International sales of pears rose by an average 9.5% since 5 years earlier in 2019 when globally exported pears attracted revenues of $2.51 billion.
Year over year, the total value of pear exports accelerated by 8.1% compared to $2.54 billion for 2022.
Worldwide there are over 3,000 varieties of pears, according to informational portal Northern Nester. Popular varieties include green and red Anjou, Bartlett, russet brown Bosc, round-shaped Asian, and French Butter pears. Many consumers choose Bosc pears as the tastiest, while Anjou and Bartlett pears are among the juiciest.
Like apples, fresh whole pears are typically eaten in bite-size slices. The skin of a pear is edible, albeit some consumers prefer to peel pears before eating them. Pears can also be cooked or dried.
The 5 biggest exporters of pears (mainland China, Netherlands, Belgium, Argentina and South Africa) supplied two-thirds (66.7%) worth of globally exported pears during 2023.
Applying a continental lens, countries in Europe sold the highest dollar worth of exported pears during 2023 via shipments valued at $1.31 billion or 47.7% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Asia at 27.3%. Smaller percentages originated from sellers in Latin America excluding Mexico (11.8%) but including the Caribbean, Africa (7.2%), North America (5.6%) then Oceania (0.5%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Turning to imports, the 5 leading importers of pears in 2023 were Germany, Indonesia, Italy, United Kingdom and Brazil. Collectively, that quintet of top buyers bought over a third (34.8% of globally imported pears).
Those percentages suggest a much more concentrated cohort of 95 total of exporters of pears (66.7% for top 5 export suppliers) compared to roughly 200 importing countries, islands and territories for the 5 biggest importers (34.8%).
From a continental perspective, more than half 52.4% of globally imported pears was delivered to European countries well ahead of importers in Asia (27.5%), North America (9.8%), Latin America (8.2%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (1.7%), then Oceania (0.5%) mostly buyers in New Zealand and Australia.
Worldwide, the average unit price paid by importers of pears was $1,223 per ton in 2023. That dollar amount reflects a 9.6% inflation rate compared to the average tonnage rate of $1,116 for 2022.
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 081070 for fresh pears.
Top Pears Exports by Country
Below are the top 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of pears during 2023.
- mainland China: US$536.2 million (19.5% of total pears exports)
- Netherlands: $517.4 million (18.8%)
- Belgium: $367 million (13.4%)
- Argentina: $217.6 million (7.9%)
- South Africa: $195.9 million (7.1%)
- United States: $154.5 million (5.6%)
- Spain: $128.6 million (4.7%)
- Chile: $105.3 million (3.8%)
- Portugal: $96.4 million (3.5%)
- Italy: $82.8 million (3%)
- South Korea: $74.5 million (2.7%)
- Poland: $56 million (2%)
- Türkiye: $50.7 million (1.8%)
- United Arab Emirates: $40.6 million (1.5%)
- Hong Kong: $14.6 million (0.5%)
- France: $14.4 million (0.5%)
- Germany: $12.1 million (0.4%)
- Japan: $8.5 million (0.3%)
- Australia: $8.3 million (0.3%)
- Greece: $7.1 million (0.3%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 97.8% of globally exported pears in 2023.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing pears exporters since 2022 were: Hong Kong (up 173.6%), Spain (up 52.2%), United Arab Emirates (up 47.3%) and Belgium (up 21.3%).
Listed suppliers that posted annual declines in their exported pears sales were led by: Australia (down -18.4%), Japan (down -17.6%), Portugal (down -17.3%), South Africa (down -15.2%) and France (down -6.5%).
Top Pears Imports by Country
The overall cost for imported pears recorded a 10.6% gain over the 5-year period starting in 2019 and rose by 3.8% year over year since 2022.
Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of pears imported during 2023.
