Globally imported natural rubber for all buyer countries accelerated by an average 26.5% since 2018 when natural rubber import purchases totaled $14.7 billion.
Year over year, money spent on imported natural rubber declined by -3.3% compared to $19.2 billion during 2021.
The 5 biggest importers of natural rubber are mainland China, United States of America, Malaysia, Japan and India. That cohort of highly populous countries spent almost three-fifths (57%) of total worldwide purchases of globally imported natural rubber. Such a high percentage indicates a concentrated cohort of natural rubber buyers.
From a continental perspective, buyers in Asian countries purchased the highest dollar worth of imported natural rubber during 2022 with purchases amounting to $10.9 billion or 58.7% of the global total. In second place were European importers at 20.8% while another 15.8% of overall natural rubber imports were delivered to customers in North America.
Smaller percentages went to importers in Latin America (3.7%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (1%), then Oceania (0.1%) mostly Australia and New Zealand.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 4001 for natural rubber, balata, gutta-percha, guayule, chicle and similar natural gums in primary form.
Natural Rubber Imports by Country
Below are the 15 countries that imported the highest dollar value worth of natural rubber during 2022.
- China: US$4 billion (21.7% of total natural rubber imports)
- United States: $2.4 billion (12.8%)
- Malaysia: $1.6 billion (8.9%)
- Japan: $1.5 billion (7.9%)
- India: $1 billion (5.7%)
- South Korea: $722.4 million (3.9%)
- Türkiye: $638 million (3.4%)
- Germany: $578 million (3.1%)
- Spain: $465.1 million (2.5%)
- Brazil: $459.9 million (2.5%)
- Vietnam: $432.9 million (2.3%)
- Belgium: $339.2 million (1.8%)
- Italy: $327.2 million (1.8%)
- France: $295 million (1.6%)
- Poland: $291.3 million (1.6%)
By value, the listed 15 countries purchased over four-fifths (81.6%) of all natural rubber imported in 2022.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing markets for natural rubber since 2021 were: Türkiye (up 19.8%), South Korea (up 16.8%), Poland (up 14.6%) and Spain (up 13.7%).
A trio of leading suppliers posted declines in their imported natural rubber purchases, namely: Vietnam (down -76.5% from 2021), Malaysia (down -6.9%) and France (down -2.8%).
Natural Rubber Imports into China
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which China imported the highest dollar value worth of natural rubber during 2022. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2018.
- Thailand: US$1.7 billion (down -13.1% from 2021)
- Malaysia: $469.2 million (down -15.3%)
- Ivory Coast: $430.2 million (up 37.3%)
- Laos: $402.1 million (up 107.7%)
- Vietnam: $339.5 million (up 31.8%)
- Indonesia: $297.6 million (down -2.2%)
- Myanmar: $284.3 million (up 60.2%)
- Philippines: $30.3 million (up 66.5%)
- Cambodia: $19.3 million (down -22.3%)
- Ghana: $6.1 million (up 63.5%)
- Nigeria: $6 million (up 12%)
- Sri Lanka: $3.3 million (down -2.2%)
- Papua New Guinea: $2.5 million (up 29.6%)
- Cameroon: $1.4 million (up 61.8%)
- Japan: $557,000 (up 47%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.96% of natural rubber imported by mainland China in 2022.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of natural rubber to China since 2021 were: Laos (up 107.7%), Philippines (up 66.5%), Ghana (up 63.5%) and Cameroon (up 61.8%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their natural rubber supplied to Chinese importers included: Cambodia (down -22.3% from 2021), Malaysia (down -15.3%), Thailand (down -13.1%) and Sri Lanka (down -2.2%).
Overall, the value of China’s imported natural rubber rose by an average 4.4% from all supplying countries since 2021 when natural rubber purchased cost $3.9 billion.
Natural Rubber Imports into the United States
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which United States imported the highest dollar value worth of natural rubber during 2022. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2021 to 2022.
