Year over year, globally exported tomatoes appreciated by 7.2% from 2019 to 2020.
The world’s 5 biggest exporters of tomatoes (Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Morocco, Canada) generated over two-thirds (69.3%) of all tomatoes sold on international markets in 2020.
At the continent level, European countries sold the highest value for exported tomatoes during 2020 with shipments amounting to $4.3 billion or 43.7% of worldwide exports. North American exporters were responsible for 34.3% worth, while Asian suppliers supplied a 12.1% share trailed by African providers at 9.2%.
Tinier percentages originated from Latin America (0.7%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania (0.1%) led by New Zealand and Australia.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix for fresh or chilled tomatoes is 0702.
Tomatoes Exports by Country
Countries
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of tomatoes during 2020.
- Mexico: US$2.6 billion (26.5% of exported tomatoes)
- Netherlands: $1.9 billion (19.5%)
- Spain: $1.1 billion (10.9%)
- Morocco: $767 million (7.8%)
- Canada: $458.2 million (4.7%)
- France: $444.3 million (4.5%)
- Belgium: $326.1 million (3.3%)
- United States: $312.9 million (3.2%)
- Turkey: $312 million (3.2%)
- China: $274.1 million (2.8%)
- Azerbaijan: $201.4 million (2%)
- Italy: $141.4 million (1.4%)
- Poland: $68.1 million (0.7%)
- Jordan: $66.2 million (0.7%)
- Uzbekistan: $66.1 million (0.7%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 91.7% of globally exported tomatoes in 2020 by value.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing sellers of tomatoes on global markets from 2019 to 2020 were: China (up 36.9%), Canada (up 20.8%), Mexico (up 20.5%) and France (up 16.5%).
Those countries that posted declines in their exported tomatoes sales were led by: Jordan (down -44.9%), Poland (down -4.2%), Uzbekistan (down -3.6%), Morocco (down -2.2%) and Italy (down -0.7%).
Advantages
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for fresh or chilled tomatoes 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 tomatoes exports and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- Mexico: US$2.6 billion (net export surplus up 20.5% since 2019)
- Netherlands: $1.6 billion (down -2.3%)
- Spain: $895.2 million (up 4%)
- Morocco: $766.9 million (down -2.2%)
- Turkey: $307.7 million (up 1.9%)
- China: $274.1 million (up 36.9%)
- Belgium: $231.5 million (up 14.5%)
- Azerbaijan: $200.5 million (up 6.1%)
- Canada: $139.1 million (up 88.8%)
- Jordan: $66.1 million (down -45%)
- Uzbekistan: $36.1 million (no 2015 data)
- Tunisia: $58.8 million (up 65.3%)
- Afghanistan: $46.6 million (up 332%)
- Egypt: $40.4 million (down -17.5%)
- Turkmenistan: $37.7 million (up 65.4%)
Mexico has the highest surplus in the international trade of tomatoes. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms Mexico’s strong competitive advantage for this specific product category.
Opportunities
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for tomatoes 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 tomatoes import purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- United States: -US$2.6 billion (net export deficit up 22.4% since 2019)
- Germany: -$1.5 billion (up 8.4%)
- United Kingdom: -$614 million (down -3.8%)
- Russia: -$518.3 million (down -17.9%)
- France: -$275.1 million (down -14.8%)
- Poland: -$200.5 million (up 15.5%)
- Sweden: -$159.3 million (up 1.3%)
- Saudi Arabia: -$126.7 million (up 46%)
- Romania: -$111.1 million (up 5.7%)
- Czech Republic: -$96.9 million (down -6.7%)
- Switzerland: -$96.4 million (up 15.7%)
- Denmark: -$74.5 million (down -0.9%)
- Ukraine: -$73.1 million (up 64.2%)
- Finland: -$69.7 million (up 10%)
- Austria: -$66.4 million (down -6.9%)
The United States of America incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of tomatoes. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights America’s strong competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for tomatoes-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.
Companies
Tomato Exporting Companies
Below are large tomato exporting companies that are major players in international trade. Show within parenthesis is the country where the company is headquartered.
