Salt exports increased in value by an overall average 23% since 2016 when export sales for salt were $2.3 billion.
From 2019 to 2020, the dollar value of exported salt dropped by -2%.
Comprised mainly of sodium chloride, salt is a mineral with many uses. Only about 6% of manufactured salt is used in food. Salt is an important ingredient for water conditioning processes, road and sidewalk de-icing and agricultural applications. Salt is also used to create soap, aluminum, paper pulp, synthetic rubber and pottery glazing.
By value, the 5 biggest exporters of salt (Netherlands, Germany, Canada, United States of America and India) generated 41.9% of all international salt exports during 2020.
From a continental perspective, nations in Europe supplied the highest dollar worth of exported salt during 2020 with shipments valued at $1.3 billion or 46.4% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Asia (19.5%) trailed by providers in North America (17.6%). Smaller percentages originated from Africa (8.9%), Latin America (6.9%%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania (0.7%) led by New Zealand and Australia.
Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of salt in 2020 are the United States, Japan, mainland China, Germany and Belgium. Collectively, that quintet of top import countries bought 40.5% of globally imported salt as measured by dollar value.
Those percentages suggest the total 163 salt exporters (41.9% for corresponding top 5 exporters) is a slightly more concentrated cohort compared to 217 buying countries, islands and territories. The top 5 importers consumed a modestly smaller 40.5%.
As for global imports of salt by continent, 34.4% of salt purchases was delivered to customers in Europe ahead of importers in Asia (31.8%), North America (21.5%), Latin America (3.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania (0.9%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
We calculated the average unit price paid by salt importers to be $60 per ton in 2020. That dollar amount reflects a 7.1% uptick from the average tonnage rate of $56 for 2019.
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 250100 for salts including table salt, denatured salt and pure sodium chloride.
Top Salt Exports by Country
Below are the top 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of salt during 2020.
- Netherlands: US$273.4 million (9.8% of total exported salt)
- Germany: $247.4 million (8.9%)
- Canada: $233.4 million (8.4%)
- United States: $215.4 million (7.7%)
- India: $195.4 million (7%)
- Belgium: $127.3 million (4.6%)
- Spain: $125.2 million (4.5%)
- Chile: $122.6 million (4.4%)
- China: $98.9 million (3.6%)
- United Kingdom: $72.2 million (2.6%)
- France: $67.5 million (2.4%)
- Italy: $64.6 million (2.3%)
- Belarus: $61.9 million (2.2%)
- Pakistan: $59.7 million (2.1%)
- Denmark: $57.1 million (2.1%)
- Tunisia: $48.1 million (1.7%)
- Kenya: $44.9 million (1.6%)
- Mexico: $41.7 million (1.5%)
- Turkey: $39.5 million (1.4%)
- Poland: $33.4 million (1.2%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 80.1% of globally exported salt in 2020.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing salt exporters since 2019 were: Tunisia (up 71.2%), United States (up 33%), Italy (up 25.7%), Pakistan (up 20.2%) and Kenya (up 18.6%).
Those countries that posted declines in their exported salt sales were led by: Belarus (down -29.9%), Mexico (down -24.3%), Poland (down -24.1%), Chile (down -21.7%), India (down -17.5%) then France (down -15.2%).
Top Salt Imports by Country
The overall cost for imported salt rose by 18.7% over the 5-year period starting in 2016 but fell by -7% year over year since 2019.
Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of salt imported during 2020.
- United States: US$684.3 million (17.3% of total imported salt)
- Japan: $296.2 million (7.5%)
- China: $255.3 million (6.5%)
- Germany: $199.4 million (5%)
- Belgium: $166.7 million (4.2%)
- South Korea: $165.1 million (4.2%)
- Canada: $147.5 million (3.7%)
- Taiwan: $110.6 million (2.8%)
- United Kingdom: $97.2 million (2.5%)
- Indonesia: $94.6 million (2.4%)
- Norway: $80.1 million (2%)
- France: $78 million (2%)
- Nigeria: $76.9 million (1.9%)
- Russia: $76.9 million (1.9%)
- Netherlands: $74.1 million (1.9%)
- Sweden: $56.6 million (1.4%)
- Italy: $52.4 million (1.3%)
- Czech Republic: $42.7 million (1.1%)
- Brazil: $40.9 million (1%)
- Malaysia: $40.5 million (1%)
By value, the listed 20 countries bought 71.7% of globally imported salt in 2020.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing salt importers since 2019 were: Brazil (up 23.3%), Nigeria (up 22.2%), Netherlands (up 16.2%) and Belgium (up 3.9%).
Those countries that posted declines in their imported salt purchases were led by: Italy (down -27.6%), Canada (down -26.1%), France (down -24.8%), Czech Republic (down -23%) and mainland China (down -14.7%).
Lowest and Highest Unit Prices for Imported Salt
In 2020, the world’s average unit price for imported salt was US$60 per ton.
The average tonnage charge for the number one salt importer, United States of America, was lower at $45.
Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported salt in 2020.
- Togo: US$20 per ton (down -31% from 2019)
- Bangladesh: $27 per ton (up 8%)
- Brazil: $30 per ton (up 3.4%)
- Bahamas: $32 per ton (up 128.6%)
- Lebanon: $33 per ton (down -13.2%)
- Indonesia: $36 per ton (down -2.7%)
- Guinea: $37 per ton (up 2.8%)
- Taiwan: $38 per ton (up 5.6%)
- Qatar: $40 per ton (up 2.6%)
- Kenya: $40 per ton (down -16.7%)
- Kyrgyzstan: $40 per ton (down -55.1%)
- South Korea: $41 per ton (2019 data unavailable)
- Oman: $41 per ton (down -14.6%)
- Japan: $42 per ton (down -2.3%)
- China: $42 per ton (up 10.5%)
Experiencing double-digit reductions in average unit price paid per ton for salt from 2019 to 2020 were low-cost importers Kyrgyzstan (down -55.1%), Togo (down -31%), Kenya (down -16.7%), Oman (down -14.6%) and Lebanon (down -13.2%).
The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported salt.
- Cayman Islands: US$3,047 per ton (up 158.2% from 2019)
- Iran: $2,833 per ton (2019 data unavailable)
- Bermuda: $1,661 per ton (up 54.4%)
- British Virgin Islands: $1,400 per ton (down -16%)
- Aruba: $1,387 per ton (up 8.6%)
- Antigua/Barbuda: $1,360 per ton (up 22.7%)
- Niue: $1,333 per ton (up 33.3%)
- Madagascar: $1,000 per ton (up 1,216%)
- Norfolk Island: $1,000 per ton (up 150%)
- American Samoa: $1,000 per ton (down -2.9%)
- Uzbekistan: $988 per ton (up 193.2%)
- Tajikistan: $971 per ton (down -15.9%)
- Namibia: $950 per ton (down -13.4%)
- Palau: $895 per ton (up 5%)
- Switzerland: $882 per ton (up 108.5%)
The 6 strongest increases in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2020 compared to 2019 were experienced by importers in Madagascar (up 1,216%), Uzbekistan (up 193.2%), Cayman Islands (up 158.2%), Norfolk Island (up 150%), Switzerland (up 108.5%) and Bermuda (up 54.4%).
See also Top Black Pepper Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Sugar Exports by Country, Top Sweet Pepper and Chili Pepper Exporters, Top Garlic Exports by Country, Onions Exports by Country, Top Pickles Exporters by Country and Top Exported Spices by Sales, Weight and Unit Value
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Salt Showroom. Accessed on February 6, 2022
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on February 6, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on February 6, 2022
Wikipedia, Salt. Accessed on February 6, 2022
