Exports of fresh apricots grew in value by an overall average 9.9% since 2016 when export sales for apricots were $425.4 million.
From 2019 to 2020, the overall value of exported apricots declined by -1.4%.
Resembling a small peach, an apricot comes in different varieties with flesh that can range from juicy to dry. The taste of apricots also varies from sweet to tart.
By value, the 5 biggest exporters of fresh apricots (Spain, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Italy and France) approach almost three-quarters (72.6%) of all apricots exported during 2020.
Applying a continental perspective, countries in Europe supplied the highest dollar worth of exported apricots during 2020 with shipments valued at $291.5 million or 62.3% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Asia (33.2%). Tinier percentages originated from North America (1.8%), Oceania (1.14%) Australia and New Zealand only, Africa (1.12%) and Latin America (0.4%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.
Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of apricots in 2020 are Germany, Russia, France, Italy and Iraq. Collectively, that quintet of top import countries bought roughly half (50.8%) of globally imported apricots as measured by dollar value.
Those percentages suggest the total 68 exporters of apricots (72.6% for corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to 127 buying countries, islands and territories. The top 5 importers account for a smaller portion of its world total at 50.8%.
As for global imports of apricots by continent, 79.7% of apricots purchased on international markets was delivered to customers in Europe well ahead of importers in Asia (16.9%), North America (2.1%), Africa (0.8%), Oceania (0.4%) led by Australia, and Latin America (0.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.
We calculated the average unit price paid by apricots importers to be $1,380 per ton in 2020. That dollar amount reflects a 12.4% increase from the average tonnage rate of $1,228 during 2019.
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 080910 for fresh apricots.
Top Apricots Exports by Country
Below are the top 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of fresh apricots during 2020.
- Spain: US$169.7 million (36.3% of total exported apricots)
- Turkey: $55.6 million (11.9%)
- Uzbekistan: $49.1 million (10.5%)
- Italy: $35.7 million (7.6%)
- France: $29.4 million (6.3%)
- Greece: $23.8 million (5.1%)
- Iran: $17.9 million (3.8%)
- Afghanistan: $12.4 million (2.6%)
- United States: $8.4 million (1.8%)
- Jordan: $7.2 million (1.5%)
- Netherlands: $6.5 million (1.4%)
- Germany: $6.1 million (1.3%)
- Austria: $4.9 million (1.1%)
- South Africa: $4.7 million (1%)
- Armenia: $3.9 million (0.8%)
- Belgium: $3.3 million (0.7%)
- Australia: $2.9 million (0.6%)
- Serbia: $2.7 million (0.6%)
- New Zealand: $2.4 million (0.5%)
- Syria: $1.8 million (0.4%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 95.9% of globally exported apricots in 2020.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of apricots since 2019 were: Syria (up 180.9%), New Zealand (up 76.3%), Turkey (up 46.1%), Australia (up 41%), Austria (up 28.9%), Greece (up 26.8%) and Belgium (up 22.2%).
Seven countries endured double-digit declines in their exported apricots sales namely: Jordan (down -49.1%), Serbia (down -48.9%), Italy (down -44.7%), Uzbekistan (down -27.1%), Armenia (down -26.1%), France (down -20.9%) then the United States of America (down -20.3%).
Top Apricots Imports by Country
The overall cost for imported apricots rose by 12.6% over the 5-year period starting in 2016 and grew by 3.8% year over year since 2019.
Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of apricots imported during 2020.