- Morning Star (United States)
- COFCO Group (China)
- Xinjiang Chalkis Co. Ltd (China)
- California Tomato Export Group (United States)
- ConAgra Foods (United States)
- Campbell Soup Company (United States)
- Fuyuan Agriculture Products Limited (China)
- Unilever (United Kingdom)
- Heinz (United States)
- Conserve Italia (Italy)
- Kagome Co., Ltd. (Japan)
- Empresas Carozzi (Chile)
- Parmalat SpA (Italy)
- Xinjiang Tianye Co., Ltd. (China)
Searchable List of Tomatoes Exporting Countries in 2020
The following automated database reveals that there were 110 countries that exported fresh or chilled tomatoes in 2020.
| Rank | Exporter | Exported Tomatoes (US$) | 2019-20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Mexico | $2,606,104,000 | +20.5% |
| 2. | Netherlands | $1,916,995,000 | -0.7% |
| 3. | Spain | $1,068,839,000 | +3.6% |
| 4. | Morocco | $767,038,000 | -2.2% |
| 5. | Canada | $458,202,000 | +20.8% |
| 6. | France | $444,300,000 | +16.5% |
| 7. | Belgium | $326,134,000 | +5.9% |
| 8. | United States | $312,886,000 | +7.3% |
| 9. | Turkey | $312,031,000 | +3% |
| 10. | China | $274,112,000 | +36.9% |
| 11. | Azerbaijan | $201,354,000 | +6.4% |
| 12. | Italy | $141,405,000 | -0.7% |
| 13. | Poland | $68,099,000 | -4.2% |
| 14. | Jordan | $66,237,000 | -44.9% |
| 15. | Uzbekistan | $66,061,000 | -3.6% |
| 16. | Portugal | $61,378,000 | -7.5% |
| 17. | Tunisia | $58,848,000 | +65.2% |
| 18. | Afghanistan | $50,291,000 | +108.3% |
| 19. | Egypt | $40,415,000 | -17.5% |
| 20. | Germany | $39,134,000 | -6% |
| 21. | Turkmenistan | $37,725,000 | +65.4% |
| 22. | Belarus | $37,081,000 | -38.7% |
| 23. | India | $35,568,000 | +24.2% |
| 24. | Albania | $33,249,000 | +8.6% |
| 25. | Armenia | $30,316,000 | +37.4% |
| 26. | Guatemala | $29,407,000 | +12.3% |
| 27. | Syrian Arab Republic | $27,184,000 | -2.1% |
| 28. | Malaysia | $26,736,000 | -7.5% |
| 29. | Dominican Republic | $21,419,000 | +20.5% |
| 30. | Austria | $21,062,000 | -8.6% |
| 31. | Kazakhstan | $20,952,000 | +25.6% |
| 32. | Senegal | $16,069,000 | +57.6% |
| 33. | Iran | $15,082,000 | -75.4% |
| 34. | Bulgaria | $13,568,000 | +10.9% |
| 35. | Lithuania | $12,873,000 | +2.8% |
| 36. | Hungary | $12,730,000 | +3.6% |
| 37. | South Korea | $12,545,000 | -15.3% |
| 38. | Greece | $12,398,000 | +2.3% |
| 39. | Slovakia | $10,898,000 | -13.3% |
| 40. | Czech Republic | $10,365,000 | +6.8% |
| 41. | Latvia | $10,290,000 | +7.3% |
| 42. | North Macedonia | $9,890,000 | -14.6% |
| 43. | Honduras | $9,496,000 | +15.6% |
| 44. | Croatia | $8,818,000 | +41.5% |
| 45. | United Kingdom | $8,488,000 | -17.5% |
| 46. | Uganda | $8,167,000 | +164.4% |
| 47. | South Africa | $7,861,000 | -5.8% |
| 48. | Russia | $6,784,000 | +23.2% |
| 49. | New Zealand | $6,741,000 | -13.9% |
| 50. | Ukraine | $4,828,000 | -9% |
| 51. | Denmark | $4,317,000 | +120% |
| 52. | Ethiopia | $4,078,000 | -46.9% |
| 53. | Pakistan | $3,630,000 | -30.8% |
| 54. | Serbia | $2,827,000 | -45.9% |
| 55. | Slovenia | $2,787,000 | -17.9% |
