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World's Top Exports

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Eggplant Exports by Country

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Purple fruit or vegetable
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International sales for eggplant exported by all countries totaled US$570.8 million in 2022.

That dollar amount results from an average 6.2% increase for all eggplant shippers compared to $537.6 million 5 years earlier in 2018.

Year over year, the value of globally exported eggplants fell by -3% upturn compared to $588.4 in 2021.

For the purposes of international trade tariff classification, eggplants are considered as vegetables. In contrast, botanists and other scientists define eggplants as fruits. What is indisputable is that consumers enjoy eggplants as a savory ingredient in many vegetable dishes.

The 5 most lucrative exporters of eggplants are Spain, Netherlands, Mexico, United States of America, and Türkiye. Combined, that quintet of major suppliers collected more than three-quarters (77.6%) the revenues paid for globally exported eggplants. Such a high percentage indicates a concentrated set of eggplant exporters.

Among continents, providers in Europe sold the highest value in exported eggplants during 2022 with shipments valued at $358.6 million or more than three-fifths (62.8%) of the global total. In second place were North American exporters at 22.2% while another 10% of worldwide eggplant sales originated from sellers in Asia.

Smaller percentages came from suppliers in Latin America (3.2%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (1.6%), then Oceania (0.1%) led by Fiji and Australia.

For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 070930 for fresh or chilled eggplants. Eggplants are also called aubergines.

Eggplant Exports by Country

Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of eggplants during 2022.

  1. Spain: US$206.6 million (36.2% of total exported eggplants)
  2. Netherlands: $96.6 million (16.9%)
  3. Mexico: $85.5 million (15%)
  4. United States: $35.1 million (6.2%)
  5. Türkiye: $19 million (3.3%)
  6. Honduras: $16.2 million (2.8%)
  7. France: $13.54 million (2.4%)
  8. Belgium: $13.46 million (2.4%)
  9. China: $12.8 million (2.2%)
  10. Italy: $9.8 million (1.7%)
  11. Iran: $9.7 million (1.7%)
  12. Austria: $7.4 million (1.3%)
  13. Malaysia: $6.32 million (1.1%)
  14. Canada: $6.3 million (1.1%)
  15. Egypt: $2.9 million (0.5%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 94.8% of globally exported eggplants in 2022.

Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of eggplants since 2021 were: Austria (up 668.5%), Honduras (up 108.9%), Egypt (up 29.5%) and France (up 13.5%).

Major suppliers that posted declines in their international sales of eggplants were led by: Iran (down -69.5% from 2021), mainland China (down -15.6%), Italy (down -8.4%), Türkiye (down -6.2%) and Spain (down -4.6%).

Countries Enjoying Best Trade Surpluses from Eggplants

The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for eggplant 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 eggplant and its import purchases for that same commodity.

  1. Spain: US$204.6 million (net export surplus down -5% since 2021)
  2. Mexico: $85.5 million (up 9.3%)
  3. Netherlands: $73.8 million (up 0.6%)
  4. Türkiye: $18.9 million (down -6.5%)
  5. Honduras: $16.2 million (up 108.1%)
  6. China: $12.8 million (down -15.6%)
  7. Iran: $9.7 million (down -69.5%)
  8. Malaysia: $5.4 million (up 17.1%)
  9. Egypt: $2.85 million (up 29.3%)
  10. Uganda: $2.8 million (up 9,914%)
  11. Syria: $2.4 million (up 141%)
  12. Morocco: $2.3 million (up 1.2%)
  13. Dominican Republic: $1.5 million (down -25.1%)
  14. Uzbekistan: $1.3 million (down -40.4%)
  15. Jordan: $816,000 (down -59.1%)

World-leading eggplant exporter Spain generated the highest surplus in the international trade of eggplants. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms Spain’s strong competitive advantage for this specific product category.

Countries Facing Worst Trade Deficits from Eggplants

The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for eggplant 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 eggplant purchases and its exports for that same commodity.

  1. Germany: -US$82.9 million (net export deficit down -8.2% since 2021)
  2. United States of America: -$69.5 million (up 25%)
  3. France: -$58.9 million (up 2.6%)
  4. United Kingdom: -$58.2 million (up 39.4%)
  5. Canada: -$32.5 million (up 6.5%)
  6. Italy: -$26.2 million (up 38.5%)
  7. Switzerland: -$15.4 million (down -9.9%)
  8. Singapore: -$11.9 million (up 9.4%)
  9. Russia: -$10.7 million (down -19.7%)
  10. Sweden: -$8.9 million (down -5.1%)
  11. Romania: -$6.1 million (up 5.7%)
  12. Austria: -$5.9 million (down -4.3%)
  13. Poland: -$5.2 million (up 56.5%)
  14. Denmark: -$5.02 million (up 0.1%)
  15. Ukraine: -$4.95 million (up 47.2%)

Europe’s economic powerhouse Germany incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of eggplants. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights Germany’s strong competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for eggplant-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand from German consumers.

Eggplant Exporting Companies

According to global trading platform Alibaba, the following suppliers are examples of eggplant-trading exporters. The home-country location for each business is shown within parentheses.

  • Agridame BV (Netherlands)
  • Alfafood GmbH (Germany)
  • Alpha Trade & Financial Ltd (Spain)
  • Digibelleza Import & Export (Turkey)
  • Green Point for Import and Export (Egypt)
  • MarketDom Trading Company (Dominican Republic)
  • OXL Resources Sdn BHD (Malaysia)
  • Qingdao Jutai International Trade Co, Ltd (China)
  • Rancho Chacxul SA de CV (Mexico)
  • Roypack Enterprises (Kenya)

 

See also Asparagus Exports by Country, Top Sweet Pepper and Chili Pepper Exports and Top Cucumbers Exporting Countries

Research Sources:
Alibaba, Supplier showroom for eggplant. Accessed on October 19, 2023

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on October 19, 2023

Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on October 19, 2023

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on October 19, 2023

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on October 19, 2023

Wikipedia, Eggplant. Accessed on October 19, 2023