
From 2019 to 2020, the value of globally exported water and ice improved by 6.4%.
The 5 biggest exporters of water and ice (China, United States, Fiji, France, Turkey) generated almost four-fifths (78.7%) of worldwide shipments of water and ice by value in 2020.
Among continents, suppliers in Asia sold the highest dollar worth of exported water and ice during 2020 with shipments valued at $699.2 million or 56.8% of the global total. In second place were European exporters at 21.2% while 10.8% of worldwide water and ice shipments originated from Oceania led by Fiji and New Zealand. Another 10.7% came from North America.
Smaller percentages were furnished by providers in 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 220200 for ice, snow and ordinary natural water. Commodities under this sub-code exclude sugar, other sweeteners or flavorings.
Water and Ice Exports by Country
Countries
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of water and ice during 2020.
- China: US$608.2 million (49.4% of total water/ice exports)
- United States: $120.4 million (9.8%)
- Fiji: $120.1 million (9.7%)
- France: $82.8 million (6.7%)
- Turkey: $38.5 million (3.1%)
- Norway: $35.1 million (2.8%)
- Germany: $26.4 million (2.1%)
- Iceland: $20.4 million (1.7%)
- Thailand: $18.6 million (1.5%)
- Netherlands: $18.5 million (1.5%)
- Malaysia: $15.8 million (1.3%)
- Belgium: $14.2 million (1.2%)
- Russia: $11.4 million (0.9%)
- United Kingdom: $10.9 million (0.9%)
- New Zealand: $10.3 million (0.8%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 93.5% of globally exported water and ice in 2020.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of water and ice since 2019 were: Fiji (up 83,294%), Netherlands (up 123%), Thailand (up 64.1%) and Norway (up 21.3%).
Those countries that posted declines in their international sales of water and ice were led by New Zealand (down -19.9%), Turkey (down -18.2%), Belgium (down -12.9%), United Kingdom (down -12.4%) and China (down -8.6%).
Advantages
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for water and ice during 2020. 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$592.3 million (net export surplus down -8.3% since 2019)
- Fiji: $120.1 million (up 266,744%)
- France: $70.3 million (up 7.8%)
- Turkey: $38.2 million (down -18.3%)
- Norway: $34 million (up 22.1%)
- Iceland: $20.3 million (up 3.9%)
- Thailand: $18.2 million (up 69.2%)
- Germany: $13.9 million (up 7%)
- Malaysia: $13.6 million (up 24%)
- New Zealand: $9.8 million (down -19.9%)
- Russia: $6.1 million (up 27.6%)
- Czech Republic: $5.1 million (up 34.1%)
- Lithuania: $3.2 million (up 19.6%)
- Greece: $2.8 million (down -34.4%)
- Indonesia: $2.6 million (up 24%)
Mainland 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 2020. 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$565.1 million (net export deficit down -7.9% since 2019)
- Netherlands: -$43.8 million (down -7.4%)
- United States: -$40.1 million (down -67.4%)
- Macao: -$34.8 million (down -6.5%)
- Belgium: -$26 million (down -5.5%)
- Singapore: -$21.3 million (down -23.1%)
- Ireland: -$17.2 million (up 26%)
- Canada: -$11.7 million (up 290.8%)
- Mexico: -$11.4 million (down -30.2%)
- Japan: -$10.9 million (up 22.8%)
- United Arab Emirates: -$8.1 million (down -10.7%)
- Panama: -$7.2 million (up 53.9%)
- United Kingdom: -$6 million (down -24.3%)
- Belarus: -$5.9 million (up 44.1%)
- Taiwan: -$4.4 million (down -10%)
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 July 16, 2021
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on July 16, 2021
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on July 16, 2021
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on July 16, 2021
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 16, 2021
Wikipedia, Icemaker. Accessed on July 16, 2021