Onion · importers
The United Kingdom reports $5.2B in the vegetable chapter that includes onions, third of 96, and leads India by only a slim margin.
| Market | HS 07 imports |
|---|---|
| United States | $16.5B |
| Germany | $8.8B |
| India | $5.1B |
| France | $4.8B |
| Canada | $4.1B |
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.
Germany is well above at $8.8B, while India sits just below at $5.1B. The UK’s 5.5% share of reported world imports of the chapter is therefore a hair ahead of the next market, and small revisions could swap the two.
It is safer to describe the UK as one of four or five large buyers behind Germany than as a firm third.
An island market receives fresh vegetables mainly by sea and by ferry-linked road routes, so a sea-freighted lot from a distant origin competes on freshness against nearer suppliers. Ask a buyer how long onions can spend in transit before the specification is at risk.
Supermarket-linked buyers commonly want tight size grading and traceability back to the grower, while wholesale buyers may accept a wider range.
Total imports are $813.3B. The chapter is 0.6% of that and ranks 32nd among the UK’s import chapters, behind machinery, precious stones and vehicles. China, the USA, Germany and France are the largest overall sources, a list that does not describe onion origins.
Pull customs shipment records for onions to see which countries and consignees actually appear.
The $5.2B covers the whole of HS chapter 07, edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers, so onions are only part. Rankings are declared by each country and can be bent by re-exports and gaps.
Verify current phytosanitary, customs and labelling requirements with the authorities, then settle Incoterm, currency, payment terms and arrival port with the buyer.
Third of 96 markets at $5.2B in 2024, a 5.5% share of reported world imports, just ahead of India at $5.1B.
Not really. The margin over the next market is small, so treat the UK as a top-five buyer.
No. It covers the whole vegetable chapter, HS 07.
Use customs shipment records for onions and read consignee names and declared values to identify repeat buyers.
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