
That dollar amount reflects a 33.1% increase in value since 2016 when exported pickles amounted to $527 million. From 2019 to 2020, worldwide pickle exports appreciated by 10.4%.
The 5 biggest exporters of pickles (India, Germany, Turkey, Netherlands, United States) sold three-quarters (74.5%) of the overall international pickle sales during 2020.
Among continents, suppliers in European countries generated the highest dollar worth of exported pickles during 2020 with shipments valued at $327.7 million or 46.7% of the global total. Close behind in second place were Asian exporters at 44.9% while 7.5% of worldwide pickles shipments originated from North America.
Smaller percentages came from suppliers in Africa (0.7%), Latin America (0.13%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Australia and New Zealand in Oceania (0.05%).
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix for pickles is 200110. Technically, the product is described as cucumbers and gherkins prepared or preserved by vinegar or acetic acid.
Top Pickles Exporters by Country
Countries
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of pickles during 2020.
- India: US$137.1 million (19.5% of total exported pickles)
- Germany: $135.4 million (19.3%)
- Turkey: $128.4 million (18.3%)
- Netherlands: $77.7 million (11.1%)
- United States: $44.9 million (6.4%)
- Poland: $31.1 million (4.4%)
- Vietnam: $20.8 million (3%)
- Hungary: $13.5 million (1.9%)
- Czech Republic: $8.7 million (1.2%)
- China: $8.5 million (1.2%)
- Sri Lanka: $8.3 million (1.2%)
- Canada: $6.9 million (1%)
- France: $6.7 million (1%)
- North Macedonia: $5 million (0.7%)
- Russia: $4.8 million (0.7%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 90.9% of globally exported pickles in 2020.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of pickles since 2019 were: Czech Republic (up 66.3%), Turkey (up 50.7%), France (up 34%) and India (up 26.2%).
Three countries posted declines in their international sales of pickles, namely United States (down -37.6%), Vietnam (down -11.2%) and Sri Lanka (down -1.4%).
Advantages
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for pickles during 2020. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s exported pickles and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- India: US$136.9 million (net export surplus up 26.2% since 2019)
- Turkey: $128.1 million (up 50.9%)
- Germany: $52.8 million (down -20%)
- Vietnam: $20.6 million (down -11.1%)
- Poland: $16.1 million (up 4.6%)
- Netherlands: $12.1 million (up 59.5%)
- Sri Lanka: $8.3 million (down -1.4%)
- Hungary: $5.3 million (up 67.9%)
- North Macedonia: $4.8 million (down -0.7%)
- Egypt: $3.7 million (down -25.2%)
- Lebanon: $2.7 million (up 25.7%)
- China: $2.6 million (down -29.9%)
- Uzbekistan: $1.9 million (up 270.2%)
- Syria: $1.5 million (down -6.5%)
- Iran: $1.3 million (down -39.9%)
India generated the highest surplus in the international trade of pickles. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms strong Indian competitive advantages for this specific product category.
Opportunities
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for pickles during 2020. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s imported pickles purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- United States: -US$51.1 million (net export deficit reversing a $6.9 million surplus in 2019)
- United Kingdom: -$41.9 million (up 3.3% in 2019)
- Canada: -$40.1 million (down -39%)
- France: -$36.1 million (down -6%)
- Russia: -$20.9 million (down -21.9%)
- Switzerland: -$16.4 million (up 9.9%)
- Australia: -$13.6 million (up 21.8%)
- Belgium: -$12 million (up 14.9%)
- Romania: -$12 million (down -7.7%)
- Spain: -$10.9 million (up 32.2%)
- Austria: -$10.1 million (up 34%)
- Finland: -$8.9 million (up 21.3%)
- South Korea: -$8.1 million (up 2.6%)
- Czech Republic: -$8.1 million (up 74.1%)
- Slovakia: -$7.7 million (up 39.3%)
The United States of America incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of pickles. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights America’s competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for pickles-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand from US consumers.
Companies
Pickles Exporting Companies
According to global trading platform Alibaba, the following suppliers are examples of pickles exporting companies. The home-country location for each business is shown within parentheses.
- Diane Doux (France)
- Kalaycioglu Gida Pazarlama Sanayi (Turkey)
- Lunii Foods, LLC (United States)
- Marvino Trading Limited (Hong Kong)
- Orient Vietnam Company Limited (Vietnam)
- Riviana Foods Pvt Ltd (India)
- Yantai Reiyo Foods Co Ltd (China)
See also Imported Pickles by Country, Top Cucumbers Exporting Countries, Top Sweet Pepper and Chili Pepper Exporters and Eggplant Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Supplier showroom for pickles. Accessed on August 7, 2021
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Imports – Commodities. Accessed on August 7, 2021
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 7, 2021
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on August 7, 2021
Wikipedia, Pickled cucumber. Accessed on August 7, 2021