Onion · importers
The United States leads all 96 reporting markets for the vegetable chapter that contains onions, at $16.5B, but an onion seller faces a very different problem from a dry-goods seller.
| Market | HS 07 imports |
|---|---|
| Germany | $8.8B |
| United Kingdom | $5.2B |
| 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.
With 17.5% of reported world imports for the chapter, the United States stands well clear of Germany at $8.8B. That scale attracts established growers and importers, and fresh vegetables generally move through tight, repeat supply relationships built around weekly delivery.
A newcomer should expect buyers to ask about consistency across many consignments, not just the quality of one sample lot.
Onions are harvested in different months in different hemispheres, so importers often buy from more than one origin over a year to keep shelves stocked. Ask which months a buyer has gaps in and whether your harvest window matches them.
Shipments are bulky and sensitive to heat, moisture and poor ventilation, so packing, curing and transit time weigh as heavily as price in a buyer’s decision.
The chapter is 0.5% of total imports of $3.36T and ranks 32nd among the country’s import chapters, far behind machinery, electrical equipment and vehicles. Mexico, China, Canada and Germany lead the overall source list, which covers every product and says nothing about where onions come from.
To see real origins for this crop, read customs shipment records for onions and compare origin fields month by month.
The $16.5B covers the whole of HS chapter 07, edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers, so onions are only one item among many. Rankings are reporter-declared for the latest year and can be shaped by re-exports and reporting gaps.
Confirm current plant-health, inspection and labelling requirements with the destination authorities before shipping. Then agree Incoterm, currency, payment method and discharge port in writing.
It is the largest for the whole vegetable chapter at $16.5B. The chapter includes many vegetables, so the figure does not isolate onions and should be used as a market-size signal only.
Onions are a fresh crop with seasonal harvests and limited tolerance for heat and moisture in transit. Buyers value suppliers who can fill calendar gaps and deliver arriving stock in good condition.
No. Mexico, China, Canada and Germany lead across all goods combined. Filter shipment records to onions to see crop origins.
Search customs records for onion shipments and read the consignee, weight and declared value fields. Repeated names with regular arrivals point to established buyers.
Keep exploring