Overall, fresh plum exports increased in value by an average 38.3% from 5 years earlier in 2020 when export sales for plums were $930.7 million.
Year over year, the overall value of exported plums accelerated by 15.9% compared to $1.1 billion starting from 2023.
There are a wide variety of juicy fruits sourced from plum trees. The taste of the fleshy part of plums varies from sweet to tart, albeit the fruit’s skin itself is typically tart. In addition to eating plums raw, people consume plum jams, juices and wines. Dried and salted plums are an example of a specialty snack.
By value, the 5 biggest exporters of fresh plums (Chile, Hong Kong, Spain, South Africa and Italy) generated over three-fifths (63.8%) of all plums exported during 2024.
Applying a continental lens, countries in Europe supplied the highest dollar worth of exported plums during 2024 with shipments valued at $412 million or 32% of the global total. In second place were exporters based in Asia (29%) ahead of providers in Latin America (24.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean. Smaller percentages originated from Africa (8.4%), North America (4.7%) and Oceania (1.8%) mostly Australia.
Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of plums in 2024 are mainland China, Hong Kong, Germany, United States of America and the United Kingdom. Combined, that quintet of top import countries bought over half (53.9%) of globally imported plums as measured by dollar value.
Those percentages suggest the total 106 exporters of plums (63.8% for corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to about 180 buying countries, islands and territories. The top 5 importers represent a smaller portion at 53.9%.
As for global imports of plums by continent, 46.4% of plums purchases was delivered to customers in Asia surpassed importers in Europe (36.9%), North America (9.2%), Latin America (5.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (2.3%) and Oceania (0.1%) led by Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand.
We calculated the average unit price paid by worldwide importers of plums to be $1,777 per ton in 2024. That dollar amount reflects 13.1% in price inflation compared to the average tonnage rate of $1,571 during 2023.
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 080940 for fresh plums including sloes.
Top Plums Exports by Country
Below are the top 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of fresh plums during 2024.
- Chile: US$308.5 million (24% of total exported plums)
- Hong Kong: $200.7 million (15.6%)
- Spain: $133.1 million (10.3%)
- South Africa: $103 million (8%)
- Italy: $75.3 million (5.9%)
- mainland China: $68.1 million (5.3%)
- United States: $60.4 million (4.7%)
- Netherlands: $58.4 million (4.5%)
- Moldova: $44.5 million (3.5%)
- Türkiye: $42.1 million (3.3%)
- Uzbekistan: $26.4 million (2.1%)
- Australia: $22.5 million (1.8%)
- France: $19 million (1.5%)
- Serbia: $16.7 million (1.3%)
- Austria: $7.8 million (0.6%)
- Bosnia/Herzegovina: $7.1 million (0.5%)
- United Arab Emirates: $6.7 million (0.5%)
- Germany: $6.1 million (0.5%)
- Croatia: $5.9 million (0.5%)
- Greece: $5.6 million (0.4%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 94.6% of globally exported plums in 2024.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of plums since 2023 were: Austria (up 98.2%), Serbia (up 54.5%), Hong Kong (up 46.5%) and Türkiye (up 45.6%).
Major suppliers that posted declines in their exported plums sales were: United Arab Emirates (down -37.4% from 2023), Germany (down -24.8%), Croatia (down -11.2%), Spain (down -7.5%) and Uzbekistan (down -1.4%).
Top Plums Imports by Country
Overall spending on imported plums rose by 37.2% over the 5-year period starting in 2020 and increased by 8.1% year over year since 2023.
Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of plums imported during 2024.
- mainland China: US$317.8 million (22.9% of total imported plums)
- Hong Kong: $199.4 million (14.4%)
- Germany: $86.1 million (6.2%)
- United States: $78 million (5.6%)
- United Kingdom: $67.9 million (4.9%)
- Brazil: $55.8 million (4%)
- Russia: $52.4 million (3.8%)
- Netherlands: $51.5 million (3.7%)
- Canada: $40.6 million (2.9%)
- Poland: $34.7 million (2.5%)
- Saudi Arabia: $28.2 million (2%)
- Italy: $24.4 million (1.8%)
- United Arab Emirates: $21.2 million (1.5%)
- Iraq: $21.1 million (1.5%)
- Belgium: $19.1 million (1.4%)
- Austria: $18 million (1.3%)
- Egypt: $15.1 million (1.1%)
- France: $13.9 million (1%)
- Romania: $13.4 million (1%)
- Switzerland: $13 million (0.9%)
By value, the listed 20 countries bought 84.3% of globally imported plums in 2024.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing plums importers since 2023 were: Hong Kong (up 37.7%), United States of America (up 31.3%), Poland (up 30.6%) and Brazil (up 18.5%).
Leading buyer countries that posted declines in their purchases of imported plums were led by: Iraq (down -49.1% from 2023), France (down -18%), Switzerland (down -10%), Saudi Arabia (down -8.6%) and United Arab Emirates (down -8%).
Lowest and Highest Unit Prices for Imported Plums
In 2024, the world’s average unit price for imported fresh plums was US$1,777 per ton.
The average tonnage charge for the number one plums importer, mainland China, was much higher at $2,915 (albeit lower than China’s average price of $3,134 for 2023).
Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported plums in 2024.
- Mauritania: US$115 per ton (down -45.2% from 2023)
- Uzbekistan: $132 per ton (down -75.6%)
- Togo: $250 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
- Lesotho: $272 per ton (up 44.7%)
- Bangladesh: $278 per ton (down -46.8%)
- Nepal: $280 per ton (up 14.8%)
- Sierra Leone: $289 per ton (down -92.8%)
- Syria: $290 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
- Paraguay: $340 per ton (up 2.4%)
- North Macedonia: $370 per ton (down -6.6%)
- Montenegro: $392 per ton (down -24.8%)
- Bosnia/Herzegovina: $412 per ton (down -12.3%)
- Zimbabwe: $451 per ton (up 33.8%)
- Namibia: $465 per ton (down -7.7%)
- Zambia: $475 per ton (down -2.9%)
Experiencing the greatest reductions in average unit price paid per ton for plums from 2023 to 2024 were low-cost importers in Sierra Leone (down -92.8%), Uzbekistan (down -75.6%), Bangladesh (down -46.8%), Mauritania (down -45.2%) and Montenegro (down -24.8%).
The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported plums.
- Vanuatu: US$7,000 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
- Mozambique: $6,474 per ton (up 44.5% from 2023)
- Marshall Islands: $6,000 per ton (up 63.6%)
- Japan: $5,630 per ton (down -22.2%)
- Bermuda: $5,595 per ton (up 12.4%)
- Fiji: $5,333 per ton (up 4.9%)
- Australia: $5,262 per ton (down -7.3%)
- Nicaragua: $5,037 per ton (up 40.3%)
- Maldives: $4,993 per ton (up 18%)
- Seychelles: $4,924 per ton (up 58.5%)
- Tonga: $4,250 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
- New Zealand: $4,094 per ton (down -1.3%)
- Jamaica: $4,000 per ton (up 422.2%)
- Montserrat: $4,000 per ton (up 100%)
- Faroe Islands: $3,895 per ton (up 20.6%)
The strongest percentage accelerations in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2024 compared to 2023 were experienced by importers in Jamaica (up 422.2%), Montserrat (up 100%), Marshall Islands (up 63.6%), Seychelles (up 58.5%), Mozambique (up 44.5%) and Nicaragua (up 40.3%).
See also Top Apricots 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 Jams Exporting Countries
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Plums Showroom. Accessed on December 24, 2025
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on December 24, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on December 24, 2025
Wikipedia, Plum. Accessed on December 24, 2025