- Indonesia: US$1.2 billion (up 6.2% from 2021)
- Thailand: $608.7 million (up 19.1%)
- Ivory Coast: $206.5 million (up 16.6%)
- Liberia: $87.3 million (up 12.2%)
- Vietnam: $72.4 million (down -13.7%)
- Malaysia: $64.3 million (down -4.5%)
- Singapore: $45 million (up 164.1%)
- Guatemala: $28.1 million (up 6.5%)
- Ghana: $22.5 million (down -24.7%)
- Cameroon: $17.2 million (down -13.8%)
- Sri Lanka: $5.9 million (down -20%)
- Taiwan: $5.5 million (up 228.7%)
- Laos: $4.1 million (up 34%)
- Gabon: $3.5 million (up 80.1%)
- Guinea: $2.6 million (up 65.3%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.4% of natural rubber imported by the United States of America in 2022.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of natural rubber to United States since 2021 were: Taiwan (up 228.7%), Singapore (up 164.1%), Gabon (up 80.1%) and Guinea (up 65.3%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their natural rubber supplied to American importers included: Ghana (down -24.7% from 2021), Sri Lanka (down -20%), Cameroon (down -13.8%) and Vietnam (down -13.7%).
Overall, the value of United States’s imported natural rubber increased by an average 10.2% from all supplying countries since 2021 when natural rubber purchased cost $2.2 billion.
Natural Rubber Imports into Malaysia
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Malaysia imported the highest dollar value worth of natural rubber during 2022. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2021 to 2022.
- Thailand: US$849.6 million (down -10.8% from 2021)
- Ivory Coast: $394.5 million (down -0.2%)
- Philippines: $141.8 million (down -8.6%)
- Myanmar: $116.2 million (down -5.2%)
- Liberia: $51.9 million (up 36.5%)
- Ghana: $34.9 million (up 34.1%)
- Vietnam: $16.5 million (up 2.4%)
- Democratic Rep. Congo: $6.8 million (up 431.3%)
- India: $6.2 million (down -36.7%)
- South Africa: $5.6 million (down -46.6%)
- Sri Lanka: $3.1 million (down -58.5%)
- Guinea: $2.9 million (up 73.5%)
- France: $2.9 million (2021 data unavailable)
- Papua New Guinea: $2.8 million (down -61.6%)
- Indonesia: $1.8 million (down -79.7%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.3% of natural rubber imported by Malaysia in 2022.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of natural rubber to Malaysia since 2021 were: Democratic Republic of the Congo (up 431.3%), Guinea (up 73.5%), Liberia (up 36.5%) and Ghana (up 34.1%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their natural rubber supplied to Malaysian importers included: Indonesia (down -79.7% from 2021), Papua New Guinea (down -61.6%), Sri Lanka (down -58.5%) and South Africa (down -46.6%).
Overall, the value of Malaysia’s imported natural rubber diminished by an average -6.9% from all supplying countries since 2021 when natural rubber purchased cost $1.8 billion.
Natural Rubber Imports into Japan
Below are the top suppliers from which Japan imported the highest dollar value worth of natural rubber during 2022. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2021 to 2022.
- Indonesia: US$967.2 million (up 14.2% from 2021)
- Thailand: $462.5 million (up 8.3%)
- Vietnam: $19.9 million (down -11%)
- Malaysia: $10.3 million (down -3.9%)
- Sri Lanka: $6.1 million (up 9.6%)
- Myanmar: $4.5 million (down -56.1%)
- Cambodia: $1.5 million (up 555.8%)
- Belgium: $77,000 (down -12.5%)
- Mexico: $70,000 (down -53.9%)
- mainland China: $62,000 (down -56%)
- Denmark: $3,000 (down -57.1%)
- United States of America: $3,000 (down -40%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 100% of natural rubber imported by Japan in 2022.
