Purple fruits or veggies?

International sales for eggplant exported by all countries totaled US$667.7 million in 2025.

That dollar amount results from an average 11.5% increase for all eggplant shippers compared to $598.8 million 5 years earlier in 2021.

Year over year, the value of globally exported eggplants rose 1.5% compared to $658.1 starting from 2024.

For the purposes of international trade tariff classification, eggplants are considered as vegetables. In contrast, botanists and other scientists define eggplants as fruits. What is indisputable is that consumers enjoy eggplants as a savory ingredient in many vegetable dishes.

The 5 most lucrative exporters of eggplants are Spain, Netherlands, Mexico, United States of America and Türkiye. Combined, that quintet of major suppliers collected over three-quarters (78%) the revenues paid for globally exported eggplants. Such a high percentage indicates a concentrated set of eggplant export nations.

Among continents, providers in Europe sold the highest value in exported eggplants during 2025 with shipments valued at $431 million or approaching two-thirds (64.5%) of the global total. In second place were exporters located in North America at 21.3% while another 10.2% of worldwide eggplant sales originated from sellers in Asia.

Smaller percentages came from suppliers in Latin America (2.2%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (1.6%), then Oceania’s (0.2%) Fiji, Australia and New Zealand.

For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 070930 for fresh or chilled eggplants. Eggplants are also called aubergines.

Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of eggplants during 2025.

1. Spain: US$257.9 million (38.6% of total exported eggplants)
2. Netherlands: $107.1 million (16%)
3. Mexico: $99.2 million (14.9%)
4. United States: $37.6 million (5.6%)
5. Türkiye: $18.9 million (2.8%)
6. Belgium: $16.9 million (2.5%)
7. Italy: $13.38 million (2%)
8. France: $12.98 million (1.9%)
9. Honduras: $11.8 million (1.8%)
10. mainland China: $11.7 million (1.8%)
11. Jordan: $11.4 million (1.7%)
12. Iran: $8.5 million (1.3%)
13. Austria: $7.4 million (1.1%)
14. Malaysia: $6 million (0.9%)
15. Canada: $5.4 million (0.8%)

Countries Enjoying Best Trade Surpluses from Eggplants

The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for eggplant during 2025. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s exported eggplant and its import purchases for that same commodity.

1. Spain: US$255.4 million (net export surplus up 10% since 2024)
2. Mexico: $99.2 million (down -14.5%)
3. Netherlands: $83.1 million (up 14%)
4. Türkiye: $18.9 million (up 12.2%)
5. Honduras: $11.8 million (up 28.4%)
6. mainland China: $11.7 million (down -24.9%)
7. Jordan: $11.4 million (up 232.9%)
8. Iran: $8.5 million (down -68%)
9. Malaysia: $4.8 million (down -12.4%)
10. Egypt: $3.5 million (up 27.4%)
11. Armenia: $3.2 million (up 145.6%)
12. Uganda: $2.5 million (up 5%)
13. Saudi Arabia: $2.4 million (down -5.1%)
14. Morocco: $2.04 million (down -6.8%)
15. Dominican Republic: $1.96 million (up 2.6%)

World-leading eggplant exporter Spain generated the most lucrative surplus in the international trade of eggplants. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms Spain’s strong competitive advantage for this specific product category.

Countries Facing Worst Trade Deficits from Eggplants

The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for eggplant during 2025. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s imported eggplant purchases and its exports for that same commodity.

1. Germany: -US$121.1 million (net export deficit up 13.9% since 2024)
2. France: -$73.6 million (up 16.9%)
3. United States: -$66.7 million (down -29.4%)
4. United Kingdom: -$59.1 million (up 2.5%)
5. Canada: -$37 million (down -3%)
6. Italy: -$23.2 million (down -2.7%)
7. Switzerland: -$17.1 million (up 8.4%)
8. Singapore: -$12 million (down -4.3%)
9. Russia: -$10.6 million (up 12.9%)
10. Sweden: -$9.3 million (up 2.3%)
11. Austria: -$8.8 million (down -1.4%)
12. Denmark: -$7.9 million (up 10%)
13. Romania: -$6.82 million (up 11.4%)
14. Syria: -$6.81 million (reversing a $1.6 million surplus)
15. Poland: -$6.5 million (up 12.8%)

European economic powerhouse Germany incurred the biggest deficit in the international trade of eggplants. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights Germany’s strong competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for eggplant-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand from German consumers.

Eggplant Exporting Companies

According to global trading platform Alibaba, the following suppliers are examples of eggplant-trading exporters. The home-country location for each business is shown within parentheses.

• Agridame BV (Netherlands)
• Alfafood GmbH (Germany)
• Alpha Trade & Financial Ltd (Spain)
• Digibelleza Import & Export (Turkey)
• Green Point for Import and Export (Egypt)
• MarketDom Trading Company (Dominican Republic)
• OXL Resources Sdn BHD (Malaysia)
• Qingdao Jutai International Trade Co, Ltd (China)
• Rancho Chacxul SA de CV (Mexico)
• Roypack Enterprises (Kenya)