Exports of fresh apricots fell in value by an average -4.3% since 2018 when export sales for apricots were $483.9 million.
Year over year, the overall value of exported apricots declined by -9% compared to $509.2 million in international sales for 2021.
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, Italy, Türkiye, France and Greece) approach three-quarters (73.5%) of all apricots exported during 2022.
Applying a continental perspective, countries in Europe supplied the highest dollar worth of exported apricots during 2022 with shipments valued at $305.1 million or 65.9% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Asia (29.3%). Tinier percentages originated from providers in North America (2.2%), Africa (1.7%), Latin America (0.6%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania’s New Zealand and Australia only (0.3%).
Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of apricots in 2022 are Germany, Russia, Austria, France and the United Kingdom. Collectively, that quintet of top import countries bought over half (55.6%) of globally imported apricots as measured by dollar value.
Those percentages suggest the total 72 exporters of apricots (73.5% for corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to 130 buying countries, islands and territories. The top 5 importers account for a smaller portion of its world total at 55.6%.
As for global imports of apricots by continent, 86.3% of apricots purchased on international markets was delivered to customers in Europe. That percentage is well ahead of importers in Asia (10.4%), North America (2.6%), Africa (0.5%), Oceania (0.2%) led by Australia, and Latin America (0.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.
The average unit price paid by apricots importers was $1,393 per ton in 2022. That dollar amount reflects a -16.5% drop from the average tonnage rate of $1,669 during 2021.
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 2022.
- Spain: US$118 million (25.5% of total apricot exports)
- Italy: $86.8 million (18.7%)
- Türkiye: $82.6 million (17.8%)
- France: $31.1 million (6.7%)
- Greece: $22.3 million (4.8%)
- Jordan: $12.7 million (2.7%)
- Afghanistan: $12.5 million (2.7%)
- Austria: $12.3 million (2.7%)
- United States: $10.4 million (2.2%)
- Armenia: $8.8 million (1.9%)
- South Africa: $7.2 million (1.5%)
- Uzbekistan: $5.9 million (1.3%)
- Serbia: $5.6 million (1.2%)
- Netherlands: $5.6 million (1.2%)
- Lebanon: $4.1 million (0.9%)
- Moldova: $4.02 million (0.9%)
- Germany: $3.97 million (0.9%)
- Belgium: $3.97 million (0.9%)
- Azerbaijan: $3.4 million (0.7%)
- Kyrgyzstan: $3.3 million (0.7%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 95.9% of globally exported apricots in 2022.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing apricots exporters since 2021 were: Armenia (up 55.5%), Moldova (up 37.1%), Azerbaijan (up 35.8%) and Türkiye (up 33.5%).
Major suppliers that posted declines in their exported apricots sales were led by: Jordan (down -49.3% from 2021), Spain (down -39.2%), Germany (down -34.2%), Uzbekistan (down -28.1%) and the Netherlands (down -21.4%).
Top Apricots Imports by Country
The overall cost for imported apricots fell by -3.7% over the 5-year period starting in 2018 and reduced by -5.7% since 2021.
Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of apricots imported during 2022.
- Germany: US$108.7 million (23.4% of total apricots imports)
- Russia: $80.3 million (17.3%)
- Austria: $26.2 million (5.6%)
- France: $22.3 million (4.8%)
- United Kingdom: $21.2 million (4.6%)
- Switzerland: $17.3 million (3.7%)
- Italy: $14.4 million (3.1%)
- Poland: $13.9 million (3%)
- Czech Republic: $13.6 million (2.9%)
- Saudi Arabia: $11.7 million (2.5%)
- Belgium: $11.2 million (2.4%)
- Pakistan: $11.1 million (2.4%)
- Romania: $11 million (2.4%)
- Netherlands: $8.6 million (1.9%)
- Canada: $7.6 million (1.6%)
- Ukraine: $6.1 million (1.3%)
- United Arab Emirates: $5 million (1.1%)
- Iraq: $4.6 million (1%)
- Croatia: $4.4 million (0.9%)
- Slovakia: $4 million (0.9%)
By value, the listed 20 countries bought 86.7% of globally imported apricots in 2022.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing importers of apricots since 2021 were: Pakistan (up 277%), Russia (up 43.8%), United Kingdom (up 22%) and Saudi Arabia (up 13.8%).
Those buyer countries that posted declines in their imported apricots purchases were led by: Iraq (down -66.7% from 2021), Switzerland (down -44.8%), France (down -40.4%), Italy (down -30.2%) and Belgium (down -23.2%).
Lowest and Highest Unit Prices for Imported Apricots
In 2022, the world’s average unit price for imported fresh apricots was US$1,393 per ton. That tonnage charge is -16.5% lower than the average $1,669 one year earlier for 2021.
The average tonnage charge for the number one apricots importer, Germany, was higher at $2,107.
Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported apricots in 2022.
- Syria: US$118 per ton (down -73.9% from 2021)
- Iraq: $176 per ton (down -70.1%)
- South Africa: $216 per ton (down -24.5%)
- Pakistan: $398 per ton (up 36.8%)
- North Macedonia: $407 per ton (down -44.9%)
- Georgia: $453 per ton (up 4.6%)
- Kyrgyzstan: $541 per ton (down -21.1%)
- Bosnia/Herzegovina: $570 per ton (down -34.8%)
- Senegal: $667 per ton (down -33.3%)
- Bulgaria: $672 per ton (up 0.7%)
- Mali: $778 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
- Botswana: $889 per ton (down -45.5%)
- Montenegro: $900 per ton (down -24.2%)
- Ukraine: $918 per ton (up 14.6%)
- Morocco: $1,000 per ton (same as 2021)
Realizing double-digit reductions in average unit price paid per ton for apricots from 2021 to 2022 were low-cost importers Syria (down -73.9% from 2021), Iraq (down -70.1%), Botswana (down -45.5%) and North Macedonia (down -44.9%).
The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported apricots.
- Thailand: US$12,000 per ton (up 300% from 2021)
- Brunei Darussalam: $9,333 per ton (up 86.7%)
- Dominican Republic: $8,000 per ton (up 77.8%)
- Maldives: $7,909 per ton (down -25.4%)
- Indonesia: $7,250 per ton (up 13.9%)
- French Polynesia: $7,000 per ton (up 100%)
- Vietnam: $6,250 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
- Singapore: $6,021 per ton (up 18.9%)
- China: $6,000 per ton (down -45.5%)
- Bermuda: $5,429 per ton (down -22.4%)
- Ivory Coast: $5,250 per ton (down -30%)
- Cambodia: $5,250 per ton (up 162.5%)
- Hong Kong: $5,163 per ton (up 20.6%)
- Mauritius: $5,130 per ton (up 4.9%)
- Greenland: $5,000 per ton (up 25%)
The strongest accelerations in terms of higher average unit prices in 2022 compared to 2021 were paid by importers in Thailand (up 300%), Cambodia (up 162.5%) and French Polynesia (up 100%).
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 October 26, 2023
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on October 26, 2023
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on October 26, 2023
Wikipedia, Apricot. Accessed on October 26, 2023
