Exports of fresh apricots grew in value by an overall average 7.5% since 2017 when export sales for apricots totaled $468.8 million.
Year over year, the overall value of exported apricots rose 5.1% compared to $469.7 million in 2020.
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.
Key Geographic Facts for Exported & Imported Apricots
By value, the 5 biggest exporters of fresh apricots are Spain, Italy, Turkey, France and Greece. Combined, that leading subgroup accounted for over three-quarters (76.8%) of all apricots exported during 2021.
Applying a continental perspective, countries in Europe supplied the highest dollar worth of exported apricots during 2021 with shipments valued at $359.2 million or 72.7% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Asia (22%). Smaller percentages originated from North America (2.7%), Africa (1.9%), Oceania’s Australia and New Zealand only (0.5%), and Latin America (0.3%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.
Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of apricots in 2021 are Germany, Russia, France, Switzerland and Austria. Collectively, that quintet of top import countries bought roughly half (53.5%) of globally imported apricots as measured by dollar value.
Those percentages suggest the total 71 exporters of apricots (76.8% for corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to 139 buying countries, islands and territories. The top 5 importers account for a smaller portion of its world total at 53.5%.
As for global imports of apricots by continent, 84.6% of apricots purchased on international markets was delivered to customers in Europe well ahead of importers in Asia (11.3%), North America (2.7%), Africa (1.1%), Oceania (0.1%) led by Australia, and Latin America (0.05%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.
We calculated the average unit price paid by apricots importers to be $1,675 per ton in 2021. That dollar amount reflects 26.4% in inflation, up by 26.4% from the average tonnage rate of $1,325 during 2020.
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 2021.
- Spain: US$194.1 million (39.3% of total exported apricots)
- Italy: $66.6 million (13.5%)
- Turkey: $61.8 million (12.5%)
- France: $37.8 million (7.7%)
- Greece: $19 million (3.9%)
- United States: $13.1 million (2.7%)
- Austria: $9 million (1.8%)
- Uzbekistan: $8.25 million (1.7%)
- Iran: $8.17 million (1.7%)
- Jordan: $8.1 million (1.6%)
- Netherlands: $7.1 million (1.4%)
- Germany: $6 million (1.2%)
- South Africa: $5.9 million (1.2%)
- Armenia: $5.7 million (1.1%)
- Belgium: $3.74 million (0.8%)
- Afghanistan: $3.73 million (0.8%)
- United Arab Emirates: $3.5 million (0.7%)
- Serbia: $3.4 million (0.7%)
- Tunisia: $3.2 million (0.7%)
- Moldova: $2.9 million (0.6%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 95.4% of globally exported apricots in 2021.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing apricots exporters since 2020 were: United States of America (up 55.7%), Armenia (up 46.7%), France (up 28.7%) and Serbia (up 26.5%).
Major suppliers that posted declines in their exported apricots sales were: Uzbekistan (down -83.2%), Afghanistan (down -69.9%), Iran (down -54.4%), Greece (down -20.1%) and Germany (down -2.1%).
Top Apricots Imports by Country
The overall cost for imported apricots came to US$497.4 million advancing by 6.1% over the 5-year period starting in 2017 and growing by 3.8% year over year since 2020.
Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of apricots imported during 2021.
- Germany: US$113.5 million (22.8% of total imported apricots)
- Russia: $55.8 million (11.2%)
- France: $38.1 million (7.7%)
- Switzerland: $31.4 million (6.3%)
- Austria: $27.3 million (5.5%)
- Italy: $21.6 million (4.3%)
- United Kingdom: $18.1 million (3.6%)
- Poland: $15.1 million (3%)
- Belgium: $14.6 million (2.9%)
- Iraq: $13.7 million (2.8%)
- Czech Republic: $13.2 million (2.7%)
- Saudi Arabia: $10.3 million (2.1%)
- Romania: $9.7 million (1.9%)
- Netherlands: $8.8 million (1.8%)
- Canada: $8.3 million (1.7%)
- Kuwait: $6.6 million (1.3%)
- Ukraine: $6.4 million (1.3%)
- United Arab Emirates: $5.3 million (1.1%)
- Kazakhstan: $5 million (1%)
- Croatia: $4.8 million (1%)
By value, the listed 20 countries bought 86.0% of globally imported apricots in 2021.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing apricots importers since 2020 were: Croatia (up 56.5%), Switzerland (up 51.3%), Saudi Arabia (up 36.2%) and Poland (up 32.5%).
Leading suppliers that posted double-digit declines in their imported apricots purchases were: Kazakhstan (down -66%), Iraq (down -36.3%), Ukraine (down -17.8%), Italy (down -13.6%) and Romania (down -10.1%).
Lowest and Highest Unit Prices for Imported Apricots
In 2021, the world’s average unit price for imported fresh apricots was US$1,675 per ton.
The average tonnage charge for the number one apricots importer, Germany, was much higher at $2,414.
Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported apricots in 2021.
- Mauritania: US$115 per ton (2020 data unavailable from 2020)
- Tajikistan: $176 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- South Africa: $286 per ton (down -81.5%)
- Pakistan: $291 per ton (down -62.3%)
- Lebanon: $409 per ton (down -18.2%)
- Georgia: $433 per ton (down -2.9%)
- Syrian Arab Republic: $452 per ton (up 30.3%)
- Lesotho: $500 per ton (down -75%)
- Niger: $500 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Albania: $571 per ton (down -13%)
- Iraq: $589 per ton (down -10.4%)
- Kazakhstan: $589 per ton (up 43.7%)
- Eswatini: $625 per ton (down -50%)
- Bulgaria: $685 per ton (up 18.7%)
- Kyrgyzstan: $686 per ton (up 43.8%)
Benefiting from double-digit reductions in average unit price paid per ton for apricots from 2020 to 2021 were low-cost importers South Africa (down -81.5%), Lesotho (down -75%), Pakistan (down -62.3%), Eswatini (down -50%), Lebanon (down -18.2%), Albania (down -13%) and Iraq (down -10.4%).
The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported apricots, much higher than the overall world average of $1,675 per ton.
- Finland: US$14,247 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- China: $11,000 per ton (up 120% from 2020)
- New Caledonia: $10,000 per ton (up 141.4%)
- Maldives: $9,625 per ton (up 43.7%)
- French Polynesia: $8,000 per ton (up 23.1%)
- Bermuda: $7,000 per ton (down -19.2%)
- Indonesia: $6,364 per ton (down -4.5%)
- Sri Lanka: $6,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Costa Rica: $6,000 per ton (up 50%)
- Singapore: $5,065 per ton (up 8.4%)
- Brunei Darussalam: $5,000 per ton (down -22%)
- Fiji: $5,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Seychelles: $5,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Mauritius: $4,889 per ton (down -34.4%)
- Dominican Republic: $4,500 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
Five importers paid above-average unit prices in 2021 greater than in 2020 by double-digit percentages. These were apricots buyers in New Caledonia (up 141.4%), mainland China (up 120%), Costa Rica (up 50%), Maldives (up 43.7%) and French Polynesia (up 23.1%).
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 December 23, 2022
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on December 23, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on December 23, 2022
Wikipedia, Apricot. Accessed on December 23, 2022
