
Unless otherwise specified in this article, peaches mean peaches and nectarines.
Exports of fresh peaches grew in value by an overall average 12.9% since 2016 when export sales for peaches were $2.1 billion.
From 2019 to 2020, the overall value of exported peaches grew by 9.8%.
Peaches and nectarines are the same species of juicy fruits, albeit they are sold commercially as different products. Another difference is that peach skin is fuzzy while nectarines typically have smooth skin.
By value, the 5 biggest exporters of fresh peaches (Spain, Turkey, China, Chile and Italy) shipped 63.2% of all peaches exported during 2020.
Applying a continental perspective, countries in Europe supplied the highest dollar worth of exported peaches during 2020 with shipments valued at $1.4 billion or 59.3% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Asia (25.4%), Latin America (5.7%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, North America (5.2%), Africa (2.4%), and Oceania (1.9%) mostly Australia and New Zealand only.
Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of peaches in 2020 are Germany, Russia, France, Italy and the United Kingdom. Combined, that quintet of top import countries bought 44.8% of globally imported peaches as measured by dollar value.
Those percentages suggest the total 90 exporters of peaches (63.2% for corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to 178 buying countries, islands and territories. The top 5 importers account for a smaller portion of its world total at 44.8%.
As for global imports of peaches by continent, 72.6% of peaches purchased on international markets was delivered to customers in Europe trailed by importers in Asia (17.2%), North America (7.9%), Latin America (1.3%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (0.8%), and Oceania (0.3%) led by Australia.
We calculated the average unit price paid by peaches importers to be $1,469 per ton in 2020. That dollar amount reflects a 13.6% increase from the average tonnage rate of $1,293 during 2019.
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 080930 for fresh peaches including nectarines.
Top Peaches Exports by Country
Below are the top 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of fresh peaches during 2020.
- Spain: US$971.2 million (40.5% of total exported peaches)
- Turkey: $152.1 million (6.4%)
- China: $135.1 million (5.6%)
- Chile: $131.7 million (5.5%)
- Italy: $124.2 million (5.2%)
- United States: $123.4 million (5.2%)
- Greece: $115.9 million (4.8%)
- Iran: $68.7 million (2.9%)
- Uzbekistan: $64.9 million (2.7%)
- Jordan: $55.1 million (2.3%)
- France: $50.5 million (2.1%)
- Hong Kong: $48.1 million (2%)
- Australia: $44.6 million (1.9%)
- Netherlands: $41.3 million (1.7%)
- South Africa: $36.9 million (1.5%)
- Germany: $26.2 million (1.1%)
- Serbia: $23.3 million (1%)
- Georgia: $21.3 million (0.9%)
- Japan: $17.5 million (0.7%)
- Egypt: $13.9 million (0.6%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 94.6% of globally exported peaches in 2020.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of peaches since 2019 were: Georgia (up 70.5%), Turkey (up 69.5%), Uzbekistan (up 40.9%), Greece (up 32.7%), Serbia (also up 32.7%) and Chile (up 18.8%).
Posting the greatest declines in their exported peaches sales were: mainland China (down -31.6%), Egypt (down -16.8%), Italy (down -16.5%), Australia (down -9.1%), Netherlands (down -6.9%) then the United States of America (down -6.2%).
Top Peaches Imports by Country
The overall cost for imported peaches expanded by 12.7% over the 5-year period starting in 2016 and accelerated by 8% year over year since 2019.
Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of peaches imported during 2020.
- Germany: US$418.3 million (16% of total imported peaches)
- Russia: $272.6 million (10.5%)
- France: $206.9 million (7.9%)
- Italy: $140 million (5.4%)
- United Kingdom: $131.3 million (5%)
- China: $93 million (3.6%)
- Poland: $92.5 million (3.5%)
- Hong Kong: $86.4 million (3.3%)
- Canada: $85 million (3.3%)
- United States: $80.7 million (3.1%)
- Netherlands: $73.4 million (2.8%)
- Switzerland: $63.3 million (2.4%)
- Belgium: $62.8 million (2.4%)
- Iraq: $59.5 million (2.3%)
- Portugal: $51.3 million (2%)
- Taiwan: $47.3 million (1.8%)
- Ukraine: $43.8 million (1.7%)
- Romania: $40.9 million (1.6%)
- Mexico: $39.9 million (1.5%)
- Austria: $36.8 million (1.4%)
By value, the listed 20 countries bought 81.5% of globally imported peaches in 2020.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing peaches importers since 2019 were: Iraq (up 45.6%), Italy (up 35.2%), Russia (up 27.4%) and Portugal (up 26.9%).
Those countries that posted declines in their imported peaches purchases were led by: Mexico (down -20.6%), Poland (down -10.9%), United Kingdom (down -8.7%), United States (down -7.7%) and Netherlands (down -5.1%).
Lowest and Highest Unit Prices for Imported Peaches
In 2020, the world’s average unit price for imported fresh peaches was US$1,469 per ton.
The average tonnage charge for the number one peaches importer, Germany, was higher at $1,784.
Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported peaches in 2020.
- Georgia: US$194 per ton (down -46.1% from 2019)
- Burkina Faso: $200 per ton (2019 data unavailable)
- Mongolia: $278 per ton (up 6.1%)
- Nigeria: $294 per ton (down -68.5%)
- Paraguay: $329 per ton (up 3.1%)
- Lesotho: $363 per ton (down -4.2%)
- Bulgaria: $365 per ton (up 28.5%)
- Lebanon: $462 per ton (up 37.9%)
- Jamaica: $468 per ton (up 22.8%)
- Albania: $502 per ton (up 4.6%)
- Kyrgyzstan: $504 per ton (up 4.1%)
- Bosnia/Herzegovina: $505 per ton (up 12.2%)
- Pakistan: $533 per ton (2019 data unavailable)
- North Macedonia: $546 per ton (up 101.5%)
- Kazakhstan: $560 per ton (down -28.9%)
Posting reductions in average unit price paid per ton for peaches from 2019 to 2020 were 4 low-cost importers namely: Nigeria (down -68.5%), Georgia (down -46.1%), Kazakhstan (down -28.9%) and Lesotho (down -4.2%).
The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported peaches.
- US Minor Outlying Islands: US$7,500 per ton (2019 data unavailable)
- Maldives: $7,333 per ton (up 7.4% from 2019)
- Solomon Islands: $6,000 per ton (up 50%)
- Myanmar: $5,583 per ton (down -10.7%)
- Japan: $5,421 per ton (down -7.6%)
- Fiji: $4,857 per ton (up 46.5%)
- Seychelles: $4,458 per ton (up 15.5%)
- Australia: $4,203 per ton (up 10%)
- Nauru: $4,000 per ton (2019 data unavailable)
- Tonga: $4,000 per ton (2019 data unavailable)
- French Polynesia: $3,844 per ton (down -3.9%)
- Bermuda: $3,722 per ton (up 21%)
- Iceland: $3,529 per ton (up 86.9%)
- Mozambique: $3,500 per ton (down -13.8%)
- Saint Lucia: $3,500 per ton (up 7.7%)
There were 6 double-digit increases in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2020 compared to 2019 experienced by importers in: Iceland (up 86.9%), Solomon Islands (up 50%), Fiji (up 46.5%), Bermuda (up 21%), Seychelles (up 15.5%) and Australia (up 10%).
Related Read: Top Cranberries Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices
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 Apricots Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Peaches Showroom. Accessed on May 13, 2022
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on May 13, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 13, 2022
Wikipedia, Peach. Accessed on May 13, 2022