Exports of peanuts expanded in value by an overall average 47.3% since 2019 when global export sales for peanuts added up to $2.98 billion.
Year over year, overall export revenues for the popular snacking nut grew via a 12.2% advance compared to $3.91 billion during 2022.
Peanuts are edible seeds of a legume crop plant unique because peanut pods grow under the soil rather than above ground.
Whole peanuts can be dry roasted, boiled, baked or eaten raw as a snack food. Peanuts are also ingredients to make peanut oil, peanut butter and peanut flour.
Little-known industrial uses for peanuts encompass paint, varnish, lubricating oil, leather dressings, furniture polish, insecticides, soap and cosmetics. Peanut shells go into making plastics, wallboard, abrasives, rayon cellulose used for paper, mucilage and fuel.
By value, the 5 biggest exporters of peanuts in 2023 were India, United States of America, Brazil, Sudan then the Netherlands. Combined, that leading cohort sold almost three-fifths (59.5%) of exported peanuts sold worldwide during 2023.
Applying a continental perspective, countries in Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean supplied the highest dollar worth of exported peanuts during 2023 with shipments valued at $1.38 billion or 31.3% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Asia (25.7%) trailed by those in Africa (21.3%), North America (14.3%), Europe (7.3%), then Oceania (0.1%) including Australia, Fiji and New Zealand.
Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of peanuts in 2023 were mainland China, Netherlands, Indonesia, Vietnam and Germany. Combined, that quintet of top import countries bought almost half (48.6%) of globally imported peanuts as measured by dollar value.
The above percentages suggest the total 108 exporters of peanuts (59.5% for the corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to 165 importing countries, islands and territories. The top 5 importers accounted for a smaller portion of its corresponding world total at 48.6%.
As for global imports of peanuts by continent, 42.3% of peanuts purchased on international markets was delivered to customers in Asia just ahead of importers in Europe (40.8%) then North America (7.4%), Africa (6%), Latin America (2.7%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.8%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Other Key Facts About Exported and Imported Peanuts
We calculated the average unit price paid by importers of peanuts still in-shell to be $1,282 per ton in 2023. That dollar amount reflects a 2.6% gain from the average tonnage cost of $1,249 during 2022.
Imports of shelled peanuts demand a higher unit price. For shelled peanuts, the average unit price paid by importers was about $1,377 per ton in 2023 even after considering economies of scale from higher volumes. Up by 8.1% from $1,274 per ton for 2022, the inflating average price results partly from labor costs and other processing expenses.
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 120241 for peanuts in shell, and 120242 for shelled peanuts. Note that peanuts are classified under oil seeds and are sometimes called groundnuts.
Drilling down on those categories, 90.8% of peanuts exported worldwide by sales were for shelled peanuts. The remaining 9.2% was paid for peanuts in shell (compared to 7.6% for 2022).
Top Peanuts Exports by Country
Below are the top 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of peanuts during 2023, regardless of whether the shipped peanuts were in-shell or shelled.
- India: US$872.6 million (19.9% of total exported peanuts)
- United States: $629.1 million (14.3%)
- Brazil: $443.7 million (10.1%)
- Sudan: $435.6 million (9.9%)
- Netherlands: $230.8 million (5.3%)
- Senegal: $197.8 million (4.5%)
- mainland China: $185.4 million (4.2%)
- Nicaragua: $127.6 million (2.9%)
- Egypt: $97.1 million (2.2%)
- Mozambique: $69.1 million (1.6%)
- Malawi: $54 million (1.2%)
- Tanzania: $41 million (0.9%)
- Germany: $29.7 million (0.7%)
- Israel: $19.9 million (0.5%)
- Madagascar: $19.2 million (0.4%)
- Belgium: $16.9 million (0.4%)
- Bolivia: $14.6 million (0.3%)
- South Africa: $13.6 million (0.3%)
- Myanmar: $11.38 million (0.3%)
- Türkiye: $8.99 million (0.2%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 80.1% of globally exported peanuts in 2023.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing peanuts exporters since 2022 were: Tanzania (up 86.7%), Madagascar (up 63.1%), Mozambique (up 62.7%) and Senegal (up 45.6%).
Those countries that posted declines in their exported peanuts sales were: Türkiye (down -65.6% from 2022), Myanmar (down -49.8%), Malawi (down -36.2%), Bolivia (down -12.5%) and South Africa (down -0.1%).
Top Peanuts Imports by Country
Overall spending on imported peanuts spiked by 161.2% over the 5-year period starting from $3.4 billion in 2019 and increased by 10.2% compared to $4.54 billion for 2022.
Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of peanuts imported during 2023, for any peanuts regardless of whether shelled or not.
- mainland China: US$758.5 million (16.7% of total imported peanuts)
- Netherlands: $571.2 million (12.6%)
- Indonesia: $374.2 million (8.2%)
- Vietnam: $269.6 million (5.9%)
- Germany: $233.4 million (5.1%)
- Mexico: $173.9 million (3.8%)
- Russia: $173.6 million (3.8%)
- United Kingdom: $162.3 million (3.6%)
- Canada: $156.5 million (3.4%)
- Algeria: $132.7 million (2.9%)
- Poland: $127.2 million (2.8%)
- Spain: $99.7 million (2.2%)
- Italy: $85.8 million (1.9%)
- France: $75.4 million (1.7%)
- Thailand: $60.2 million (1.3%)
- Türkiye: $53.5 million (1.2%)
- Philippines: $52.9 million (1.2%)
- United Arab Emirates: $49.6 million (1.1%)
- Malaysia: $47.2 million (1%)
- Ukraine: $38.4 million (0.8%)
By value, the listed 20 countries bought 81.4% of globally imported peanuts in 2023—same percentage as in 2022.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing peanuts importers since 2022 were: Algeria (up 160.7%), Türkiye (up 142.0%), Vietnam (up 80%) and Mexico (up 54.8%).
