The overall value of exported antibiotics declined by an average -6.5% for exporting countries since 2018 when antibiotics shipments were valued at $10.7 billion.
Year over year, the value of globally exported antibiotics rose by 5.7% compared to $9.45 billion in 2021.
Technically classified as organic chemicals, antibiotics are medicaments used to fight, treat and prevent bacterial infections. Contrary to popular perception, antibiotics fail to inhibit influenza, the common cold and other viruses. In short, antibiotics are not antiviral drugs.
The 5 biggest suppliers of antibiotics on international markets are mainland China, India, Italy, Switzerland and Belgium. Combined, that quintet of leading antibiotics exporters generated over two-thirds (71.9%) of world antibiotics shipments for 2022.
Applying a continental lens, suppliers in Asia sold the highest dollar worth of exported antibiotics during 2022 with shipments valued at $5.95 billion or 59.5% of the global total. In second place were European exporters at 34%.
Smaller percentages originated from sellers in North America (4.3%), Latin America (2%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Oceania (0.1%) led by New Zealand and Australia, then providers in Africa (0.04%).
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 2609 for antibiotics.
Top Antibiotics Exporters
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of antibiotics during 2022.
- China: US$4.3 billion (43.1% of overall exported antibiotics)
- India: $929 million (9.3%)
- Italy: $758.2 million (7.6%)
- Switzerland: $655.5 million (6.6%)
- Belgium: $530.5 million (5.3%)
- United States: $426 million (4.3%)
- Spain: $384.6 million (3.8%)
- Singapore: $253.5 million (2.5%)
- Japan: $198.9 million (2%)
- Denmark: $185.4 million (1.9%)
- South Korea: $179.5 million (1.8%)
- Ireland: $175 million (1.8%)
- Panama: $143.9 million (1.4%)
- Netherlands: $139.6 million (1.4%)
- France: $131.3 million (1.3%)
- Hungary: $113.5 million (1.1%)
- Germany: $72.3 million (0.7%)
- Brazil: $54.3 million (0.5%)
- Portugal: $49.8 million (0.5%)
- United Kingdom: $49 million (0.5%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 94% of worldwide export sales for antibiotics in 2022.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing antibiotics exporters since 2021 were: Ireland (up 245.3%), Japan (up 93.7%), Belgium (up 74.8%) and Panama (up 28.8%).
Three major suppliers posted double-digit percentage declines in their exported antibiotics sales, namely: Italy (down -14.5% from 2021), Switzerland (down -11.7%) and Denmark (down -10.6%).
Countries with Best Competitive Trade Advantages
The listed countries posted positive net exports for antibiotics during 2022.
Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s exported antibiotics and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- China: US$3.9 billion (net export surplus up 1% since 2021)
- Switzerland: $504 million (down -12.7%)
- Singapore: $246.8 million (up 34.8%)
- Denmark: $170.2 million (down -12%)
- Hungary: $104.2 million (down -8.9%)
- Ireland: $61.8 million (reversing a -$49.5 million deficit)
- Spain: $59.1 million (reversing a -$40.2 million deficit)
- Belgium: $32.2 million (reversing a -$15.8 million deficit)
- Slovakia: $6.2 million (down -10%)
- Malta: $4.6 million (down -5.1%)
- Equatorial Guinea: $1 million (reversing a -$2,000 deficit)
- Croatia: $626,000 (reversing a -$3 million deficit)
- Marshall Islands: $234,000 (reversing a -$6,000 deficit)
- Eswatini: $94,000 (reversing a -$13,000 deficit)
- Luxembourg: $26,000 (reversing a -$14,000 deficit)
Mainland China generated the highest surplus in the international trade of tin. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms China’s strong competitive advantage for this specific product category.
Countries with Worst Competitive Trade Disadvantages
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for antibiotics during 2022.
Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s imported antibiotics purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- Germany: -US$672.6 million (net export deficit down -17.9% since 2021)
- India: -$659.7 million (down -24.7%)
- Italy: -$442.4 million (up 649.7%)
- France: -$363.8 million (down -20.2%)
- Brazil: -$347.1 million (up 8.2%)
- United States of America: -$325.8 million (up 59.7%)
- Vietnam: -$279.3 million (up 7.9%)
- Türkiye: -$201.9 million (up 44.6%)
- Mexico: -$191 million (up 42.6%)
- Pakistan: -$165.3 million (up 3.8%)
- Egypt: -$162.4 million (up 32.5%)
- Bangladesh: -$156.3 million (down -6.4%)
- United Kingdom: -$153.9 million (up 13.8%)
- Russia: -$145.7 million (down -14.9%)
- Canada: -$142.5 million (up 28.3%)
The European economic powerhouse Germany recorded the highest deficit in the international trade of tin. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights the strong German competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for tin-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.
Antibiotics Exporting Companies
Below are 3 of America’s biggest pharmaceutical businesses. Also shown is the city where the headquarters for each company.
This trio of Big Pharma companies banded together in 2022. The goal of this collective effort is to develop new antibiotics via a $1 billion AMR Action Fund.
- Pfizer (New York, New York)
- Johnson & Johnson (New Brunswick, New Jersey)
- Merck (Kenilworth, New Jersey)
Two to four newly developed antibiotics are anticipated by 2030.
See also Drugs and Medicines Exports by Country, Heart Pacemaker Export Sales by Country and Top Blood Exporters by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on October 13, 2023
Fierce Biotech, Big Pharma joins forces on $1B fund to shore up struggling antibiotics makers. Accessed on October 13, 2023
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on October 13, 2023
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on October 13, 2023
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on October 13, 2023
Statistica (The Statistics Portal), Leading antibiotics producing companies worldwide in 2018. Accessed on October 13, 2023
Wikipedia, Antibiotic. Accessed on October 13, 2023