African Importers
Africa imported $2.5 billion worth of vegetables led by the following countries:
1. Egypt: $455.5 million
2. Algeria: $450.4 million
3. Somalia: $237.6 million
4. Morocco: $157.4 million
5. Kenya: $120.8 million
6. South Africa: $101.4 million
7. Djibouti: $87 million
8. Angola: $84 million
9. Senegal: $80.7 million
10. Ethiopia: $74.9 million
Asian Importers
Asia imported $19 billion worth of vegetables led by the following countries:
1. India: $3.9 billion
2. Japan: $2.5 billion
3. Vietnam: $2.2 billion
4. China: $2 billion
5. Pakistan: $981.2 million
6. Malaysia: $931.5 million
7. Indonesia: $836.4 million
8. Thailand: $827.8 million
9. South Korea: $683.6 million
10. Bangladesh: $552.1 million
To see the 25 fastest-growing vegetables importers from 2013 to 2017, use the slidebar on the accompanying list. Overall, the 5-year percentage gain for globally imported vegetables was 9.3%.
Data source: Trade Map, International Trade Centre, www.intracen.org/marketanalysis
Top Imported Vegetables Countries
Top Vegetable Importers 2017
European Union (EU) Importers
European Union imported $29.4 billion worth of vegetables led by the following EU members:
1. Germany: $6.9 billion
2. United Kingdom: $4.2 billion
3. France: $3.5 billion
4. Netherlands: $2.8 billion
5. Belgium: $2.2 billion
6. Italy: $1.8 billion
7. Spain: $1.4 billion
8. Poland: $770.5 million
9. Austria: $743.1 million
10. Sweden: $738.1 million
Latin American and Caribbean Importers
Latin America (excluding Mexico) and the Caribbean imported $1.8 billion worth of vegetables led by the following countries:
1. Brazil: $570.4 million
2. Colombia: $176.4 million
3. Peru: $105.8 million
4. Chile: $102.4 million
5. Venezuela: $88.4 million
6. Dominican Republic: $83 million
7. Costa Rica: $81 million
8. El Salvador: $75.2 million
9. Cuba: $69.4 million
10. Ecuador: $48.9 million
Middle Eastern Importers
Middle East imported $4.3 billion worth of vegetables led by the following countries:
1. United Arab Emirates: $1.3 billion
2. Saudi Arabia: $664.6 million
3. Iraq: $580.1 million
4. Iran: $379.5 million
5. Kuwait: $328.5 million
6. Qatar: $222.6 million
7. Israel: $143.1 million
8. Lebanon: $141.8 million
9. Oman: $118.2 million
10. Jordan: $109.8 million
Oceanian Importers
Oceania imported $417.3 million worth of vegetables led by the following countries:
1. Australia: $259.5 million
2. New Zealand: $80.1 million
3. Fiji: $39.8 million
4. French Polynesia: $9.3 million
5. New Caledonia: $8.5 million
6. Papua New Guinea: $6.4 million
7. Samoa: $3.9 million
8. Palau: $1.6 million
9. Solomon Islands: $1.5 million
10. Cook Islands: $1.3 million
North American Importers
North America imported $13.9 billion worth of vegetables led by the following countries:
1. United States: $10.3 billion
2. Canada: $3.2 billion
3. Mexico: $481.9 million
Research Note: Import numbers rarely match the source exporters’ stats. Reasons for import-export statistical discrepancies include re-exports, time lags, misallocations, distinct trade reporting systems, different quantity measurements and country confidentiality rules. Also, transportation and insurance costs are sometimes added to import totals.
This list reveals the top 10 vegetables importers based on their percentage of global import purchases (shown within parenthesis). In 2017, world vegetables imports totaled US$75.2 billion.
