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Top Chestnuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices

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Shelled raw chestnuts
Raw chestnuts
In 2022, worldwide exports of chestnuts were worth a total US$290.4 million.

Exports of chestnuts expanded in value by an overall average 48.8% since 2018 when export sales for chestnuts were $361.7 million.

From 2021 to 2022, export revenues shrank by -10.8% starting from $325.5 million for the seed that is sweet, buttery and soft when roasted–but tastes bitter when raw.

Chestnuts seeds come from the fruits of chestnut trees, contained within a green, spiny covering.

Chestnuts are typically roasted including their shells and can serve as standalone snacks. They can also be used to make flour for cakes, pancakes, pies, pastas and breads that can stay fresh for up to 2 weeks. Chestnuts can be made into thickeners for soups, stews and sauces.

Chestnuts can be candied, boiled, steamed, deep-fried, grilled or roasted according to delicious recipes. Chestnut stuffing is added to poultry, vegetables and other foods.

By value, the 5 biggest exporters of chestnuts (mainland China, Italy, Türkiye, Spain and France) sold nearly four-fifths (78.6% of all chestnuts exported during 2022.

Applying a continental perspective, countries in Europe supplied the highest dollar worth of exported chestnuts during 2022 with shipments valued at $145.3 million or half (50%) of the global total. Close behind in second place were exporters in Asia (46%) trailed by those in Latin America (3.2%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (0.5%), North America (0.2%), Oceania’s Fiji (0.05%).

Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of chestnuts in 2022 were Italy, Japan, France, Germany and Vietnam. Collectively, that quintet of top import countries bought almost half (46.1%) of globally imported chestnuts as measured by dollar value.

The above percentages suggest the total 53 exporters of chestnuts (78.6% for the corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to the 100 buying countries, islands and territories. The top 5 importers accounted for a smaller portion of its world total for imported chestnuts at 46.1%.

As for global imports of chestnuts by continent, 56.1% of chestnuts purchased on international markets was delivered to customers in Europe ahead of importers in Asia (36.8%), North America (6%), Latin America (0.8%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (0.2%), then Oceania (0.04%) led by Australia and New Zealand.

We calculated the average unit price paid by importers of chestnuts still in-shell to be $2,806 per ton in 2022. That dollar amount reflects a -13.4% reduction from the average tonnage rate of $3,241 during 2021.

Exports of shelled chestnuts attract a higher unit price. For shelled chestnuts, the average unit price paid by importers was $4,864 per ton in 2022 down by -8.9% from the average tonnage rate of $5,339 for 2021. The higher average price compared to unshelled chestnuts results in part from labor costs and other processing expenses.

For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 080241 for fresh or dried chestnuts in shell, and 080242 for fresh or dried shelled chestnuts.

Drilling down on those categories, 7.9% of chestnuts exported worldwide by value were for shelled chestnuts. The remaining 92.1% was paid for chestnuts in shell.

Top Chestnuts Exports by Country

Below are the top 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of chestnuts during 2022, regardless of whether the shipped chestnuts were in-shell or shelled.

  1. China: US$81.6 million (28.1% of total exported chestnuts)
  2. Italy: $74.1 million (25.5%)
  3. Türkiye: $34.5 million (11.9%)
  4. Spain: $23.3 million (8%)
  5. France: $14.7 million (5.1%)
  6. Portugal: $13.2 million (4.5%)
  7. South Korea: $12.5 million (4.3%)
  8. Greece: $9.1 million (3.1%)
  9. Chile: $5.6 million (1.9%)
  10. Japan: $3.5 million (1.2%)
  11. Austria: $2.6 million (0.9%)
  12. Netherlands: $2.5 million (0.8%)
  13. Belgium: $2.3 million (0.8%)
  14. Dominican Republic: $1.7 million (0.6%)
  15. Mozambique: $1.5 million (0.5%)
  16. Peru: $1.5 million (0.5%)
  17. Germany: $1.3 million (0.4%)
  18. Georgia: $584,000 (0.2%)
  19. North Macedonia: $576,000 (0.2%)
  20. United States: $533,000 (0.2%)

By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 98.9% of globally exported chestnuts in 2022.

Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of chestnuts since 2021 were: Austria (up 126%), Belgium (up 85.3%), United States of America (up 77.1%) and the Dominican Republic (up 37.1%).

Those countries that posted declines in their exported chestnuts sales were led by: Portugal (down -59.9% from 2021), Germany (down -48.8%), Greece (down -41.7%), Spain (down -29.6%) and Chile (down -14.3%).

Top Chestnuts Imports by Country

Overall spending on imported chestnuts reduced by -12.9% over the 5-year period starting in 2018 and declined by -2.4% year over year since 2021.

Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of chestnuts imported during 2022, for any chestnuts regardless of whether shelled or not.

  1. Italy: US$55.9 million (16.8% of total imported chestnuts)
  2. Japan: $33.4 million (10.1%)
  3. France: $27.8 million (8.4%)
  4. Germany: $19.5 million (5.9%)
  5. Vietnam: $16.6 million (5%)
  6. Spain: $16.4 million (4.9%)
  7. Thailand: $16 million (4.8%)
  8. Switzerland: $15.3 million (4.6%)
  9. Austria: $13.6 million (4.1%)
  10. United States: $13.5 million (4.1%)
  11. China: $12.1 million (3.7%)
  12. Taiwan: $9.9 million (3%)
  13. Portugal: $7.1 million (2.1%)
  14. Canada: $6.6 million (2%)
  15. United Kingdom: $6.4 million (1.9%)
  16. Israel: $5.56 million (1.7%)
  17. South Korea: $4.47 million (1.3%)
  18. Hungary: $4 million (1.2%)
  19. Belgium: $3.7 million (1.1%)
  20. United Arab Emirates: $3.5 million (1.1%)

By value, the listed 20 countries bought 87.6% of globally imported chestnuts in 2022.

Among the top importers, the fastest-growing importers of chestnuts since 2021 were: Vietnam (up 264.8%), United Arab Emirates (up 103.2%), Thailand (up 80%) and Spain (up 36.2%).

Those countries that posted declines in their imported chestnuts purchased were led by: Germany (down -28% from 2021), Italy (down -22.3%), South Korea (down -17.3%), mainland China (down -17.1%) and Switzerland (down -12.3%).

Imported In-Shell Chestnuts: Lowest and Highest Unit Prices

In 2022, the world’s average unit price for imports of in-shell chestnuts was US$2,806 per ton down by -13.4% compared to $3,241 one year prior.

The average tonnage charge for the number one importer of unshelled chestnuts, Italy, was lower at $2,793 for 2022.

Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported in-shell chestnuts in 2022.

  1. Turks/Caicos Islands: US$333 per ton (down -33.4% from 2021)
  2. Curaçao: $500 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
  3. Macao: $516 per ton (no change)
  4. Philippines: $519 per ton (up 3.4%)
  5. British Virgin Islands: $600 per ton (up 80.2%)
  6. Qatar: $642 per ton (down -16.7%)
  7. Bosnia/ Herzegovina: $827 per ton (down -33.4%)
  8. Guyana: $857 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
  9. Türkiye: $908 per ton (up 14.2%)
  10. Morocco: $985 per ton (down -12.1%)
  11. Belarus: $1,000 per ton (down -75%)
  12. Armenia: $1,099 per ton (up 7.5%)
  13. Iraq: $1,119 per ton (down -15%)
  14. Georgia: $1,203 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
  15. Syria: $1,222 per ton (down -6.1%)

There were 6 double-digit reductions in average unit price paid per ton for in-shell chestnuts from 2021 to 2022.

Those low-cost importers were Belarus (down -75% from 2021), Turks and Caicos Islands (down -33.4%), Bosnia and Herzegovina (also down -33.4%), Qatar (down -16.7%), Iraq (down -15%) and Morocco (down -12.1%).

The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported in-shell chestnuts.

