Spices · importers
China ranks tenth of 96 at $2.1B in the chapter that contains spices, but the country is also a major spice grower and processor.
| Market | HS 09 imports |
|---|---|
| United States | $11.7B |
| Germany | $6.5B |
| France | $4.0B |
| Italy | $3.4B |
| Canada | $2.4B |
Figures are for the whole of HS chapter 09 (coffee, tea, mate and spices). Source: UN Comtrade, as reported by national authorities; latest available year per market.
The Netherlands is just above at $2.2B and Saudi Arabia below at $1.6B. China’s 3.1% share of reported world imports places it in the top ten. Yet the chapter is only 0.1% of its $2.59T imports and ranks 59th among import chapters, behind electrical machinery at $583.9B and fuels at $504.0B.
Tea and coffee also sit in this chapter, so spices are a fraction of an already small figure.
China produces many spices at home and has a large seasoning and food-processing sector, including hot-pot bases and spice blends. Imports tend to fill gaps: spices that do not grow locally, particular grades or origins, and raw material for processors. Sellers should find out what the importer cannot source at home and offer that.
Ask what the end product is, since a seasoning maker and a restaurant chain need very different lots. Ask also whether the importer sells through online channels or to restaurants, since pack size, labelling and shelf life expectations differ between them, and a lot that suits one may not suit the other at all.
Food imports into China commonly involve foreign-supplier registration, inspection and Chinese-language labelling. The details are set by the authorities and change, so confirm the current position with them and with your buyer before shipping. The Republic of Korea, the USA, Japan and Australia lead the overall source list, which reflects industrial trade.
The $2.1B combines coffee, tea, mate and spices. Rankings depend on national declarations and re-exports can shift them.
Named importers appear in spice-heading shipment records. Fix Incoterm, currency, payment terms and port, then contact the shortlist through this site’s free marketplace.
Tenth of 96 at $2.1B in 2024, a 3.1% share of reported world imports.
Imports fill gaps in range, grade and origin, and feed processors.
It is 0.1% of $2.59T and ranks 59th among its import chapters.
Read spice-heading shipment records and rank consignees by cargo weight.
Keep exploring