Few Egyptian vegetables have built a stronger reputation in European wholesale markets than green beans. From October to May, Egyptian green beans export volumes fill the gap left by Kenya’s freight costs and Morocco’s weather swings, delivering slim, straight, deep-green pods by both air and sea. The heart of every purchase order is one specification: fine (6–8 mm) versus extra-fine (<6 mm) — and knowing exactly what each grade means is the difference between a premium retail programme and a rejected pallet.
This guide sets out the grade definitions, pod-diameter table, carton formats for air and sea freight, the October–May season curve, and the QC checkpoints PEIVANA applies before loading. Commercial details are on the green beans product page. As the flexible Egyptian exporter, we ship green beans as full reefers, as part of mixed vegetable containers, or as weekly air-freight consignments — whichever fits your programme.
Grades: What Fine and Extra-Fine Actually Mean
Extra-fine (extra-fin): pod diameter under 6 mm, turgid, seedless in profile, snap-crisp, stringless, with stalk removed or trimmed. This is the premium grade for French, Benelux, UK and German retail — mostly hand-picked from Bobby-type and filet varieties such as Paulista and Serengeti.
Fine (fin): pod diameter 6–8 mm, allowing slightly visible seed trace, still stringless and turgid. The standard grade for retail bagging lines and food service.
Bobby / medium: 8–10.5 mm pods, chunkier, used for wholesale markets, catering and some Eastern European programmes.
Grading follows UNECE FFV-06: pods must be intact, fresh, free of visible strings (filet types), free of pest damage and abnormal moisture, with a maximum tolerance of 10% by weight outside the declared grade for Class I.
Sizes & Calibers
| Grade | Pod diameter | Typical length | Main use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra-fine | < 6 mm | 10–14 cm | Premium retail, air freight |
| Fine | 6–8 mm | 12–16 cm | Retail bags, food service |
| Bobby / medium | 8–10.5 mm | 12–16 cm | Wholesale, catering |
Always state the grade in millimetres on the contract — “extra-fine” alone leaves room for dispute; “extra-fine <6 mm, min 90% within grade” does not.
Packing Formats
| Format | Net weight | Freight mode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open carton 30×40 | 2 kg | Air | Extra-fine, loose lay, perforated liner |
| Open carton 30×40 / 60×40 | 4–5 kg | Air & sea | Fine grade standard export pack |
| Carton 60×40 | 8–10 kg | Sea | Bobby grade, wholesale |
| Retail flow-pack bags | 200–500 g | Air | Private label, packed at origin |
Sea shipments travel at 5–7 °C, 90–95% RH (beans are moderately chilling-sensitive — below 4 °C russeting appears). Air consignments move under cool-chain handling with same-day airport delivery from the packhouse.
Season
The Egyptian season runs October through May across three overlapping plantings: Delta autumn crop (October–December), winter crop from Upper Egypt and Nubaria (December–February, the quality peak for extra-fine), and the spring crop (March–May). Match beans against lettuce, peppers and strawberries on the Egyptian produce seasons calendar when planning combined loads.
QC Checkpoints Buyers Should Ask For
- Grade sizing audit — ring-gauge sampling per pallet; report states % within declared diameter band.
- Snap test — pods must break cleanly with an audible snap and no stringing along the suture.
- Rust and anthracnose screen — zero tolerance for pods with brown lesions; the defect spreads in transit.
- Dehydration check — no flaccid or wilted pods; harvest-to-precool interval under 4 hours.
- MRL analysis — per-lot pesticide residue certificate to EU 396/2005; green beans are a high-scrutiny product at EU border posts, so paperwork must be flawless.
Mixed-Container Fit — and the Air+Sea Play
At 5–7 °C, green beans ride comfortably alongside iceberg, romaine, celery and herbs (with compromise setpoints agreed in advance) in a mixed produce container from Egypt. Many of our winter customers run a two-speed programme: sea freight for fine and bobby grades, air freight for extra-fine tops-ups — the model described in our air-sea combo: strawberries & green beans article, where beans share air capacity with fresh strawberries in the same booking.
FAQ
What is the price difference between fine and extra-fine?
Extra-fine commands a significant premium because of hand-picking yield — roughly half the field yield per picker versus fine grade. Request both grades in one quotation to compare landed cost; PEIVANA quotes the same day.
Can Egyptian green beans go by sea to Northern Europe?
Yes — with proper precooling, 5–7 °C carriage and 7–10 day transits to Rotterdam or Hamburg, fine and bobby grades arrive with comfortable shelf life. Extra-fine for premium retail is usually flown.
Do you pack retail bags at origin?
Yes, 200–500 g flow-pack and pillow bags under private label, with barcode and language compliance for your market.
Request a Quotation
Send grade, pack format, volume and destination — we return a complete air or sea offer, usually the same day. Use the contact form or message WhatsApp.