Unless otherwise specified in this article, peaches mean peaches and nectarines.
Exports of fresh peaches grew in value by an overall average 11.5% since 2017 when export sales for peaches were $2.23 billion.
Year over year, the overall value of exported peaches grew by 3.3% compared to $2.4 billion for 2020.
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.
Key Geographic Insights for Peaches Exports & Imports
By value, the 5 biggest exporters of fresh peaches are Spain, Turkey, Italy, United States of America, and Chile. Combined, this leading subgroup shipped more than two-thirds (69.1%) of all peaches exported during 2021.
Applying a continental perspective, countries in Europe supplied the highest dollar worth of exported peaches during 2021 with shipments valued at $1.54 billion or 61.9% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Asia (21.2%), North America (6.5%), Latin America (4.9%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (3.4%), and Oceania (2.1%) Australia and New Zealand only.
Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of peaches in 2021 are Germany, Russia, France, Italy and the United Kingdom. Combined, that quintet of peaches importing countries bought 44.4% of globally imported peaches as measured by dollar value.
As for global imports of peaches by continent, 73.9% of peaches purchased on international markets was delivered to customers in Europe trailed by importers in Asia (14.7%), North America (8.9%), Latin America (1.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (1%), then Oceania (0.3%) led by Australia.
Those percentages suggest the total 92 exporters of peaches (69.1% for corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to 179 buying countries, islands and territories. The top 5 importers account for a smaller portion of its world total at 44.4%.
We calculated the average unit price paid by peaches importers to be $1,628 per ton in 2021. That dollar amount reflects a 12.4% inflationary rise from the average tonnage rate of $1,448 during 2020.
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 2021.
- Spain: US$1.1 billion (44.5% of total exported peaches)
- Turkey: $169.1 million (6.8%)
- Italy: $162.5 million (6.5%)
- United States: $160.3 million (6.5%)
- Chile: $118.5 million (4.8%)
- China: $64.8 million (2.6%)
- Greece: $57.5 million (2.3%)
- South Africa: $56.2 million (2.3%)
- France: $53.7 million (2.2%)
- Hong Kong,: $51.5 million (2.1%)
- Australia: $50.9 million (2%)
- Iran: $46.4 million (1.9%)
- Netherlands: $46.2 million (1.9%)
- Uzbekistan: $43.9 million (1.8%)
- Jordan: $31.8 million (1.3%)
- Azerbaijan: $29.2 million (1.2%)
- Georgia: $28.9 million (1.2%)
- Germany: $22.4 million (0.9%)
- Japan: $21.2 million (0.9%)
- Serbia: $19.9 million (0.8%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 94.2% of globally exported peaches in 2021.
Among the top suppliers, the fastest-growing peaches exporters since 2020 were: Japan (up 20.8%), Australia (up 14%), Spain (up 13.8%) and the Netherlands (up 11.8%).
Those countries that posted declines in their exported peaches sales were led by: mainland China (down -52%), Greece (down -50.4%), Jordan (down -42.3%), Iran (down -32.6%) and Uzbekistan (down -32.4%).
Top Peaches Imports by Country
The overall cost for imported peaches was $2.64 billion expanded by 8.5% over the 5-year period starting in 2017 and flatlined via a 1.9% upturn year over year since 2020.
Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of peaches imported during 2021.
- Germany: US$409.1 million (15.4% of total imported peaches)
- Russia: $282.7 million (10.6%)
- France: $231.1 million (8.7%)
- Italy: $137 million (5.1%)
- United Kingdom: $123.3 million (4.6%)
- Poland: $113.9 million (4.3%)
- United States: $86.2 million (3.2%)
- Hong Kong: $85.7 million (3.2%)
- Netherlands: $84.7 million (3.2%)
- Canada: $83.5 million (3.1%)
- China: $79.4 million (3%)
- Belgium: $71.9 million (2.7%)
- Mexico: $68.1 million (2.6%)
- Switzerland: $63.5 million (2.4%)
- Taiwan: $53.3 million (2%)
- Romania: $51.4 million (1.9%)
- Portugal: $45.9 million (1.7%)
- Austria: $40.5 million (1.5%)
- Ukraine: $33.6 million (1.3%)
- Czech Republic: $33.4 million (1.3%)
By value, the listed 20 countries bought 81.8% of globally imported peaches in 2021.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing peaches importers since 2020 were: Mexico (up 70.7%), Romania (up 25.8%), Poland (up 23.1%) and the Netherlands (up 15.4%).
Those countries that posted declines in their imported peaches purchases were led by: Ukraine (down -23.1%), mainland China (down -14.6%), Portugal (down -10.5%), United Kingdom (down -6.1%) and Italy (down -4.7%).
Lowest and Highest Unit Prices for Imported Peaches
In 2021, the world’s average unit price for imported fresh peaches was US$1,628 per ton up by 12.4% from an average $1,448 one year earlier.
The average tonnage charge for the number one peaches importer, Germany, was above average at $1,941.
Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported peaches in 2021.
- Mongolia: US$270 per ton (down -2.9% from 2020)
- Georgia: $296 per ton (up 52.6%)
- Laos: $308 per ton (down -2.2%)
- Paraguay: $382 per ton (up 16.1%)
- Albania: $424 per ton (down -14.9%)
- Kyrgyzstan: $463 per ton (down -8.1%)
- Niger: $500 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Armenia: $559 per ton (down -15%)
- Bulgaria: $571 per ton (up 56%)
- Bolivia: $595 per ton (down -1.7%)
- Lesotho: $595 per ton (up 63.9%)
- Iraq: $614 per ton (down -13.5%)
- Bosnia & Herzegovina: $646 per ton (up 27.9%)
- Suriname: $667 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Libya: $696 per ton (up 2.4%)
Posting double-digit reductions in average unit price paid per ton for peaches from 2020 to 2021 were 3 low-cost importers namely: Armenia (down -15%), Albania (down -14.9%) and Iraq (down -13.5%).
The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported peaches.
- Timor-Leste: US$12,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Maldives: $8,203 per ton (up 11.9% from 2020)
- Myanmar: $7,000 per ton (up 25.4%)
- Fiji: $6,571 per ton (up 35.3%)
- Japan: $6,271 per ton (up 15.7%)
- St Vincent & Grenadines: $6,000 per ton (up 100%)
- Indonesia: $5,602 per ton (up 70.7%)
- Liberia: $5,500 per ton (up 135.7%)
- Australia: $4,765 per ton (up 13.4%)
- Brunei Darussalam: $4,513 per ton (up 52%)
- Mozambique: $4,250 per ton (up 21.4%)
- British Virgin Islands: $4,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Cook Islands: $4,000 per ton (up 33.3%)
- Nepal: $4,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Singapore: $3,949 per ton (up 20.6%)
The strongest inflation in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2021 compared to 2020 experienced by importers in: Liberia (up 135.7%), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (up 100%), Indonesia (up 70.7%), Brunei Darussalam (up 52%), Fiji (up 35.3%) and the Cook Islands (up 33.3%).
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 December 24, 2022
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on December 24, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on December 24, 2022
Wikipedia, Peach. Accessed on December 24, 2022
