Exports of vinegar appreciated by an overall average 29.3% since 2016 when export sales for vinegar were $614.7 million.
From 2019 to 2020, the overall value of exported vinegar rose by 13.7%.
Vinegar is a liquid based on acetic acid of varying concentrations. Commercial vinegar is typically created from a fermentation process lasting from a few months to a year. Vinegar is a key ingredient in pickling solutions, vinaigrettes, other salad dressings, sauces, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, soups and beverages. Vinegar is also a well-established cleaning agent.
By value, the 5 biggest exporters of vinegar (Italy, United States of America, South Korea, Spain and Germany) account for over two-thirds (68%) of all vinegar exported during 2020.
Applying a continental perspective, countries in Europe supplied the highest dollar worth of exported vinegar during 2020 with shipments valued at $558.3 million or 70.2% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Asia (17.5%) trailed by North American shippers (10.4%). Tinier percentages originated from Latin America (0.8%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (0.7%), and Oceania (0.3%) New Zealand, Australia and Fiji only.
Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of vinegar in 2020 are the United States, Germany, France, United Kingdom and Canada. Combined, that quintet of top import countries bought almost half (47.9%) of globally imported vinegar as measured by dollar value.
Those percentages suggest the total 125 exporters of vinegar (68% for corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to 214 buying countries, islands and territories. The top 5 importers account for a smaller portion of its world total at 47.9%.
As for global imports of vinegar by continent, 50.5% of vinegar purchased on international markets was delivered to customers in Europe ahead of importers in North America (25.4%), Asia (15.7%), Oceania (3.4%) led by Australia and New Zealand, Latin America (2.8%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Africa (2.4%).
We calculated the average unit price paid by vinegar importers to be $2,022 per ton in 2020. That dollar amount reflects a 0.7% uptick from the average tonnage rate of $2,007 during 2019.
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 220900 for vinegar including fermented vinegar and vinegar substitutes created from acetic acid.
Top Vinegar Exports by Country
Below are the top 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of vinegar during 2020.
- Italy: US$323.2 million (40.7% of total exported vinegar)
- United States: $75.7 million (9.5%)
- South Korea: $52.1 million (6.6%)
- Spain: $49.3 million (6.2%)
- Germany: $40.3 million (5.1%)
- France: $29 million (3.6%)
- China: $21.9 million (2.8%)
- Netherlands: $20.5 million (2.6%)
- Japan: $19.9 million (2.5%)
- United Kingdom: $18.1 million (2.3%)
- Greece: $18 million (2.3%)
- Czech Republic: $14.1 million (1.8%)
- Austria: $11.3 million (1.4%)
- Turkey: $7.4 million (0.9%)
- Canada: $7.4 million (0.9%)
- Portugal: $6.6 million (0.8%)
- Belgium: $6.4 million (0.8%)
- Taiwan: $5.7 million (0.7%)
- Iran: $5.5 million (0.7%)
- Hong Kong: $5.5 million (0.7%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 92.8% of globally exported vinegar in 2020.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of vinegar since 2019 were: South Korea (up 50.7%), Turkey (up 47.5%), Spain (up 44.7%), United Kingdom (up 32%), Czech Republic (up 30.2%), Netherlands (up 29.2%) and the United States of America (up 19.8%).
Six countries endured declines in their exported vinegar sales namely: Taiwan (down -13.2%), Hong Kong (down -9.8%), Japan (down -7.9%), Austria (down -3.6%), Greece (down -1.3%) then France (down -0.3%).
Top Vinegar Imports by Country
The overall cost for imported vinegar rose by 26.6% over the 5-year period starting in 2016 and grew by 9.9% year over year since 2019.
Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of vinegar imported during 2020.
