That dollar amount results from an average 21.5% increase for all exporters of edible seaweed over the 5-year period starting in 2019. Back then, exports classified as edible seaweed or edible seaweed were worth a total $673 million.
Year over year, the value of globally exported edible seaweed retreated by an average -5.7% compared to $867.4 million for 2022.
Edible seaweed is used for sushi or maki wrappings, soups and stews, salads, snacks, garnish and instant noodles.
Seaweeds contain nutrients including proteins, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Seaweed is also rich in iodine, tyrosine, calcium and magnesium.
Exports by Type of Seaweed
Most freshwater algae seaweeds are toxic.
On the other hand, edible seaweeds are typically marine algae albeit some marine algae have acids that irritate the digestive system. Some marine algae seaweeds create a laxative effect while the genus Lyngbya can be lethal.
Edible seaweeds generated 70.6% in international sales compared to all exported seaweeds in 2023. Exports of non-edible seaweeds and other algae accounted for the remaining 29.4%.
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code is 121221 for edible seaweeds and other algae. The code for seaweeds and other algae not fit for human consumption is 121229.
Key Geographic Insights about Seaweed Exports
By value, the world’s 5 most lucrative exporters of edible seaweed are South Korea, Indonesia, mainland China, Japan and the Philippines. Added together, those 5 leading suppliers furnished 87.3% of overall global spending on edible seaweed during 2023.
Among continents, edible seaweed suppliers located in Asia exported the highest dollar worth of edible seaweed during 2023 with shipments valued at $725.5 million or 88.7% of the worldwide total. In second place were edible seaweed-related exporters in Europe at 7.8%, trailed by suppliers in North America at 2%.
Tinier percentages originated from Latin America (0.9%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (0.3%) then Oceania led by Australia (0.2%).
Top Seaweed Exporters by Country
Below are the 25 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of edible seaweed during 2023.
- South Korea: US$354.9 million (43.4% of edible seaweed exports)
- Indonesia: $275 million (33.6%)
- mainland China: $46.1 million (5.6%)
- Japan: $22.3 million (2.7%)
- Philippines: $15.8 million (1.9%)
- United Kingdom: $10.8 million (1.3%)
- Spain: $10.7 million (1.3%)
- United States: $9.3 million (1.1%)
- Denmark: $8 million (1%)
- Canada: $6.8 million (0.8%)
- Netherlands: $6.5 million (0.8%)
- Germany: $4.7 million (0.6%)
- France: $4.6 million (0.6%)
- Lithuania: $3.5 million (0.4%)
- Thailand: $3.4 million (0.4%)
- Chile: $2.8 million (0.3%)
- Portugal: $2.7 million (0.3%)
- Vietnam: $2.6 million (0.3%)
- Russia: $2.1 million (0.3%)
- Austria: $2 million (0.2%)
- South Africa: $1.9 million (0.2%)
- Venezuela: $1.8 million (0.2%)
- Malaysia: $1.53 million (0.2%)
- Belgium: $1.46 million (0.2%)
- Saint Lucia: $1.45 million (0.2%)
By value, the listed 25 countries shipped 98.3% of globally exported edible seaweed in 2023.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing exporters of edible seaweed since 2022 were: Lithuania (up 79.9%), Portugal (up 58.6%), Saint Lucia (up 53.9%), South Korea (up 29.9%), United Kingdom (up 23.8%) and Malaysia (up 20.1%).
Listed suppliers that posted annual declines in their international sales of edible seaweed-related were led by: South Africa (down -54.7%), United States of America (down -39%), Chile (down -37.1%), Philippines (down -32.2%), Russia (down -31.8%), Indonesia (down -29.1%) then Austria (down -24.9%).
Countries Generating Greatest Surpluses from Global Seaweed Trade
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for edible seaweed 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 edible seaweed and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- South Korea: US$334.8 million (net export surplus up 36.3% since 2022)
- Indonesia: $255.2 million (down -31.8%)
- Philippines: $8.1 million (down -53.6%)
- Spain: $5 million (down -38.2%)
- Venezuela: $1.6 million (up 3.7%)
- Saint Lucia: $1.5 million (up 54.2%)
- South Africa: $1.09 million (down -64.1%)
- Portugal: $1.06 million (up 3002.9%)
- Iceland: $753,000 (down -33.9%)
- Ecuador: $720,000 (up 80%)
- Madagascar: $605,000 (up 57.6%)
- Ireland: $448,000 (down -52.5%)
- Lithuania: $432,000 (down -21,700%)
- Latvia: $305,000 (reversing a -$2,000 deficit)
- Solomon Islands: $214,000 (reversing a -$233,000 deficit)
World-leading seaweed exporter South Korea scored the highest surplus in the international trade of edible seaweed in 2023. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms the strong Korean competitive advantage for this specific product category.
Countries Incurring Worst Deficits from Global Seaweed Trade
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for edible seaweed plus edible seaweed 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 edible seaweed purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- mainland China: -US$272.5 million (net export deficit down -21.7% since 2022)
- Japan: -$197.9 million (up 16.6%)
- United States: -$64.9 million (up 4.8%)
- Thailand: -$64.7 million (up 42.2%)
- Taiwan: -$55.4 million (down -2.8%)
- Russia: -$47.7 million (up 46.4%)
- Australia: -$22.6 million (down -8.4%)
- Norway: -$22.5 million (up 92.1%)
- Vietnam: -$20.4 million (up 84.1%)
- Brazil: -$17.2 million (up 73.8%)
- Canada: -$11.2 million (up 35.3%)
- Denmark: -$10.4 million (reversing a $1.3 million surplus)
- Chile: -$7.7 million (up 67.4%)
- New Zealand: -$6.2 million (down -14%)
- Poland: -$5.9 million (up 19.3%)
China incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of edible seaweed during 2023. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights China’s competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for edible seaweed-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful consumer demand.
Supplying Companies for Edible Seaweed
Below are 6 selected examples of suppliers of edible seaweed, edible seaweed or both. They are established players engaged in the international trade of edible seaweed.
The home country for each company’s headquarters, either Vietnam or mainland China, is shown within parenthesis.
- 99 Gold Crafts Village (Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam)
- Beijing Shipuller Co., Ltd (Beijing, China)
- Qingdao Wyl Imp. & Exp. Co., Ltd (Shandong, China)
- Takimex Global Co., Ltd (Binh Duong, Vietnam)
- Viet D.E.L.T.A Industrial Co., Ltd (Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam)
- Weihai Qingzheng Foods Co., Ltd (Shandong, China)
See also Best Tofu Exports by Sales, Average Unit Prices & Weight, Rice Exports by Country, Tea Exports by Country Plus Average Prices and Top Ginger Exporters
Research Sources:
Alibaba, The Leading B2B ecommerce platform for global trade. Accessed on January 2, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on January 2, 2025
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on January 2, 2025
Wikipedia, Edible seaweed. Accessed on January 2, 2025