- Germany: US$102.7 million (21.4% of total imported apricots)
- Russia: $57.4 million (12%)
- France: $35.5 million (7.4%)
- Italy: $26.5 million (5.5%)
- Iraq: $21.5 million (4.5%)
- Austria: $21.1 million (4.4%)
- Switzerland: $20.8 million (4.3%)
- United Kingdom: $18.7 million (3.9%)
- Kazakhstan: $14.6 million (3%)
- Belgium: $11.8 million (2.5%)
- Pakistan: $11.6 million (2.4%)
- Poland: $11.4 million (2.4%)
- Romania: $10.8 million (2.2%)
- Czech Republic: $10.2 million (2.1%)
- Netherlands: $8.4 million (1.8%)
- Ukraine: $7.8 million (1.6%)
- Saudi Arabia: $7.6 million (1.6%)
- Kuwait: $7.3 million (1.5%)
- Canada: $7.2 million (1.5%)
- United Arab Emirates: $4.8 million (1%)
By value, the listed 20 countries bought 87% of globally imported apricots in 2020.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing apricots importers since 2019 were: Iraq (up 122.9%), Italy (up 66%), France (up 47.9%) and United Arab Emirates (up 34.1%).
Those countries that posted declines in their imported apricots purchases were led by: Kazakhstan (down -40.7%), Poland (down -32.6%), Czech Republic (down -25%), Belgium (down -24%) and Canada (down -14.7%).
Lowest and Highest Unit Prices for Imported Apricots
In 2020, the world’s average unit price for imported fresh apricots was US$1,330 per ton.
The average tonnage charge for the number one apricots importer, Germany, was much higher at $2,196.
Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported apricots in 2020.
- North Macedonia: US$324 per ton (up 17.8% from 2019)
- Syria: $347 per ton (up 61.4%)
- Kazakhstan: $410 per ton (down -39%)
- Georgia: $446 per ton (down -7.7%)
- Kyrgyzstan: $477 per ton (down -7.7%)
- Lebanon: $500 per ton (up 93.8%)
- Kenya: $500 per ton (down -46.9%)
- Angola: $500 per ton (down -83.3%)
- Bulgaria: $577 per ton (up 69.7%)
- Iraq: $657 per ton (up 145.1%)
- Albania: $662 per ton (up 2.8%)
- Zambia: $667 per ton (down -69.2%)
- Saudi Arabia: $699 per ton (down -6.7%)
- Bosnia/Herzegovina: $717 per ton (up 61.1%)
- Pakistan: $771 per ton (up 2%)
Realizing double-digit reductions in average unit price paid per ton for apricots from 2019 to 2020 were low-cost importers Angola (down -83.3%), Zambia (down -69.2%), Kenya (down -46.9%) and Kazakhstan (down -39%).
The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported apricots.
- Cambodia: US$9,000 per ton (up 350% from 2019)
- Bermuda: $8,667 per ton (up 89.6%)
- Mauritius: $7,455 per ton (up 156.3%)
- Barbados: $7,000 per ton (2019 data unavailable)
- Maldives: $6,700 per ton (down -17.8%)
- Indonesia: $6,667 per ton (2019 data unavailable)
- French Polynesia: $6,500 per ton (down -18.8%)
- Brunei Darussalam: $6,412 per ton (down -10.9%)
- China: $5,000 per ton (up 14.3%)
- Seychelles: $5,000 per ton (up 11.1%)
- Faroe Islands: $5,000 per ton (up 66.7%)
- Fiji: $5,000 per ton (up 66.7%)
- United States: $4,693 per ton (up 8.9%)
- Singapore: $4,674 per ton (up 16.4%)
- Malaysia: $4,654 per ton (up 13.4%)
The 6 strongest accelerations in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2020 compared to 2019 were experienced by importers in Cambodia (up 350%), Mauritius (up 156.3%), Bermuda (up 89.6%), Faroe Islands (up 66.7%), Fiji (also up 66.7%) and Singapore (up 16.4%).
See also Top Plums Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Apples Exports by Country, Top Pears Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Strawberries Exporters by Country, Sweet Cherries Exports by Country and Top Jams Exporting Countries
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Apricots Showroom. Accessed on February 7, 2022
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on February 7, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on February 7, 2022
Wikipedia, Apricot. Accessed on February 7, 2022