Among the above countries, four suppliers grew the value of natural rubber sold to Japan since 2021. These were Cambodia (up 555.8%), Indonesia (up 14.2%), Sri Lanka (up 9.6%) and Thailand (up 8.3%).
Recording the steepest declines were providers in Denmark (down -57.1% from 2021), Myanmar also called Burma (down -56.1%), mainland China (down -56%), Mexico (down -53.9%) and the United States of America (down -40%).
Overall, the value of Japan’s imported natural rubber expanded by an average 11.2% from all supplying countries since 2021 when natural rubber purchased cost $1.3 billion.
Searchable List of Natural Rubber Importing Countries in 2022
The 100 key buyers of natural rubber in the automated database below accounted for 99.97% of the value of imported natural rubber bought during 2022.
| Rank | Importer | Natural Rubber Imports | 2021-2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | China | $4,027,465,000 | +4.4% |
| 2. | United States | $2,372,792,000 | +10.2% |
| 3. | Malaysia | $1,648,671,000 | -6.9% |
| 4. | Japan | $1,472,282,000 | +11.2% |
| 5. | India | $1,047,983,000 | +7.7% |
| 6. | South Korea | $722,370,000 | +16.8% |
| 7. | Türkiye | $638,003,000 | +19.8% |
| 8. | Germany | $577,958,000 | +4.2% |
| 9. | Spain | $465,057,000 | +13.7% |
| 10. | Brazil | $459,864,000 | +9.5% |
| 11. | Vietnam | $432,860,000 | -76.5% |
| 12. | Belgium | $339,218,000 | +13.3% |
| 13. | Italy | $327,199,000 | +2.9% |
| 14. | France | $295,002,000 | -2.8% |
| 15. | Poland | $291,335,000 | +14.6% |
| 16. | Mexico | $279,313,000 | +22.2% |
| 17. | Canada | $274,053,000 | +5.2% |
| 18. | Romania | $223,165,000 | +13.9% |
| 19. | Slovakia | $203,499,000 | +8.2% |
| 20. | Luxembourg | $199,582,000 | -12.2% |
| 21. | Czech Republic | $195,230,000 | +2.3% |
| 22. | Taiwan | $154,514,000 | -16% |
| 23. | Hungary | $145,679,000 | +16.1% |
| 24. | Indonesia | $144,013,000 | +29.8% |
| 25. | Singapore | $127,804,000 | -3.6% |
| 26. | Sri Lanka | $125,071,000 | -15.5% |
| 27. | United Arab Emirates | $105,150,000 | +2345% |
| 28. | Pakistan | $99,082,000 | -5.6% |
| 29. | Portugal | $95,020,000 | +28.9% |
| 30. | Russia | $94,466,000 | -65% |
| 31. | South Africa | $90,715,000 | +2% |
| 32. | Netherlands | $88,077,000 | -13.2% |
| 33. | Serbia | $83,862,000 | +16.4% |
| 34. | Finland | $73,741,000 | +188.3% |
| 35. | Argentina | $71,264,000 | -3% |
| 36. | Iran | $55,388,000 | -61.8% |
| 37. | United Kingdom | $50,299,000 | -1.3% |
| 38. | Egypt | $44,219,000 | -3.3% |
| 39. | Chile | $43,708,000 | +8% |
| 40. | Colombia | $41,794,000 | +35.7% |
| 41. | Slovenia | $33,455,000 | +1.1% |
| 42. | Costa Rica | $24,657,000 | -4.2% |
| 43. | Peru | $23,038,000 | +13.6% |
| 44. | Philippines | $19,533,000 | -24.7% |
| 45. | Austria | $16,289,000 | +12.9% |
| 46. | Israel | $14,868,000 | -5.1% |
| 47. | Greece | $12,914,000 | +0.1% |
| 48. | Ecuador | $12,240,000 | +21.7% |
| 49. | Ukraine | $12,179,000 | +258.8% |
