That dollar amount results from a 24.9% increase compared to $3.52 billion 5 years earlier in 2020.
Year over year, the total value of the crushed or ground spices studied in this article grew by 5.5% versus $4.1 billion starting in 2023.
The top 5 spices exports ranked by overall international sales are crushed or ground peppercorn, pepper, spice mixtures, turmeric and saffron. Collectively, those exported spice commodities represent over fourth-fifths (82.6%) of spices sold on international markets up from 82% for 2023.
In addition to total export sales, this article delves into which major spices are the biggest exports in terms of the most valuable based on unit value per ton shipped as well as shipment weight.
For research purposes, the Harmonized System (HS) codes for crushed or ground: peppercorn is 090422, spice mixtures is 091091, turmeric is 091030, pepper is 090412, saffron is 091020, cinnamon is 090620, ginger is 090620, vanilla is 090520, nutmeg is 090812, cardamoms is 090832, cumin seeds is 090932, coriander seeds is 090922, and cloves is 090720.
Top Exported Spices by Global Sales
Listed below are the most valuable crushed or ground spices exported in 2024 ranked by total sales for each product category.
Also shown is percentage that each entry represents based on the overall value of crushed or ground exported spices.
- Peppercorn: US$1.7 billion (38.3% of global total)
- Pepper $636.6 million (14.5%)
- Spice mixtures: $585.3 million (13.3%)
- Turmeric: $480.1 million (10.9%)
- Saffron: $249 million (5.7%)
- Cinnamon: $227.7 million (5.2%)
- Ginger: $177.7 million (4%)
- Cumin seeds: $136 million (3.1%)
- Nutmeg $90.3 million (2.1%)
- Vanilla: $50.5 million (1.1%)
- Coriander seeds $36 million (0.8%)
- Cardamoms: $26.5 million (0.6%)
- Cloves $22.4 million (0.5%)
In terms of revenue, double-digit gains were recorded for turmeric (up 42.1% from 2023), pepper (up 40.1%), ginger (up 19.2%), cumin seeds (up 12.3%), cinnamon (up 10.5%) then cloves (up 10.2%).
The severest decliners were the international sales for antioxidant-rich saffron (down -39.1% from 2023) generally used as a dietary supplement in capsule form, vanilla (down 6.4%) and nutmeg (down -6.2%).
Most Valuable Exported Spices by Unit Value
Below, the most valuable spices as measured by average unit price per ton shipped are showcased.
The average unit value for the crushed or ground spices categories presented in this article was US$36,207 per ton in 2024. The average unit value for spices reduced by -12.5% compared to an average $41,399 one year earlier for 2023.
Ranked in descending order, listed below are the spices with the highest unit values in 2024.
- Saffron: US$380,169 per ton (Down -14.7% from 2023)
- Vanilla: $23,265 (Down -24%)
- Mace: $18,745 (Up 41.5%)
- Nutmeg: $8,996 (Down -12.5%)
- Cloves: $8,953 (Up 2.4%)
- Pepper: $6,309 (Down -6.8%)
- Spice mixtures: $5,066 (Up 4.2%)
- Cumin seeds: $5,037 (Up 1.6%)
- Cinnamon: $4,456 (Down -19.6%)
- Ginger: $3,165 (Up 132.4%)
- Peppercorn: $2,820 (Down -5.1%)
- Turmeric $1,889 (Up 30.5%)
- Cardamoms: $1,827 (2023 data unavailable)
Just one among the listed spices recorded unit values higher than the worldwide average of $36,207 per ton. The world’s costliest spice as measured by unit price is saffron which has many health benefits but also involves higher farming expenses due to manual labour required to delicately extract by hand threads from the saffron flower.
The strongest inflation in terms of unit value per ton were generated by ginger (up 132.4% from 2023), mace (up 41.5%) and turmeric (up 30.5%).
Recording the severest declines in unit value per ton were vanilla (down -24% since 2023), cinnamon (down -19.6%), saffron (down -14.7%) then nutmeg (down -12.5%).
The trio of leading saffron exporters as measured by dollar value are Iran, Afghanistan and Spain. Those 3 countries were responsible for 83.5% of the total value of crushed or ground spices during 2024, down from 87.4% compared to 2023.
Biggest Exports of Spices by Weight
Shifting our focus to the weight of spice shipments, a total 1.18 million tons in crushed or ground spices were exported during 2024.
- Peppercorn: 597,110 tons
- Turmeric 254,143 tons
- Spice mixtures: 115,545 tons
- Pepper: 100,901 tons
- Ginger: 56,143 tons
- Cinnamon: 51,099 tons
- Cardamoms: 28,411 tons
- Cumin seeds: 26,991 tons
- Nutmeg: 10,034 tons
- Cloves: 2,500 tons
- Vanilla: 2,170 tons
- Mace: 1,919 tons
- Saffron: 655 tons
The 5 heaviest shipments of spices by tonnage are comprised of peppercorn, turmeric which is a key ingredient in curry powder, spice mixtures, pepper and ginger. Collectively, that quintet of major spices represents 90.1% of all spices shipped by weight in 2024.
By total shipment weight, the top 3 suppliers of exported peppercorn are China, India and Spain. That trio was responsible for 77.2% of the total weight of crushed or ground spices shipped during 2024, down slightly from 77.9% one year earlier.
See also Top Garlic Exports by Country, Top Ginger Exporters by Country, Onions Exports by Country, Top Pickles Exporters by Country and Top Salt Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on June 11, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on June 11, 2025
Wikipedia, Saffron. Accessed on June 11, 2025
Wikipedia, Spice. Accessed on June 11, 2025
Wikipedia, Turmeric. Accessed on June 11, 2025