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Top Turmeric Exports & Imports by Country

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Turmeric plant-based powder
Turmeric
In 2021, globally exported turmeric was worth a total US$366.8 million.

Worldwide exports of turmeric rose by an average 33.4% since 2017 when turmeric exports totaled $275 million.

Year over year, the dollar value of turmeric exports slowed to a 3.3% increase compared to $354.9 million for 2020.

Turmeric is a plant-based spice from the ginger family. It is typically associated with a sharp orange-yellow powder used as a coloring and pepper-like flavoring ingredient for food dishes including curry, but also serves as a clothing dye.

Key Geographic Insights about Turmeric Exports & Imports

The 5 biggest turmeric exporters are India, Netherlands, Vietnam, Fiji, and Myanmar also called Burma. Added together, that cohort of major suppliers generated about three-quarters (74.7%) of globally exported turmeric sales during 2021.

Applying a continental lens, countries in Asia sold the greatest dollar worth of exported turmeric during 2021 with shipments valued at $287.2 million or 78.3% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Europe at 11.5%. Smaller percentages came from Oceania (3.5%) mostly Fiji and Australia, Latin America (2.65%) including the Caribbean, Africa (2.63%) then North America (1.4%).

Turning our focus to turmeric imports, the 5 leading buyers of imported turmeric in 2021 were the United States of America, India, Bangladesh, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Collectively, that quintet of leading importers bought 45.9% of globally imported turmeric.

Those percentages suggest a more concentrated cohort of 112 turmeric exporters in total (74.7% for top 5 suppliers) compared to 187 importing countries, islands and territories and its top 5 importers (45.9%).

From a continental perspective, 48.6% of globally imported turmeric was delivered to Asian countries closely trailed by importers in Europe (21.8%), North America (18.9%) then Africa (7.2%), Latin America (2.4%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania (1.2%) mostly Australia.

For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 091030 for turmeric also referred to as curcuma.

Top Turmeric Exports by Country

Below are the top 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of turmeric during 2021.

  1. India: US$225.5 million (61.5% of total exported turmeric)
  2. Netherlands: $15.6 million (4.3%)
  3. Vietnam: $12.4 million (3.4%)
  4. Fiji: $10.5 million (2.9%)
  5. Myanmar: $10.1 million (2.7%)
  6. United Arab Emirates: $9.7 million (2.6%)
  7. Indonesia: $9 million (2.4%)
  8. Germany: $7.5 million (2%)
  9. Peru: $6 million (1.6%)
  10. Ethiopia: $5.98 million (1.6%)
  11. Bangladesh: $5.4 million (1.5%)
  12. United States: $4.6 million (1.2%)
  13. Spain: $4.2 million (1.2%)
  14. Japan: $3.6 million (1%)
  15. Thailand: $2.9 million (0.8%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 90.8% of globally exported turmeric in 2021.

Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing turmeric exporters since 2020 were: United Arab Emirates (up 282.4%), Fiji (up 59.4%), Ethiopia (up 53.2%) and Japan (up 46.9%).

Four major suppliers posted declines in their exported turmeric sales namely Myanmar (down -13.7%), Indonesia (down -5.8%), India (down -2.9%) and Peru (down -1.4%).

Top Turmeric Imports by Country

The overall cost for imported turmeric rose by 44.1% over the 5-year period starting in 2017 and appreciated by 9.6% since 2020.

Below are the 15 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of turmeric imported during 2021.

  1. United States: US$62.7 million (16.4% of total imported turmeric)
  2. India: $31.1 million (8.1%)
  3. Bangladesh: $29.1 million (7.6%)
  4. Iran: $26.9 million (7%)
  5. United Arab Emirates: $25.8 million (6.7%)
  6. Germany: $16.6 million (4.3%)
  7. Netherlands: $14.6 million (3.8%)
  8. United Kingdom: $13.6 million (3.5%)
  9. Malaysia: $12.2 million (3.2%)
  10. Saudi Arabia: $10.4 million (2.7%)
  11. Morocco: $10 million (2.6%)
  12. Canada: $8.5 million (2.2%)
  13. Japan: $8.5 million (2.2%)
  14. France: $7.3 million (1.9%)
  15. China: $6 million (1.6%)

By value, the listed 15 countries bought 74% of globally imported turmeric in 2021.

