Top Ten Apple Countries

Russia Pays the Lowest Average Unit Price for Apple Imports

Oct 3, 2007 Daniel Workman

While China exports the most apples in the world by weight, apples exported from France enjoy prices over 2.5 times higher than produce grown in Chinese orchards.

Fresh-market apple production continues to grow at a faster pace than such processed apple products such as juice, cider and sauce. This is due in part to low-cost imports of Chinese apple juice concentrates driving down the price per pound for juice apples.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (ERS), world production of apples is some 58 million metric tons annually.

China is the world’s largest apple producer, accounting for over a third of global output. In the ERS study, the U.S. ranks as the number two apple grower. America generates around 7% of worldwide apple production.

While yields from U.S. orchards are double those in the People’s Republic, China devotes far more farmland to growing apples.

Top Ten Apple Exporters

In 2004, the following nations exported the most apples by weight.

1. China … 774,131 metric tons (15.6% of top ten total)
2. Chile … 738,985 metric tons (14.9%)
3. France … 628,017 metric tons (12.6%)
4. Italy … 541,969 metric tons (10.9%)
5. United States … 491,676 metric tons (9.9%)
6. Poland … 407,393 metric tons (8.2%)
7. Netherlands … 388,094 metric tons (7.8%)
8. New Zealand … 358,327 metric tons (7.2%)
9. Belgium … 336,737 metric tons (6.8%)
10. South Africa … 305,190 metric tons (6.1%).

However, the list changes dramatically for the top ten apple exporters by value.

1. France … US$574.7 million (18.2% of top ten total)
2. Italy … $432.8 million (13.7%)
3. United States … $383.7 million (12.2%)
4. Chile … $338 million (10.7%)
5. New Zealand … $314 million (10.0%)
6. Netherlands … $297 million (9.4%)
7. China $274.4 million (8.7%)
8. Belgium $258.6 million (8.2%)
9. South Africa … $181 million (5.7%)
10. Poland … $100.8 million (3.2%).

The reason for the difference is higher unit prices per metric ton for apples from such exporting nations as France (US$915), Italy ($799), New Zealand ($876) and the U.S. ($780).

Apples from Poland (US$247), China ($354), Chile ($457) and South Africa ($593) dictated lower prices on the world market in 2004. Netherlands and Belgium enjoyed average unit prices of about $765.

Top Ten Apple Importers

The following countries spent the most on fresh apple imports in 2004.

1. Germany … US$595.8 million (13.9% of top ten total)
2. United Kingdom … $553 million (12.9%)
3. Netherlands … $279.3 million (6.5%)
4. Russia … $237.4 million (5.5%)
5. Belgium … $221.5 million (5.2%)
6. United States … $215.9 million (5.0%)
7. Spain … $206.8 million (4.8%)
8. France … $170.6 million (4.0%)
9. Mexico … $136.9 million (3.2%)
10. Canada … $124.7 million (2.9%).

In terms of weight, Russia is the second-largest apple importer behind only Germany. Russia imported 705,277 metric tons of apples compared to Germany’s 736,256 metric tons in 2004. Russia paid an average unit price of $337 per metric ton – an amount far lower than the $809 that Germany shelled out for its imported apples.

The remaining apple importers in the top ten pay fairly similar average unit prices, ranging from France’s $812 per metric ton to the U.K.’s $1,053.

Sources for this Article

This article presents independent calculations and insights based on key statistics from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (fao.org) and National Agricultural Statistics Service, US Department of Agriculture

Note: Perhaps due to a lack of credible statistics, data from India seemed to be absent from the above statistical sources.

The copyright of the article Top Ten Apple Countries in International Trade is owned by Daniel Workman. Permission to republish Top Ten Apple Countries in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Apples continue to flourish as fresh fruit exports