| 56. | Namibia | $2,704,000 | +109.1% |
| 57. | Argentina | $2,196,000 | +50.8% |
| 58. | Australia | $2,027,000 | -10.5% |
| 59. | Georgia | $1,680,000 | -20.9% |
| 60. | Romania | $1,596,000 | -5.5% |
| 61. | Sweden | $1,582,000 | -3.1% |
| 62. | Brazil | $1,496,000 | +154% |
| 63. | Luxembourg | $1,464,000 | -12.3% |
| 64. | Ireland | $1,363,000 | -5.3% |
| 65. | Peru | $1,220,000 | +107.5% |
| 66. | Finland | $946,000 | +8.7% |
| 67. | Israel | $821,000 | -23.3% |
| 68. | Japan | $779,000 | +257.3% |
| 69. | Vietnam | $643,000 | +15% |
| 70. | Palestine | $619,000 | -83.1% |
| 71. | Indonesia | $590,000 | +47.9% |
| 72. | Colombia | $573,000 | -41.6% |
| 73. | Estonia | $553,000 | -9.9% |
| 74. | Thailand | $495,000 | -22.2% |
| 75. | Myanmar | $411,000 | +295.2% |
| 76. | Lebanon | $302,000 | -63.5% |
| 77. | Taiwan | $302,000 | -18.4% |
| 78. | Kyrgyzstan | $266,000 | -71.3% |
| 79. | Ecuador | $154,000 | 0% |
| 80. | Switzerland | $119,000 | -35% |
| 81. | Singapore | $113,000 | -12.4% |
| 82. | Mauritania | $113,000 | 0% |
| 83. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $107,000 | -11.6% |
| 84. | Nicaragua | $91,000 | -50.8% |
| 85. | Oman | $88,000 | -94.9% |
| 86. | Micronesia | $84,000 | 0% |
| 87. | Costa Rica | $74,000 | +13.8% |
| 88. | Iraq | $69,000 | +245% |
| 89. | Trinidad/Tobago | $51,000 | +2450% |
| 90. | Iceland | $47,000 | +291.7% |
| 91. | Hong Kong | $44,000 | -38% |
| 92. | Yemen | $43,000 | -61.3% |
| 93. | Mauritius | $39,000 | 0% |
| 94. | Montenegro | $18,000 | +800% |
| 95. | Uruguay | $12,000 | +200% |
| 96. | United Arab Emirates | $11,000 | -99.7% |
| 97. | Madagascar | $9,000 | -18.2% |
| 98. | Mozambique | $8,000 | -11.1% |
| 99. | Norway | $6,000 | -70% |
| 100. | Zimbabwe | $5,000 | -82.8% |
| 101. | Ivory Coast | $4,000 | -33.3% |
| 102. | Ghana | $3,000 | -90.6% |
| 103. | Barbados | $3,000 | 0% |
| 104. | Chile | $2,000 | -85.7% |
| 105. | Tanzania | $2,000 | -97% |
| 106. | Zambia | $1,000 | 0% |
| 107. | Botswana | $1,000 | -83.3% |
| 108. | Algeria | $1,000 | -98.6% |
| 109. | Mali | $1,000 | 0% |
| 110. | Lesotho | $1,000 | 0% |
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns below. The right-most column shows the percentage change in the value of exported tomatoes from 2019 to 2020. An entry of 0% in that column means that no 2019 value is available.
See also Tomatoes Imports by Country, Asparagus Exports by Country and Top Sweet Pepper and Chili Pepper Exports
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on June 26, 2021
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on June 26, 2021
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on June 26, 2021
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on June 26, 2021
World Processing Tomato Council, World Consumption of Tomato Products 2007. Accessed on June 26, 2021 (and supplemented by additional research primarily using Wikipedia’s current descriptions of companies named in the WPTC presentation)
Wikipedia, Tomato. Accessed on June 26, 2021