- United States: US$150.5 million (18.4% of total imported vinegar)
- Germany: $88.5 million (10.8%)
- France: $52.3 million (6.4%)
- United Kingdom: $50.7 million (6.2%)
- Canada: $50.2 million (6.1%)
- Switzerland: $26.3 million (3.2%)
- Netherlands: $24.6 million (3%)
- Italy: $24.1 million (2.9%)
- Australia: $21.7 million (2.7%)
- Austria: $18.4 million (2.2%)
- Spain: $17.3 million (2.1%)
- South Korea: $13.3 million (1.6%)
- Belgium: $13.2 million (1.6%)
- Sweden: $11.8 million (1.4%)
- Poland: $10.7 million (1.3%)
- Hong Kong: $10.1 million (1.2%)
- Japan: $10 million (1.2%)
- Saudi Arabia: $9.6 million (1.2%)
- United Arab Emirates: $8.7 million (1.1%)
- Singapore: $8.5 million (1%)
By value, the listed 20 countries bought 75.8% of globally imported vinegar in 2020.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing vinegar importers since 2019 were: South Korea (up 49.6%), Poland (up 34.7%), Saudi Arabia (up 20.7%) and Sweden (also up 20.7%).
Two top import countries posted declines in their international vinegar purchases namely Italy (down -18.4%) and Hong Kong (down -5.3%).
Lowest and Highest Unit Prices for Imported Vinegar
In 2020, the world’s average unit price for imported vinegar was US$2,022 per ton.
The average tonnage charge for the number one vinegar importer, United States, was much higher at $5,391.
Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported vinegar in 2020.
- North Macedonia: US$324 per ton (up 17.8% from 2019)
- Syria: $347 per ton (up 61.4%)
- Kazakhstan: $410 per ton (down -39%)
- Georgia: $446 per ton (down -7.7%)
- Kyrgyzstan: $477 per ton (down -7.7%)
- Lebanon: $500 per ton (up 93.8%)
- Kenya: $500 per ton (down -46.9%)
- Angola: $500 per ton (down -83.3%)
- Bulgaria: $577 per ton (up 69.7%)
- Iraq: $657 per ton (up 145.1%)
- Albania: $662 per ton (up 2.8%)
- Zambia: $667 per ton (down -69.2%)
- Saudi Arabia: $699 per ton (down -6.7%)
- Bosnia/Herzegovina: $717 per ton (up 61.1%)
- Pakistan: $771 per ton (up 2%)
Realizing double-digit reductions in average unit price paid per ton for vinegar from 2019 to 2020 were low-cost importers Angola (down -83.3%), Zambia (down -69.2%), Kenya (down -46.9%) and Kazakhstan (down -39%).
The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported vinegar.
- Japan: US$9,195 per ton (up 4.5% from 2019)
- Samoa: $6,371 per ton (up 60.7%)
- Mauritius: $6,321 per ton (down -24.7%)
- Canada: $5,850 per ton (up 11.1%)
- Australia: $5,526 per ton (up 8.1%)
- United States: $5,391 per ton (up 8.3%)
- South Africa: $5,160 per ton (up 5.5%)
- Bermuda: $5,112 per ton (down -19.4%)
- Singapore: $4,835 per ton (up 19.4%)
- Central African Republic: $4,820 per ton (down 0%)
- Malaysia: $4,779 per ton (up 14%)
- Nepal: $4,236 per ton (down -25.9%)
- Norfolk Island: $4,000 per ton (down -11.1%)
- Thailand: $3,639 per ton (down -13%)
- South Korea: $3,220 per ton (up 22.9%)
There were 5 double-digit hikes in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2020 compared to 2019 experienced by importers in Samoa (up 60.7%), South Korea (up 22.9%), Singapore (up 19.4%), Malaysia (up 14%) and Canada (up 11.1%).
See also Top Salt Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Garlic Exports by Country, Top Pickles Exporters by Country, Top Turmeric Exports & Imports by Country and Top Lettuce Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Vinegar Showroom. Accessed on February 8, 2022
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on February 8, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on February 8, 2022
Wikipedia, Vinegar. Accessed on February 8, 2022
