted-grain blend bsissa to hearty winter soups, and local production is seasonal and limited. Importing steadies year-round supply for households, millers and processors. Egypt is a competitive Mediterranean origin with consistent grading and shelf-stable, economical shipping into the port of Rades — making it a dependable supplier for the Tunisian pulse trade.

Market snapshotDetail
Use in marketBsissa, soups, stews, milling
HS code0713.50 (dried broad & horse beans)
Main entry portRades (Tunis)
Transit time5–9 days by sea (dry container)
Packaging25 / 50 kg PP bags
GradesLarge whole, small-seeded, split/decorticated

Grades & Specifications

Large-seeded whole faba: premium, uniform, for whole-bean dishes. Small-seeded faba: traditional grade for soups and milling. Split/decorticated: for quick-cook and processed lines including bsissa blends. Specifications cover moisture (≤13%), purity/admixture, sizing and defect tolerance. Product is machine-cleaned, calibrated and colour-sorted, with whole/split and size band specified by the buyer.

Logistics & Route

Dried faba is shelf-stable and ships in standard dry containers in 25/50 kg bags from Alexandria/Damietta to Rades in roughly 5–9 days. No cold chain is needed. Product must be kept dry and ventilated to hold moisture spec; fumigation certificates are commonly required to control storage pests.

Import Requirements

Tunisian imports require a phytosanitary certificate from Egyptian plant quarantine, a certificate of origin, a health/food-safety certificate and often a fumigation certificate. Pesticide residues must meet applicable MRLs. Consignments follow Halal-compliant handling and Arabic/French labelling (product, origin, packer, net weight, lot). Buyers increasingly ask for HACCP/ISO 22000 at the packing facility and lot traceability.

Crop Calendar & Availability

PeriodAvailability
April–JuneMain harvest — new-crop faba
July–DecemberPeak shipping from stored new crop
January–MarchContinuity supply from storage

Faba stores well, so Egypt ships to Tunisia year-round from the spring harvest, giving buyers continuous supply regardless of the local season.

Source & data: Egypt is recognised among the world’s top-five exporters of dried broad beans. Source: Tridge broad-bean trade overview, 2024. HS code 0713.50 (dried broad & horse beans, shelled). Per-market volumes vary seasonally and are confirmed at contracting; no per-market figure is asserted here.

PEI Trade — New Cairo, Egypt. Request a quote or faba bean spec sheet →