Overall, fresh plum exports increased in value by an average 15.3% from 5 years earlier in 2019 when export sales for plums were $913.8 million.
Year over year, the overall value of exported plums flatlined via a 1.5% upturn compared to $1.04 billion starting from 2022.
There are a wide variety of juicy fruits sourced from plum trees. The taste of the fleshy part of plums varies from sweet to tart, albeit the fruit’s skin itself is typically tart. In addition to eating plums raw, people consume plum jams, juices and wines. Dried and salted plums are an example of a specialty snack.
By value, the 5 biggest exporters of fresh plums (Chile, Spain, Hong Kong, South Africa and mainland China) generated over three-fifths (62.4%) of all plums exported during 2023.
Applying a continental lens, countries in Europe supplied the highest dollar worth of exported plums during 2023 with shipments valued at $389.3 million or 37% of the global total. In second place were exporters in Asia (25.7%) ahead of providers in Latin America (20.9%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean. Smaller percentages originated from Africa (9.4%), North America (5.5%) and Oceania (1.5%) mostly Australia.
Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of plums in 2023 are mainland China, Hong Kong, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom and the United States of America. Combined, that quintet of top import countries bought over half (51%) of globally imported plums as measured by dollar value.
Those percentages suggest the total 95 exporters of plums (62.4% for corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to 170 buying countries, islands and territories. The top 5 importers represent a smaller portion at 51%.
As for global imports of plums by continent, 46.4% of plums purchases was delivered to customers in Asia surpassed importers in Europe (36.9%), North America (9.2%), Latin America (5.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (2.3%) and Oceania (0.1%) led by Australia, New Caledonia and New Zealand.
We calculated the average unit price paid by worldwide importers of plums to be $1,643 per ton in 2023. That dollar amount reflects 15.1% inflation compared to the average tonnage rate of $1,427 during 2022.
For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 080940 for fresh plums including sloes.
Top Plums Exports by Country
Below are the top 20 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of fresh plums during 2023.
- Chile: US$219.6 million (20.8% of total exported plums)
- Spain: $143.9 million (13.7%)
- Hong Kong: $137 million (13%)
- South Africa: $91.5 million (8.7%)
- mainland China: $65 million (6.2%)
- United States: $57.5 million (5.5%)
- Italy: $54 million (5.1%)
- Netherlands: $49.7 million (4.7%)
- Moldova: $40.8 million (3.9%)
- Türkiye: $28.9 million (2.7%)
- France: $16.2 million (1.5%)
- Australia: $16 million (1.5%)
- Austria: $12.8 million (1.2%)
- Serbia: $10.8 million (1%)
- Portugal: $9.6 million (0.9%)
- Uzbekistan: $9.4 million (0.9%)
- Germany: $8.2 million (0.8%)
- Lebanon: $8.1 million (0.8%)
- Poland: $8 million (0.8%)
- Croatia: $6.7 million (0.6%)
By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 94.3% of globally exported plums in 2023.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing plums exporters since 2022 were: Austria (up 564.5%), Moldova (up 170.9%), Croatia (up 152.1%) and Portugal (up 53.2%).
Major suppliers that posted declines in their exported plums sales were led by: Uzbekistan (down -59.8% from 2022), Serbia (down -25.4%), Australia (down -24.1%), South Africa (down -20.3%) and Poland (down -7.3%).
Top Plums Imports by Country
The overall cost for imported plums rose by 14.5% over the 5-year period starting in 2019 and increased by 3.9% year over year since 2022.
Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of plums imported during 2023.