- Germany: US$269.9 million (9.6% of total imported pears)
- Indonesia: $246.3 million (8.7%)
- Italy: $169.2 million (6%)
- United Kingdom: $156.2 million (5.5%)
- Brazil: $140.4 million (5%)
- United States: $138.6 million (4.9%)
- France: $134.1 million (4.8%)
- Netherlands: $117.2 million (4.2%)
- Russia: $109.9 million (3.9%)
- Canada: $86 million (3%)
- Spain: $81 million (2.9%)
- Thailand: $58 million (2.1%)
- Hong Kong: $56.6 million (2%)
- Vietnam: $54.4 million (1.9%)
- Mexico: $51.1 million (1.8%)
- Poland: $50.3 million (1.8%)
- Belgium: $42.1 million (1.5%)
- Belarus: $37.8 million (1.3%)
- Malaysia: $37.2 million (1.3%)
- Romania: $36.2 million (1.3%)
By value, the listed 20 countries bought 73.5% of globally imported pears in 2023.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing pears importers since 2022 were: Belgium (up 40.7%), Romania (up 36.0%), Italy (up 25.2%) and Spain (up 24.2%).
Listed buyer countries that posted annual declines in their imported pears sales were led by: Mexico (down -24.9%), Thailand (down -22.5%), Malaysia (down -12.9%), Russia (down -12.5%) and Indonesia (down -6.2%).
Lowest and Highest Unit Prices for Imported Pears
In 2023, the world’s average unit price for imported pears was US$1,223 per ton. That dollar average reflects a 9.6% rise compared to an average $1,116 per ton one year earlier for 2022.
The average tonnage charge paid by the world’s leading pears importer, Germany, was higher at $1,634 for 2023.
Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported pears in 2023.
- Burkina Faso: US$83 per ton (down -43.5% from 2022)
- Pakistan: $143 per ton (down -33.8%)
- Mauritania: $188 per ton (down -8.3%)
- Niger: $218 per ton (up 80.2%)
- Zimbabwe: $292 per ton (down -5.5%)
- Central African Republic: $333 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
- Syria: $370 per ton (up 151.7%)
- Myanmar: $375 per ton (down -17.2%)
- Paraguay: $391 per ton (up 3.2%)
- Eswatini: $417 per ton (down -7.7%)
- Georgia: $423 per ton (up 9.9%)
- Nigeria: $427 per ton (down -32%)
- Uzbekistan: $428 per ton (down -16.6%)
- Lesotho: $437 per ton (up 22.8%)
- Liberia: $444 per ton (down -16.7%)
Experiencing double-digit reductions in average unit price paid per ton for pears were low-cost importers Burkina Faso (down -43.5% from 2022), Pakistan (down -33.8%), Nigeria (down -32%), Myanmar (down -17.2%), Liberia (down -16.7%) and Uzbekistan (down -16.6%).
The following countries paid for imported pears that cost the highest average unit prices.
- Montserrat: US$4,500 per ton (up 35% from 2022)
- Cayman Islands: $4,083 per ton (up 117%)
- British Virgin Islands: $4,000 per ton (up 33.3%)
- United States Minor Outlying Islands: $3,236 per ton (down -9.1%)
- Bermuda: $3,169 per ton (up 0.6%)
- Palau: $3,000 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
- Saint Pierre/Miquelon: $3,000 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
- Marshall Islands: $2,706 per ton (up 0.5%)
- Aruba: $2,675 per ton (up 6.5%)
- Saint Vincent/Grenadines: $2,667 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
- Ethiopia: $2,577 per ton (up 5.7%)
- Dominica: $2,571 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
- French Polynesia: $2,547 per ton (up 0.2%)
- Niue: $2,500 per ton (up 25%)
- Saint Lucia: $2,381 per ton (down -3.8%)
Enduring the strongest inflation in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2023 for pears compared to 2022 were importers in the Cayman Islands (up 117%), a British overseas territory in the Caribbean Montserrat (up 35%), British Virgin Islands (up 33.3%) and the Polynesian island country Niue (up 25%).
Related Read: Top Apricots Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices
See also Top Cranberries Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Strawberries Exporters by Country, Top Persimmons Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Sweet Cherries Exports by Country and Bananas Exporters Ranked by Average Prices & Shipment Weight
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Pears Showroom. Accessed on December 8, 2024
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on December 8, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on December 8, 2024
Northern Nester, 10 Popular And Common Types of Pears – Complete Guide 2023. Accessed on December 8, 2024
Wikipedia, Pear. Accessed on December 8, 2024