Among the top importers, the fastest-growing turmeric importers since 2020 were: United Arab Emirates (up 239.7%), mainland China (up 74.3%), United States of America (up 31.5%) and Iran (up 24.3%).

A subset of 4 leading buyers posted declines in their imported turmeric purchases namely Bangladesh (down -33%), United Kingdom (down -21.8%), Japan (down -8.9%) and India (down -0.5%).

Lowest and Highest Unit Prices for Imported Turmeric

In 2021, the worldwide average unit price paid by importers was $756 per ton of turmeric. That calculated dollar amount reflects a -46.1% price drop from the average tonnage rate of $1,403 for 2020.

The average tonnage charge paid by the number one turmeric importer, the United States of America, was $4,755 per ton–more than 6 times the global average per ton.

Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported turmeric in 2021.

  1. Trinidad & Tobago: US$2 per ton (up 1.9% from 2020)
  2. Burkina Faso: $25 per ton (down -95%)
  3. Tanzania: $357 per ton (up 168.4%)
  4. Uzbekistan: $380 per ton (down -41.4%)
  5. Myanmar: $493 per ton (down -87.2%)
  6. Laos: $500 per ton (down -1.8%)
  7. Tuvalu: $500 per ton (down -50%)
  8. Thailand: $588 per ton (up 1.6%)
  9. Djibouti: $594 per ton (down -55.4%)
  10. China: $672 per ton (up 78.7%)
  11. Comoros: $688 per ton (up 17.9%)
  12. Afghanistan: $729 per ton (down -22.2%)
  13. Pakistan: $756 per ton (down -22.1%)
  14. Tunisia: $771 per ton (up 14.6%)
  15. Benin: $833 per ton (up 108.3%)

Posting double-digit reductions in average unit price per ton for turmeric from 2020 to 2021 were low-cost importers Burkina Faso (down -95%), Myanmar (down -87.2%), Djibouti (down -55.4%), Tuvalu (down -50%), Uzbekistan (down -41.4%), Afghanistan (down -22.2%) and Pakistan (down -22.1%).

The following countries paid for imported turmeric costing the highest average unit prices.

  1. Finland: US$112,167 per ton (up 59.1% from 2020)
  2. Iceland: $11,429 per ton (up 27%)
  3. Luxembourg: $10,400 per ton (down -25.7%)
  4. Malta: $9,765 per ton (up 168.6%)
  5. Macao: $8,167 per ton (up 185.9%)
  6. New Zealand: $7,610 per ton (up 45.4%)
  7. North Macedonia: $7,250 per ton (up 141.7%)
  8. Switzerland: $7,111 per ton (down -13.2%)
  9. Faroe Islands: $7,000 per ton (up 16.7%)
  10. New Caledonia: $7,000 per ton (down 0%)
  11. Liberia: $7,000 per ton (up 250%)
  12. Montenegro: $6,500 per ton (up 12.1%)
  13. Denmark: $6,271 per ton (up 39.2%)
  14. Slovenia: $6,186 per ton (up 2.4%)
  15. Bosnia & Herzegovina: $6,154 per ton (up 22.4%)

The 7 inflation leaders in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2021 compared to 2020 were Liberia (up 250%), Macao (up 185.9%), Malta (up 168.6%), North Macedonia (up 141.7%), Finland (up 59.1%), New Zealand (up 45.4%) then Denmark (up 39.2%).

See also Top Exported Spices by Sales, Weight and Unit Value, Cinnamon Exports by Country, Top Garlic Exports by Country, Top Ginger Exporters and Top Peppermint Exports & Imports by Country

Research Sources:
Alibaba, Turmeric Showroom. Accessed on November 23, 2022

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on November 23, 2022

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on November 23, 2022

Wikipedia, Turmeric. Accessed on November 23, 2022