- mainland China: US$280.8 million (23% of total imported plums)
- Hong Kong: $144.8 million (11.9%)
- Germany: $76.2 million (6.2%)
- United Kingdom: $61.8 million (5.1%)
- United States: $59.4 million (4.9%)
- Netherlands: $50.7 million (4.2%)
- Brazil: $47.1 million (3.9%)
- Vietnam: $45.2 million (3.7%)
- Canada: $39.6 million (3.2%)
- Russia: $33 million (2.7%)
- Poland: $26.6 million (2.2%)
- Austria: $24.8 million (2%)
- Italy: $23.4 million (1.9%)
- Belgium: $18.7 million (1.5%)
- United Arab Emirates: $17.6 million (1.4%)
- France: $17 million (1.4%)
- Egypt: $16 million (1.3%)
- Switzerland: $14.4 million (1.2%)
- Mexico: $13.8 million (1.1%)
- Romania: $11.7 million (1%)
By value, the listed 20 countries bought 83.8% of globally imported plums in 2023.
Among the top importers, the fastest-growing plums importers since 2022 were: Vietnam (up 1,005%), Austria (up 175.3%), Poland (up 46.6%) and Mexico (up 39%).
Leading buyer countries that posted declines in their purchases of imported plums were led by: United Arab Emirates (down -35.3% from 2022), Russia (down -33.5%), Egypt (down -17.2%), France (down -14.7%) and the Netherlands (down -14.2%).
Lowest and Highest Unit Prices for Imported Plums
In 2023, the world’s average unit price for imported fresh plums was US$1,643 per ton.
The average tonnage charge for the number one plums importer, mainland China, was much higher at $3,134.
Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported plums in 2023.
- Bangladesh: US$188 per ton (down -45.7% from 2022)
- Lesotho: $188 per ton (up 3.3%)
- Niger: $200 per ton (down -20%)
- Mauritania: $210 per ton (up 52.2%)
- Nepal: $247 per ton (down -10.8%)
- Paraguay: $332 per ton (down -10%)
- Zimbabwe: $337 per ton (down -19.6%)
- North Macedonia: $396 per ton (down -35.1%)
- Pakistan: $400 per ton (down -44%)
- Kyrgyzstan: $409 per ton (up 3.3%)
- Albania: $430 per ton (down -51.7%)
- Bosnia/Herzegovina: $470 per ton (up 18.4%)
- Kazakhstan: $482 per ton (up 16.4%)
- Zambia: $489 per ton (up 44.2%)
- Namibia: $492 per ton (down -14.4%)
Experiencing the greatest reductions in average unit price paid per ton for plums from 2022 to 2023 were low-cost importers in Albania (down -51.7%), Bangladesh (down -45.7%), Pakistan (down -44%) and North Macedonia (down -35.1%).
The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported plums.
- Japan: US$7,240 per ton (up 0.2% from 2022)
- Vanuatu: $7,000 per ton (up 75%)
- Papua New Guinea: $6,500 per ton (up 50%)
- Australia: $5,677 per ton (up 1.1%)
- Fiji: $5,000 per ton (up 52.2%)
- Bermuda: $4,979 per ton (down -21.9%)
- Maldives: $4,867 per ton (up 1.2%)
- New Zealand: $4,149 per ton (up 1.7%)
- Brunei Darussalam: $4,098 per ton (up 0.3%)
- Sierra Leone: $4,000 per ton (2022 data unavailable)
- French Polynesia: $3,874 per ton (down -11.5%)
- Marshall Islands: $3,667 per ton (up 4.8%)
- Nicaragua: $3,591 per ton (up 26.2%)
- Aruba: $3,545 per ton (up 2%)
- Dominica: $3,500 per ton (up 31.2%)
There were 5 double-digit accelerations in terms of higher average unit prices paid in 2023 compared to 2022. That inflation was experienced by importers in Vanuatu (up 75%), Fiji (up 52.2%), Papua New Guinea (up 50%), Dominica (up 31.2%) and Nicaragua (up 26.2%).
See also Top Apricots Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Apples Exports by Country, Top Pears Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Strawberries Exporters by Country, Sweet Cherries Exports by Country and Top Jams Exporting Countries
Research Sources:
Alibaba, Plums Showroom. Accessed on November 11, 2024
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on November 11, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on November 11, 2024
Wikipedia, Plum. Accessed on November 11, 2024