
Among continents, suppliers in Asia sold the highest dollar worth of exported water and ice during 2019 with shipments valued at $755.7 million or 57.6% of the global total. In second place were European exporters at 19.3% while 13.5% of worldwide water and ice shipments originated from Oceania led by Fiji and New Zealand. Smaller percentages came from suppliers in North America (9.1%), Latin America (0.5%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Africa (0.1%).
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 220190 for ice, snow and ordinary natural water.
Water and Ice Exports by Country
Countries
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of water and ice during 2019.
- China: US$665.5 million (50.7% of total water/ice exports)
- Fiji: $161.4 million (12.3%)
- United States: $101.3 million (7.7%)
- France: $79.5 million (6.1%)
- Turkey: $46.9 million (3.6%)
- Norway: $28.9 million (2.2%)
- Germany: $27.1 million (2.1%)
- Belgium: $23.4 million (1.8%)
- Iceland: $19.8 million (1.5%)
- Canada: $17.9 million (1.4%)
- Malaysia: $16 million (1.2%)
- New Zealand: $12.9 million (1%)
- United Kingdom: $12.5 million (0.9%)
- Thailand: $11.3 million (0.9%)
- Russia: $10.1 million (0.8%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 94% of globally exported water and ice in 2019.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of water and ice since 2015 were: Fiji (up 19,903%), Thailand (up 129.5%), New Zealand (up 120.6%) and the United Kingdom (up 104.3%).
Three countries posted declines in their international sales of water and ice: Norway (down -39.8%), Canada (down -20.8%) and France (down -14.3%).
Advantages
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for water and ice during 2019. 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 water and ice and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- China: US$645.6 million (net export surplus up 14.6% since 2015)
- Fiji: $161.3 million (up 22,371%)
- France: $65.2 million (down -17.3%)
- Turkey: $46.7 million (up 8.4%)
- Norway: $27.9 million (down -41%)
- Iceland: $19.6 million (up 83.3%)
- Germany: $13.9 million (down -2%)
- New Zealand: $12.2 million (up 138.9%)
- Malaysia: $11 million (down -26.3%)
- Thailand: $10.8 million (up 162.6%)
- Russia: $4.8 million (up 40.4%)
- Greece: $4.3 million (up 8.9%)
- Czech Republic: $3.8 million (up 42.9%)
- Spain: $3.4 million (down -19.6%)
- Lithuania: $2.7 million (up 371.5%)
The People’s Republic of China generated the highest surplus in the international trade of water and ice. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms China’s competitive advantage for this specific product category.
Opportunities
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for water and ice during 2019. 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 water and ice purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- Hong Kong: -US$613.5 million (net export deficit up 12.6% since 2015)
- United States: -$123.1 million (up 30.1%)
- Netherlands: -$47.1 million (up 137.3%)
- Macao: -$37.2 million (up 2.8%)
- Belgium: -$29.2 million (up 289%)
- Singapore: -$27.7 million (up 25.3%)
- Mexico: -$15.9 million (down -38.6%)
- Ireland: -$13.7 million (down -12.2%)
- United Arab Emirates: -$11.6 million (up 86.4%)
- Japan: -$8.8 million (down -66.8%)
- United Kingdom: -$7.9 million (down -10.1%)
- Libya: -$5.5 million (up 206.1%)
- Taiwan: -$4.9 million (up 1267.4%)
- Panama: -$4.5 million (up 301.3%)
- Cambodia: -$4.3 million (up 97.5%)
Hong Kong incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of water and ice. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights Hong Kong’s competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for water and ice-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.
Companies
Ice Maker Machinery Exporters
According to global trading platform Alibaba, the following companies manufacture ice-making machinery available for international sales. The home-country country for each business is shown within parentheses.
- Dongguan Hengxing Kitchen Equipment Co, Ltd (China)
- Hangzhou Icedeer Refrigeration Equipment Co, Ltd (China)
- IKLIM Hardward & Machinery SDN BHD (Malaysia)
- Rosen Ice Machines & Refrigeration Systems (Turkey)
- Shenzhen Sindeice Systems Co, Ltd (China)
- Soluzioni e Referenze Srls (Italy)
- US Ice Machine Manufacturing Co (United States)
See also Top Soft Drinks Exporters by Country, Beer Exports by Country and Top Vodka Exporters
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Supplier showroom for ice maker machines. Accessed on May 27, 2020
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on May 27, 2020
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on May 27, 2020
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 27, 2020
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 27, 2020
Wikipedia, Icemaker. Accessed on May 27, 2020