  1. Finland: US$27,000 per ton (up 368.8% from 2021)
  2. Bermuda: $14,000 per ton (down -17.6%)
  3. Estonia: $7,000 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
  4. Chile: $6,000 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
  5. Switzerland: $5,587 per ton (down -13.7%)
  6. Malta: $5,245 per ton (up 5.6%)
  7. Slovakia: $5,183 per ton (down -8.4%)
  8. Venezuela: $5,182 per ton (down -38.3%)
  9. Luxembourg: $4,864 per ton (down -8.6%)
  10. Latvia: $4,857 per ton (up 38.8%)
  11. Germany: $4,752 per ton (down -15.7%)
  12. Brazil: $4,744 per ton (up 7.8%)
  13. Hong Kong: $4,673 per ton (up 74.3%)
  14. Indonesia: $4,667 per ton (up 72.9%)
  15. Austria: $4,509 per ton (down -19.1%)

The strongest gains in terms of higher average unit prices in 2022 compared to 2021 were paid by importers in Finland (up 368.8%), Hong Kong (up 74.3%), Indonesia (up 72.9%) and Latvia (up 38.8%).

Imported Shelled Chestnuts: Lowest and Highest Unit Prices

The world’s average unit price for imports of shelled chestnuts in 2022 was US$4,864 per ton, down by -8.9% compared to $5,339 one year earlier.

The tonnage payment for the number one importer of shelled chestnuts, Japan, was much higher at an average $9,036 per ton.

Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported chestnuts in 2022 that that have already had their shells removed.

  1. North Macedonia: US$688 per ton (up 3.1% from 2021)
  2. Russia: $808 per ton (up 1%)
  3. Macao: $849 per ton (up 30%)
  4. Guatemala: $1,000 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
  5. Panama: $1,273 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
  6. Bahrain: $1,304 per ton (down -41.3%)
  7. United Arab Emirates: $1,571 per ton (down -45.8%)
  8. Brunei Darussalam: $1,600 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
  9. Australia: $2,000 per ton (down -64.3%)
  10. Bermuda: $2,000 per ton (down -50%)
  11. Indonesia: $2,077 per ton (down -4.8%)
  12. Serbia: $2,104 per ton (down -17.3%)
  13. Spain: $2,179 per ton (down -25.6%)
  14. Türkiye: $2,405 per ton (down -24.1%)
  15. Maldives: $2,462 per ton (down -69.2%)

The strongest percentage reductions in average unit price per ton for shelled chestnuts from 2021 to 2022 were paid by low-cost importers in the Maldives (down -69.2%), Australia (down -64.3%), Bermuda (down -50%), United Arab Emirates (down -45.8%), Bahrain (down -41.3%) then Spain (down -25.6%).

The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported chestnuts with their shells removed.

  1. Finland: US$22,000 per ton (up 22.2% from 2021)
  2. Fiji: $14,000 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
  3. Thailand: $11,000 per ton (up 26.9%)
  4. Japan: $9,036 per ton (up 3%)
  5. Bosnia/Herzegovina: $8,583 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
  6. Luxembourg: $7,889 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
  7. Malta: $7,833 per ton (down -7.4%)
  8. Austria: $7,508 per ton (down -1.3%)
  9. Brazil: $7,500 per ton (up 517.8%)
  10. Latvia: $7,500 per ton (up 4.2%)
  11. Romania: $7,000 per ton (up 92.5%)
  12. Switzerland: $6,722 per ton (down -2%)
  13. Hong Kong: $6,465 per ton (up 12.9%)
  14. Singapore: $6,344 per ton (up 8.4%)
  15. Montenegro: $5,750 per ton (up 15%)

The greatest increases in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2022 compared to 2021 were experienced by importers of shelled chestnuts in Brazil (up 517.8%), Romania (up 92.5%) and Thailand (up 26.9%).

See also Top Peanuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Almonds Exporters by Country, Top Walnut Exporters by Country and Top Cashews Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Pistachios Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Hazelnuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Brazil Nuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices and Top Sunflower Seeds Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices

Research Sources:
Alibaba, Chestnut Showroom. Accessed on October 5, 2023

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on October 5, 2023

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on October 5, 2023

Wikipedia, Chestnut. Accessed on October 5, 2023