
Overall exports of peppermint flatlined via an average -1.8% since 2017 when globally exported peppermint totaled $192.1 million.
From 2020 to 2021, the dollar value of peppermint exports dropped by -5.9% compared to $200.5 million for 2020.
Key Geographic Insights about Peppermint Exports & Imports
The 5 biggest peppermint exporters were India, United States of America, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. Collectively, that leading subgroup of suppliers generated 88.5% of globally exported peppermint sales during 2021.
Applying a continental lens, Asian countries sold the highest dollar worth of exported peppermint during 2021 with shipments valued at $75.1 million or 39.8% of the global total. In second place were exporters in North America at 38.5% while another 20.2% of international peppermint sales originated from Europe. Tinier percentages came from Oceania (0.8%) mostly Australia, Latin America (0.6%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Africa (0.1%).
Focusing on peppermint imports, the 5 leading importers of peppermint in 2021 were the United States of America, Germany, Japan, mainland China and Indonesia. That quintet of top buyers accounted for 42.6% of globally imported peppermint.
Those percentages suggest a much more concentrated cohort of 68 total peppermint exporters (88.5% for top 5 suppliers) compared to 143 importing countries, islands and territories for the top 5 importers (42.6%).
In addition, 40.5% of globally imported peppermint was delivered to Asian countries closely followed by importers in Europe (38.6%) then Latin America (2.2%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Oceania (1.4%) mostly Australia, and Africa (1.3%).
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 330134 for peppermint oils.
Top Peppermint Exports by Country
Below are the top 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of peppermint during 2021.
- India: US$72.7 million (38.5% of total peppermint exports)
- United States: $71.3 million (37.8%)
- Germany: $11.5 million (6.1%)
- France: $6.7 million (3.5%)
- United Kingdom: $4.8 million (2.5%)
- Netherlands: $4.6 million (2.5%)
- Croatia: $2.7 million (1.5%)
- Switzerland: $2.3 million (1.2%)
- Spain: $1.9 million (1%)
- Australia: $1.5 million (0.8%)
- Canada: $1.3 million (0.7%)
- Ireland: $1.2 million (0.7%)
- Belgium: $1.1 million (0.6%)
- Chile: $682,000 (0.4%)
- Taiwan: $573,000 (0.3%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 98% of globally exported peppermint in 2020.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing peppermint exporters since 2020 were: Ireland (up 122,700%), Canada (up 230.2%), Croatia (up 202.2%) and the Netherlands (up 98.5%).
Those countries that posted declines in their exported peppermint sales were led by: Taiwan (down -62.9%), Chile (down -38%), Belgium (also down -38%), Spain (down -24.2%) and the United States of America (down -15.6%).
Top Peppermint Imports by Country
The overall cost for imported peppermint rose by 7.8% over the 5-year period starting in 2017 but declined by -4.5% since 2020.
Below are the 15 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of peppermint imported during 2021.
- United States: US$24.6 million (13.4% of total peppermint imports)
- Germany: $14.2 million (7.7%)
- Japan: $13.6 million (7.4%)
- China: $13.4 million (7.3%)
- Indonesia: $12.3 million (6.7%)
- United Kingdom: $10 million (5.5%)
- France: $9.9 million (5.4%)
- Hong Kong: $9.6 million (5.3%)
- Netherlands: $7.6 million (4.1%)
- India: $7.2 million (3.9%)
- Malaysia: $5.4 million (2.9%)
- South Korea: $3.8 million (2.1%)
- Switzerland: $3.8 million (2.1%)
- Canada: $3.5 million (1.9%)
- Vietnam: $3 million (1.6%)
By value, the listed 15 countries bought 77.4% of globally imported peppermint in 2020.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing peppermint importers since 2020 were: Vietnam (up 44.3%), India (up 32.4%), Indonesia (up 29.9%) and Malaysia (up 23.8%).
Four major buyers posted double-digit declines in their imported peppermint purchases: Switzerland (down -49.2%), Netherlands (down -17.6%), Germany (down -15.8%) and the United Kingdom (down -14.1%).
Lowest and Highest Unit Prices for Imported Peppermint
In 2021, the world’s average unit price for imported peppermint was US$31,658 per ton. That average metric reflects a -5.5% reduction from $33,513 per ton for 2020.
The average tonnage charge for the number one peppermint importer, the United States of America, was a below-average $27,692 per ton.
Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the least expensive average unit prices for imported peppermint in 2021.
- Gambia: $500 per ton (up 150% from 2020)
- Lesotho: $667 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Zambia: $1,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Congo: $1,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Georgia: $1,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Myanmar: $2,966 per ton (down -70.3%)
- Nigeria: $3,368 per ton (up 99.3%)
- Gibraltar: $3,545 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Tanzania: $4,000 per ton (down -42.9%)
- Botswana: $6,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Saint Kitts & Nevis: $6,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Uganda: $7,000 per ton (up 10.5%)
- Oman: $8,000 per ton (up 60%)
- Nepal: $8,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Sierra Leone: US$8,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
Posting double-digit reductions in average unit price per ton for peppermint from 2020 to 2021 were low-cost importers Myanmar sometimes called Burma (down -70.3%) and Tanzania (down -42.9%).
The following countries paid for imported peppermint costing the highest average unit prices.
- Norway: US$170,000 per ton (down -51.7% from 2020)
- Croatia: $100,889 per ton (down -15.1%)
- Bulgaria: $87,750 per ton (up 156.2%)
- Romania: $72,333 per ton (down -10.1%)
- Poland: $67,143 per ton (up 12.1%)
- Czech Republic: $66,000 per ton (up 20.6%)
- Greece: $60,000 per ton (down -1.6%)
- Algeria: $59,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Sweden: $56,605 per ton (up 5.2%)
- China: $52,638 per ton (down -9.9%)
- Japan: $50,325 per ton (down -0.4%)
- Costa Rica: $48,857 per ton (up 8.9%)
- Iran: $48,000 per ton (up 54.8%)
- Hong Kong: $47,905 per ton (up 3.2%)
- Finland: $47,750 per ton (down -19.7%)
The 4 major gainers in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2021 compared to 2020 were Bulgaria (up 156.2%), Iran (up 54.8%), Czech Republic (up 20.6%) and Poland (up 12.1%).
See also Top Exported Spices by Sales, Weight and Unit Value, Cinnamon Exports by Country, Top Garlic Exports by Country, Top Ginger Exporters and Best Tofu Exports by Sales, Average Unit Prices & Weight
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Peppermint Showroom. Accessed on December 5, 2022
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on December 5, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on December 5, 2022
Wikipedia, Peppermint. Accessed on December 5, 2022