Onion · importers
Japan ranks tenth of 96 at $2.4B in the chapter containing onions, an import market where presentation and consistency are usually stressed.
| Market | HS 07 imports |
|---|---|
| United States | $16.5B |
| Germany | $8.8B |
| United Kingdom | $5.2B |
| India | $5.1B |
| France | $4.8B |
Figures are for the whole of HS chapter 07 (edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers); onion is only part of it. Source: UN Comtrade, as reported by national authorities; latest available year per market.
Italy is above at $2.7B, and Spain below at $2.4B, the same rounded value as Japan. Japan’s 2.6% share of reported world imports of the chapter makes it effectively tied with Spain.
The chapter is 0.3% of total imports of $742.7B and ranks 42nd among Japan’s import chapters, far behind fuels at $168.7B and electrical machinery at $106.1B.
Buyers of fresh vegetables in Japan are often described as demanding about uniform size, clean skins and absence of defects. Treat that as a reason to ask questions rather than as a fact about any one company: request the written specification, permitted defect levels and packaging preference before you propose a price.
Uniform lots and reliable documentation build trust more quickly than discounts.
Fresh produce reaches Japan by sea or air, and longer sea passages put onions under storage stress. Ask what transit time the buyer accepts. China, the USA, Australia and the United Arab Emirates lead the overall source list, which covers all products and does not show onion origins. A buyer will usually know its usual sources well, so ask what it likes and dislikes about them; the answer tells you where a new supplier can add value, whether that is a different harvest window, a cleaner pack or steadier volumes.
The $2.4B covers the whole of HS chapter 07, edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers, so onions are only part. Rankings rest on each reporter’s declared data and can be affected by re-exports and reporting gaps.
Confirm current plant-quarantine and labelling requirements with the authorities and settle Incoterm, currency and payment terms. Onion shipment records identify the consignees; this site’s free marketplace helps you approach them.
Tenth of 96 markets at $2.4B in 2024, a 2.6% share of reported world imports. Italy is above at $2.7B and Spain is below at a similar value.
Buyers of fresh vegetables often expect precise grading and packing. A written spec avoids disputes on arrival.
No. It covers the whole vegetable chapter.
Search shipment records for onions and check consignees, quantities and declared values.
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