Fresh plum exports increased in value by an overall average 22.6% since 2017 when export sales for plums were $823.1 million.
Year over year, the overall value of exported plums rose by 8.9% compared to $926.5 million for 2020.
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.
Key Geographic Insights for International Sales of Plums
By value, the 5 biggest exporters of fresh plums are Spain, Chile, South Africa, Hong Kong and Italy. That leading subgroup generated 57.6% of all plums exported during 2021.
Applying a continental lens, European countries supplied the highest dollar worth of exported plums during 2021 with shipments valued at $395.1 million or 39.2% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Asia (27%) trailed by providers in Latin America (15.7%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean. Smaller percentages originated from Africa (10.8%), North America (4.7%) and Oceania (2.6%) mostly Australia.
Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of plums in 2021 are mainland China, Hong Kong, Germany, Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Combined, that quintet of top import countries bought 45.3% of globally imported plums as measured by dollar value.
Those percentages suggest the total 96 exporters of plums (57.6% for corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort (45.3%) compared to 182 buying countries, islands and territories.
As for global imports of plums by continent, 44.3% of plums purchases was delivered to customers in Europe beating out importers in Asia (40.3%), North America (8.8%), Latin America (4.2%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (2.2%), then Oceania (0.2%) led by Australia and French Polynesia.
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 2021.
- Spain: US$167.2 million (16.6% of total exported plums)
- Chile: $158 million (15.7%)
- South Africa: $105.6 million (10.5%)
- Hong Kong: $98.4 million (9.8%)
- Italy: $52.4 million (5.2%)
- China: $52.4 million (5.2%)
- Netherlands: $52.2 million (5.2%)
- United States: $47.7 million (4.7%)
- Iran: $29.6 million (2.9%)
- Turkey: $26.9 million (2.7%)
- Australia: $25.8 million (2.6%)
- Moldova: $23 million (2.3%)
- Lebanon: $18.5 million (1.8%)
- Serbia: $16.9 million (1.7%)
- France: $14.9 million (1.5%)
- Portugal: $11.5 million (1.1%)
- Germany: $11 million (1.1%)
- United Arab Emirates: $10.6 million (1%)
- Syria: $10 million (1%)
- Uzbekistan: $9.8 million (1%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 93.4% of globally exported plums in 2021.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing plum exporters since 2020 were: Italy (up 49.1%), Spain (up 36.8%), Syria (up 31.3%) and Serbia (up 21.6%).
Top suppliers that posted double-digit percentage declines in their exported plums sales: mainland China (down -44.8%), Iran (down -41.1%), Uzbekistan (down -29.8%), Turkey (down -14.9%) and France (down -14.1%).
Top Plums Imports by Country
The overall cost for imported plums totaled $1.1 billion for 2021, rising by 13.5% over the 5-year period starting in 2017 and grew by 8.7% year over year compared to $1 billion in 2020.
Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of plums imported during 2021.
- China: US$175.3 million (16% of total imported plums)
- Hong Kong: $117.8 million (10.8%)
- Germany: $78 million (7.1%)
- Netherlands: $66.6 million (6.1%)
- United Kingdom: $58.2 million (5.3%)
- Russia: $54.9 million (5%)
- United States: $50.3 million (4.6%)
- Canada: $35.3 million (3.2%)
- Brazil: $32.4 million (3%)
- Iraq: $31.4 million (2.9%)
- France: $29.1 million (2.7%)
- United Arab Emirates: $26.6 million (2.4%)
- Italy: $24.5 million (2.2%)
- Saudi Arabia: $23.8 million (2.2%)
- Poland: $22.6 million (2.1%)
- Belgium: $19.9 million (1.8%)
- Egypt: $16.1 million (1.5%)
- Switzerland: $15.5 million (1.4%)
- Austria: $15.1 million (1.4%)
- Mexico: $11 million (1%)
By value, the listed 20 countries bought 82.6% of globally imported plums in 2021.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing plums importers since 2020 were: Brazil (up 131.1%), Saudi Arabia (up 89.3%), France (up 56.5%) and United Arab Emirates (up 44.3%).
Those countries that posted declines in their imported plums purchases were led by: Iraq (down -41.5%), Egypt (down -23.7%), Mexico (down -11.1%) and Russia (down -9.6%).
Lowest and Highest Unit Prices for Imported Plums
In 2021, the world’s average unit price for imported fresh plums was US$1,490 per ton. That dollar metric reflects a 9.3% versus the average $1,363 one year earlier in 2020.
The average tonnage charge paid by the number one plums importer, mainland China, was $2,700 per ton–much higher than the global average.
Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported plums in 2021.
- Niger: US$111 per ton (down -47.4% from 2020)
- Nepal: $272 per ton (up 3.4%)
- Georgia: $282 per ton (up 20.5%)
- Lebanon: $304 per ton (up 38.2%)
- Laos: $304 per ton (up 1%)
- Bangladesh: $324 per ton (down -23%)
- Paraguay: $349 per ton (up 12.9%)
- Zambia: $410 per ton (down -3.3%)
- Kazakhstan: $437 per ton (up 22.1%)
- Tanzania: $444 per ton (down -26%)
- Zimbabwe: $457 per ton (up 12.6%)
- Albania: $466 per ton (down -12.9%)
- North Macedonia: $466 per ton (down -15.4%)
- Syria: $491 per ton (up 29.6%)
- Suriname: $500 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
Experiencing double-digit percentage reductions in average unit price paid per ton for plums were low-cost importers Nigeria (down -47.4%), Tanzania (down -26%), Bangladesh (down -23%), North Macedonia (down -15.4%) and Albania (down -12.9%).
The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported plums.
- Myanmar: US$6,500 per ton (up 62.5% from 2020)
- Japan: $6,402 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Bermuda: $5,647 per ton (up 10.9%)
- Maldives: $5,368 per ton (up 7.4%)
- Papua New Guinea: $5,333 per ton (up 33.3%)
- Australia: $5,028 per ton (up 30.4%)
- Timor-Leste: $4,500 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Brunei Darussalam: $4,210 per ton (up 30.9%)
- Fiji: $4,125 per ton (up 32%)
- Azerbaijan: $4,030 per ton (up 86.5%)
- Vanuatu: $4,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Solomon Islands: $4,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Sierra Leone: $4,000 per ton (2020 data unavailable)
- Saint Vincent & Grenadines: $3,667 per ton (up 22.2%)
- Aruba: $3,542 per ton (down -4.8%)
The severest inflation in terms of higher average unit prices paid was experienced by importers in Azerbaijan (up 86.5% from 2020), Myanmar also called Burma (up 62.5%), Papua New Guinea (up 33.3%), Fiji (up 32%), Brunei Darussalam (up 30.9%) and Australia (up 30.4%).
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 8, 2022
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on December 8, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on December 8, 2022
Wikipedia, Plum. Accessed on December 8, 2022