Two major buyer countries posted declines in their imported peanuts purchases, namely Malaysia (down -45.2% from 2022) and Indonesia (down -19.2%).
Imported In-Shell Peanuts: Lowest and Highest Unit Prices
In 2023, the world’s average unit price for imports of in-shell peanuts was US$1,282 per ton.
The average tonnage charge for the number one importer of in-shell peanuts as measured by shipment weight, mainland China, was significantly lower at $844.
Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported in-shell peanuts in 2023.
- Burkina Faso: US$13 per ton (2022 data unavailable from 2022)
- Ivory Coast: $32 per ton (down -33.3%)
- Mali: $49 per ton (down -27.9%)
- Senegal: $91 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
- Angola: $177 per ton (down -36.1%)
- Honduras: $200 per ton (down -80%)
- Timor-Leste: $231 per ton (down -59%)
- Ghana: $239 per ton (up 127.6%)
- Guinea: $270 per ton (up 136.8%)
- Mozambique: $273 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
- Botswana: $310 per ton (down -46.8%)
- Laos: $331 per ton (down -91.7%)
- United States of America: $333 per ton (down -89.2%)
- Liberia: $343 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
- Comoros: $386 per ton (down -1%)
The strongest reductions in average unit price paid per ton for in-shell peanuts among the above low-cost importers belonged to Laos (down -91.7% from 2022), United States of America (down -89.2%), Honduras (down -80%), Timor-Leste (down -59%) and Botswana (down -46.8%).
The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported in-shell peanuts.
- Mauritius: US$12,019 per ton (up 535.9% from 2022)
- Nigeria: $10,000 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
- Iceland: $8,000 per ton (up 33.3%)
- Lesotho: $7,323 per ton (up 189.9%)
- Montserrat: $6,000 per ton (up 140%)
- Norway: $4,048 per ton (up 13.4%)
- Aruba: $3,917 per ton (up 26.1%)
- Maldives: $3,625 per ton (up 3.6%)
- Gibraltar: $3,571 per ton (up 2%)
- Morocco: $3,500 per ton (up 187.8%)
- Estonia: $3,433 per ton (up 46.4%)
- Bahamas: $3,400 per ton (down -27.1%)
- Hong Kong, China: $3,235 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
- Seychelles: $3,143 per ton (up 15.3%)
- Cayman Islands: $3,000 per ton (down -57.1%)
The strongest accelerations in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2023 compared to 2022 were paid by importers in Mauritius (up 535.9%), Lesotho (up 189.9%), Morocco (up 187.8%) and Montserrat (up 140%).
Imported Shelled Peanuts: Lowest and Highest Unit Prices
In 2023, the world’s average unit price for imports of shelled peanuts was an estimated US$1,377 per ton.
The average tonnage charge for the number one importer of shelled peanuts, mainland China, was lesser at $1,215.
Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported peanuts in 2023 that that have already had their shells removed.
- Benin: US$21 per ton (down -89.2% from 2022)
- Ghana: $29 per ton (down -84.6%)
- Togo: $54 per ton (up 14.9%)
- Mali: $80 per ton (down -4.8%)
- Guinea: $112 per ton (down -29.6%)
- Senegal: $144 per ton (down -97.8%)
- Burkina Faso: $173 per ton (up 592%)
- Niger: $176 per ton (up 64.5%)
- Ivory Coast: $194 per ton (up 51.6%)
- Angola: $200 per ton (down -29.3%)
- Comoros: $250 per ton (down -48%)
- Congo: $300 per ton (up 244.8%)
- Botswana: $301 per ton (up 8.7%)
- Mozambique: $343 per ton (down -97.4%)
- Tanzania: $385 per ton (down -15.6%)
The strongest reductions in average unit price paid per ton for shelled peanuts from 2022 to 2023 were recorded by low-cost importers in Senegal (down -97.8%), Mozambique (down -97.4%), Benin (down -89.2%), Ghana (down -84.6%) then Comoros (down -48%).
The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported peanuts with their shells removed.
- Bahamas: US$6,000 per ton (up 64.4% from 2022)
- Aruba: $6,000 per ton (up 50%)
- Gibraltar: $5,000 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
- Turks/Caicos Islands: $5,000 per ton (up 31.6%)
- British Virgin Islands: $4,200 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
- Curaçao: $4,000 per ton (up 208.6%)
- Marshall Islands: $4,000 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
- Mauritius: $3,659 per ton (up 107.3%)
- Panama: $3,545 per ton (up 77.3%)
- New Caledonia: $3,400 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
- Iceland: $3,362 per ton (up 7.8%)
- Bermuda: $3,286 per ton (down -1.4%)
- Mongolia: $3,200 per ton (up 83.7%)
- Maldives: $3,191 per ton (up 6.5%)
- Laos: $3,000 per ton (up 166.7%)
The greatest increases in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2023 compared to 2022 were experienced by importers of shelled peanuts in Curaçao (up 208.6%), Laos (up 166.7%), Mauritius (up 107.1%) and Mongolia (up 83.7%).
See also Top Almonds Exporters by Country, Top Chickpeas Exports & Imports by Country, Top Walnut Exporters by Country, Top Cardamoms Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices and Top Chestnuts Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Peanut Showroom. Accessed on July 27, 2024
SNACKEX, Conference Presentation Future Peanut Sourcing for Europe. Accessed on July 27, 2024
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on July 27, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 27, 2024
Wikipedia, Peanut. Accessed on July 27, 2024