| 50. | Uzbekistan | $10,183,000 | +47.1% |
| 51. | Lithuania | $9,632,000 | +154.1% |
| 52. | Liberia | $8,684,000 | +18.3% |
| 53. | Australia | $7,895,000 | -26.3% |
| 54. | North Korea | $7,509,000 | -26.1% |
| 55. | Eswatini | $7,038,000 | +25036% |
| 56. | Sweden | $5,960,000 | +14.4% |
| 57. | Tunisia | $5,633,000 | -16.8% |
| 58. | Ethiopia | $5,349,000 | +85.4% |
| 59. | Nigeria | $5,103,000 | +4.1% |
| 60. | Croatia | $4,048,000 | +5.1% |
| 61. | Kenya | $3,668,000 | +40.5% |
| 62. | Bulgaria | $3,489,000 | +4.8% |
| 63. | Saudi Arabia | $3,300,000 | -38.3% |
| 64. | Venezuela | $3,227,000 | +49.9% |
| 65. | Guatemala | $3,189,000 | +319.1% |
| 66. | Algeria | $2,850,000 | -65.6% |
| 67. | Cambodia | $2,736,000 | +9.7% |
| 68. | New Zealand | $2,588,000 | -41.8% |
| 69. | Ireland | $2,475,000 | +15.7% |
| 70. | Thailand | $2,338,000 | -45.5% |
| 71. | Nepal | $2,200,000 | +29.6% |
| 72. | Mozambique | $1,938,000 | -31% |
| 73. | Armenia | $1,757,000 | -19.3% |
| 74. | Morocco | $1,746,000 | +25.6% |
| 75. | Bangladesh | $1,697,000 | -87.2% |
| 76. | Laos | $1,658,000 | -67% |
| 77. | Switzerland | $1,581,000 | -17.7% |
| 78. | Dominican Republic | $1,352,000 | +71.8% |
| 79. | Senegal | $1,262,000 | +14.3% |
| 80. | Denmark | $1,197,000 | -98.1% |
| 81. | Kazakhstan | $1,170,000 | +760.3% |
| 82. | Syria | $966,000 | -29.5% |
| 83. | Djibouti | $954,000 | +3190% |
| 84. | Zambia | $889,000 | +195.3% |
| 85. | Cameroon | $879,000 | +1365% |
| 86. | Norway | $821,000 | +21.6% |
| 87. | Burkina Faso | $784,000 | -13.8% |
| 88. | Hong Kong | $709,000 | -87% |
| 89. | Zimbabwe | $682,000 | +157.4% |
| 90. | Estonia | $555,000 | +198.4% |
| 91. | Myanmar | $506,000 | -33.3% |
| 92. | Paraguay | $471,000 | +268% |
| 93. | Togo | $471,000 | -53.7% |
| 94. | Uruguay | $462,000 | -7.4% |
| 95. | Ivory Coast | $442,000 | +262.3% |
| 96. | Panama | $440,000 | -18.8% |
| 97. | Angola | $427,000 | +16% |
| 98. | Bolivia | $406,000 | +180% |
| 99. | Tanzania | $350,000 | -12.5% |
| 100. | Ghana | $339,000 | -97.4% |
Focusing on the top 100 main buyers of natural rubber from international markets, the fastest growers were Eswatini (up 25,036% from 2021), Djibouti (up 3,190%), United Arab Emirates (up 2,345%), Cameroon (up 1,365%), Kazakhstan (up 760.3%) then Guatemala (up 319.1%).
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the above table’s columns. A 0% entry in the right-most column means that 2021 data was unavailable.
See also Natural Rubber Exports by Country, Rubber Tires Exports by Country, China’s Top Trading Partners, Malaysia’s Top Trading Partners and America’s Top Trading Partners
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Imports – Commodities. Accessed on September 23, 2023
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 23, 2023
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on September 23, 2023
Wikipedia, Natural rubber. Accessed on September 23, 2023
