That dollar amount reflects a 27% gain for all Brussels sprouts shippers over the five-year period starting in 2014 when Brussels sprouts bought on international markets were worth $145.7 million. Year over year, the value of exported Brussels sprouts increased by 1.1% from 2017 to 2018.
Among continents, Europe sold the highest dollar worth of exported Brussels sprouts during 2018 with shipments valued at $93.6 million or roughly half (50.6%) of the worldwide total. Close behind at 42.8% were North American exporters while 3% of worldwide Brussels sprouts shipments originated from Africa. Lower percentages came from exporters in Latin America (2.2%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Oceania (0.8%) mostly Australia, then Asia (0.1%).
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 070420 for fresh or chilled Brussels sprouts.
Top Brussels Sprouts Exports by Country
Countries
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of Brussels sprouts during 2018.
- Netherlands: US$73.2 million (39.5% of total Brussels sprouts exports)
- Mexico: $53.5 million (28.9%)
- United States: $22.9 million (12.4%)
- Belgium: $11.5 million (6.2%)
- Morocco: $4.3 million (2.3%)
- Guatemala: $4.0 million (2.2%)
- Canada: $2.7 million (1.5%)
- Spain: $2.2 million (1.2%)
- United Kingdom: $2.0 million (1.1%)
- Poland: $1.4 million (0.8%)
- Australia: $1.4 million (0.8%)
- Egypt: $1.3 million (0.7%)
- France: $1.2 million (0.6%)
- South Africa: $969,000 (0.5%)
- Italy: $737,000 (0.4%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.1% of all Brussels sprouts exported in 2018.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing Brussels sprouts exporters since 2014 were: Canada (up 500.2%), France (up 269.0%), Spain (up 143.0%) and Australia (up 122.8%).
Three countries posted declines in their exported Brussels sprouts sales namely: Poland (down -54.8%), United Kingdom (down -20.6%) and Italy (down -16.7%).
Advantages
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for Brussels sprouts during 2018. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s exported Brussels sprouts and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- Netherlands: US$56.1 million (net export surplus up 16.3% since 2014)
- Mexico: $51.7 million (up 67.5%)
- Belgium: $6 million (down -0.4%)
- Morocco: $4.3 million (up 43.8%)
- Guatemala: $4 million (up 45.1%)
- Australia: $1.4 million (up 122.8%)
- Egypt: $1.3 million (up 11.2%)
- South Africa: $969,000 (up 37.3%)
- Poland: $766,000 (down -65.3%)
- Indonesia: $93,000 (reversing a -$5,000 deficit)
- Chile: $57,000 (no 2014 data)
- Yemen: $44,000 (no 2014 data)
- China: $36,000 (down -98.9%)
- Uganda: $3,000 (reversing a -$2,000 deficit)
- North Macedonia: $1,000 (no 2014 data)
Overtaking Mexico in 2018, Netherlands earned the highest surplus in the international trade of Brussels sprouts. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms strong Dutch competitive advantages for this specific product category.
Opportunities
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for Brussels sprouts during 2018. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s imported Brussels sprouts purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- United States: -US$34.2 million (net export deficit up 549.9% since 2014)
- Germany: -$28.5 million (up 1.9%)
- Canada: -$18.4 million (up 8.1%)
- United Kingdom: -$14.4 million (down -19.8%)
- France: -$9.5 million (down -8.1%)
- Italy: -$4.6 million (up 94%)
- Sweden: -$1.7 million (down -2.5%)
- Switzerland: -$1.6 million (down -21.1%)
- Austria: -$1.2 million (down -7.5%)
- Denmark: -$1.1 million (up 10%)
- Japan: -$852,000 (up 49.5%)
- Czech Republic: -$670,000 (up 16.1%)
- Croatia: -$638,000 (up 266.7%)
- South Korea: -$624,000 (up 171.3%)
- Slovenia: -$601,000 (up 40.7%)
The United States of America incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of Brussels sprouts. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights America’s competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for Brussels sprouts-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful consumer demand.
Companies
Brussels Sprouts Exporting Companies
According to global trading platform Alibaba, the following suppliers are examples of Brussels sprouts-trading exporters that deal in fresh or frozen Brussels sprouts. Canadian firm SeedsIntl.com sells Brussels sprouts seeds.
- 3SI Commerce (France)
- AA Group, S. Coop (Spain)
- Cyndacation (United States)
- Hangzhou ZGF Group Co (China)
- SeedsIntl.com (Canada)
The home-country location for each business is shown above within parentheses.
See also Top Lettuce Exports by Country, Tomatoes Exports by Country, Potatoes Exports by Country and Corn Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Products listing for Brussels sprouts. Accessed on September 9, 2018
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on June 2, 2019
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on June 2, 2019
The World Factbook, Field Listing: Exports – Commodities, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on June 2, 2019
Trade Map, International Trade Centre. Accessed on June 2, 2019
Wikipedia, Brussels sprout. Accessed on September 9, 2018