That dollar amount results from an average 16.3% increase for all eggplant shippers compared to $540.7 million 5 years earlier in 2019.
Year over year, the value of globally exported eggplants rose 6.7% compared to $589.7 starting from 2022.
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 Iran. Combined, that quintet of major suppliers collected over three-quarters (77.3%) 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 2023 with shipments valued at $385.4 million or more than three-fifths (61.3%) of the global total. In second place were exporters located in North America at 21.2% while another 14.3% of worldwide eggplant sales originated from sellers in Asia.
Smaller percentages came from suppliers in Latin America (1.9%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (1.1%), then Oceania (0.2%) 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 2023.
- Spain: US$222.8 million (35.4% of total exported eggplants)
- Netherlands: $99.8 million (15.9%)
- Mexico: $89.8 million (14.3%)
- United States: $37.6 million (6%)
- Iran: $36.2 million (5.7%)
- Belgium: $22.3 million (3.6%)
- Türkiye: $21 million (3.3%)
- France: $15.46 million (2.5%)
- mainland China: $12.2 million (1.9%)
- Italy: $11.3 million (1.8%)
- Honduras: $9.3 million (1.5%)
- Malaysia: $7 million (1.1%)
- Canada: $5.9 million (0.9%)
- Poland: $3.5 million (0.6%)
- Germany: $3.3 million (0.5%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 95% of globally exported eggplants in 2023.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of eggplants since 2022 were: Belgium (up 65.9%), Poland (up 40.9%), France (up 13.5%) and Iran (up 13.2%).
Listed suppliers that posted the year-over-year declines in their international sales of eggplants were Canada (down -5.6% from 2022) and mainland China (down -4.7%).
Countries Enjoying Best Trade Surpluses from Eggplants
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for eggplant during 2023. 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.
- Spain: US$219.9 million (net export surplus up 7.5% since 2022)
- Mexico: $89.8 million (up 5.7%)
- Netherlands: $75.7 million (up 3.4%)
- Iran: $36.2 million (up 13.2%)
- Türkiye: $21 million (up 11.2%)
- mainland China: $12.2 million (down -4.7%)
- Honduras: $9.3 million (2022 data unavailable)
- Malaysia: $6.1 million (up 14.5%)
- Belgium: $4.4 million (reversing a -$961,000 deficit)
- Egypt: $2.45 million (down -17.7%)
- Morocco: $2.44 million (up 5.5%)
- Jordan: $2.3 million (up 101.6%)
- Saudi Arabia: $1.9 million (up 65.6%)
- Syria: $1.7 million (down -33.7%)
- Dominican Republic: $1.4 million (down -3.5%)
World-leading eggplant exporter Spain generated the most lucrative 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 2023. 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.
- Germany: -US$92.3 million (net export deficit up 8.6% since 2022)
- United States: -$74 million (up 6.5%)
- United Kingdom: -$57.8 million (down -0.7%)
- France: -$57.4 million (down -2.5%)
- Canada: -$36.8 million (up 13.1%)
- Italy: -$32.6 million (up 50.3%)
- Iraq: -$17.9 million (up 16%)
- Russia: -$16.3 million (up 9%)
- Switzerland: -$16.3 million (up 5.4%)
- Singapore: -$12.4 million (up 4.6%)
- Sweden: -$9.4 million (up 6.4%)
- Romania: -$7.1 million (up 17.2%)
- Georgia: -$6.8 million (up 39.8%)
- Austria: -$6.6 million (up 12.4%)
- Denmark: -$6.2 million (up 22.1%)
European economic powerhouse Germany incurred the worst 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 December 6, 2024
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on December 6, 2024
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on December 6, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on December 6, 2024
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on December 6, 2024
Wikipedia, Eggplant. Accessed on December 6, 2024