Fresh plum exports increased in value by an overall average 21.5% since 2018 when export sales for plums were $818.6 million.
Year over year, the overall value of exported plums flatlined via a -1.4% drop compared to $1 billion in 2021.
There are a wide variety of juicy fruits sourced from plum trees. The taste of the fleshy part of plums varies from sweet to tart, albeit the fruit’s skin itself is typically tart. In addition to eating plums raw, people consume plum jams, juices and wines. Dried and salted plums are an example of a specialty snack.
By value, the 5 biggest exporters of fresh plums (Chile, Spain, South Africa, Hong Kong and Italy) generated almost two-thirds (65.6%) of all plums exported during 2022.
Applying a continental lens, countries in Europe supplied the highest dollar worth of exported plums during 2022 with shipments valued at $341.8 million or 34.4% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Latin America (23.6%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, just ahead of providers in Asia at 23.5%. Smaller percentages originated from Africa (11.8%), North America (4.6%) and Oceania (2.1%) mostly Australia.
Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of plums in 2022 are mainland China, Hong Kong, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Combined, that quintet of top import countries bought over half (50.9%) of globally imported plums as measured by dollar value.
Those percentages suggest the total 96 exporters of plums (65.6% for corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to 170 buying countries, islands and territories. The top 5 importers represent a smaller portion at 50.9%.
As for global imports of plums by continent, 43.4% of plums purchases was delivered to customers in Europe edging out importers in Asia (42.3%), North America (9%), Africa (2.6%) Latin America (2.5%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania (0.2%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
We calculated the average unit price paid by plums importers to be $1,460 per ton in 2022. That dollar amount reflects a -1.9% decrease from the average tonnage rate of $1,489 during 2021.
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 080940 for fresh plums including sloes.
Top Plums Exports by Country
Below are the top 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of fresh plums during 2022.
- Chile: US$234.4 million (23.6% of total plum exports)
- Spain: $133.2 million (13.4%)
- South Africa: $114.8 million (11.5%)
- Hong Kong: $110.9 million (11.1%)
- Italy: $59.5 million (6%)
- China: $52.2 million (5.2%)
- Netherlands: $47.8 million (4.8%)
- United States: $45.9 million (4.6%)
- Türkiye: $24.1 million (2.4%)
- Uzbekistan: $23.4 million (2.4%)
- Australia: $21.1 million (2.1%)
- Moldova: $15.1 million (1.5%)
- France: $14.7 million (1.5%)
- Serbia: $14.5 million (1.5%)
- Poland: $8.7 million (0.9%)
- Germany: $8.2 million (0.8%)
- Portugal: $6.3 million (0.6%)
- Austria: $6.2 million (0.6%)
- Bosnia/Herzegovina: $5.7 million (0.6%)
- Lebanon: $5.3 million (0.5%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 95.7% of globally exported plums in 2022.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing plums exporters since 2021 were: Uzbekistan (up 139.6%), Austria (up 89.7%), Chile (up 48.3%) and Poland (up 21.3%).
Major suppliers that posted declines in their exported plums sales were led by: Lebanon (down -71.3% from 2021), Portugal (down -45.1%), Moldova (down -34.6%), Germany (down -25.9%) and Spain (down -20.4%).
Top Plums Imports by Country
The overall cost for imported plums rose by 17.6% over the 5-year period starting in 2018 and increased by 4.4% year over year since 2021.
Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of plums imported during 2022.
- China: US$270.2 million (23.6% of total imported plums)
- Hong Kong: $122.6 million (10.7%)
- Germany: $65.5 million (5.7%)
- United Kingdom: $64.6 million (5.6%)
- Netherlands: $59.2 million (5.2%)
- United States: $55.7 million (4.9%)
- Russia: $47.5 million (4.2%)
- Canada: $41.2 million (3.6%)
- Brazil: $39.3 million (3.4%)
- Vietnam: $37.7 million (3.3%)
- United Arab Emirates: $22 million (1.9%)
- France: $19.9 million (1.7%)
- Egypt: $19.7 million (1.7%)
- Poland: $18.1 million (1.6%)
- Belgium: $17.5 million (1.5%)
- Italy: $16.6 million (1.5%)
- Kazakhstan: $13.5 million (1.2%)
- Austria: $13.1 million (1.1%)
- Switzerland: $12.3 million (1.1%)
- Saudi Arabia: $10 million (0.9%)
By value, the listed 20 countries bought 84.4% of globally imported plums in 2022.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing plums importers since 2021 were: Vietnam (up 1,489%), Kazakhstan (up 112.3%), mainland China (up 54.1%) and Egypt (up 22.5%).
Leading buyer countries that posted declines in their imported plums purchases were led by: Saudi Arabia (down -57.8% from 2021), France (down -31.6%), Italy (down -31.3%), Switzerland (down -20.6%) and Germany (down -19.9%).
Lowest and Highest Unit Prices for Imported Plums
In 2022, the world’s average unit price for imported fresh plums was US$1,460 per ton.
The average tonnage charge for the number one plums importer, mainland China, was much higher at $2,610.
Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported plums in 2022.
- Iraq: US$125 per ton (down -80% from 2021)
- Mauritania: $138 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
- Syria: $166 per ton (down -66.2%)
- Honduras: $169 per ton (down -75%)
- Lesotho: $182 per ton (down -48.9%)
- Niger: $250 per ton (up 125.2%)
- Bangladesh: $254 per ton (down -21.6%)
- Nepal: $277 per ton (up 1.8%)
- Liberia: $333 per ton (down -66.7%)
- Zambia: $339 per ton (down -17.3%)
- Paraguay: $369 per ton (up 5.7%)
- Bulgaria: $377 per ton (down -64%)
- Kyrgyzstan: $396 per ton (down -30.9%)
- Bosnia/Herzegovina: $397 per ton (down -24.1%)
- Zimbabwe: $403 per ton (down -11.8%)
Experiencing the greatest reductions in average unit price paid per ton for plums from 2021 to 2022 were low-cost importers Irag (down -80%), Honduras (down -75%), Liberia (down -66.7%), Syria (down -66.2%) and Bulgaria (down -64%).
The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported plums.
- Japan: US$7,225 per ton (up 12.9% from 2021)
- Bermuda: $6,375 per ton (up 12.9%)
- Australia: $5,615 per ton (up 11.7%)
- Maldives: $4,810 per ton (down -10.4%)
- Azerbaijan: $4,569 per ton (up 13.4%)
- Mozambique: $4,412 per ton (up 26.1%)
- French Polynesia: $4,375 per ton (up 119.8%)
- Papua New Guinea: $4,333 per ton (up 287.6%)
- Brunei Darussalam: $4,086 per ton (down -2.9%)
- New Zealand: $4,079 per ton (up 65.5%)
- Rwanda: $4,000 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
- Vanuatu: $4,000 per ton (2021 data unavailable)
- Tonga: $4,000 per ton (up 100%)
- Seychelles: $3,823 per ton (down -2.7%)
- Marshall Islands: $3,500 per ton (up 40%)
There were 3 triple-digit accelerations in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2022 compared to 2021. That inflation was experienced by importers in Papua New Guinea (up 287.6%), French Polynesia (up 119.8%) and Tonga (up 100%).
See also Top Apricots Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Apples Exports by Country, Top Pears Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Strawberries Exporters by Country, Sweet Cherries Exports by Country and Top Jams Exporting Countries
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Plums Showroom. Accessed on October 2, 2023
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on October 2, 2023
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on October 2, 2023
Wikipedia, Plum. Accessed on October 2, 2023