Global apple exports fall by 21%, but some countries are gaining market share

Global trade in fresh apples has declined significantly over the past nine years, despite an increase in export revenues in nominal terms. According to EastFruit, global apple exports fell from approximately 9 mln tons in 2016 to 7.1 mln tons in 2025, a decline of 21%. Meanwhile, their value increased by 9.7%, from $7.19 bln to $7.89 bln. However, after adjusting for inflation, the real value of global exports decreased by 18.2% to $5.88 bln in 2016 dollars. Thus, the increase in nominal export revenues does not reflect the actual contraction in international apple trade.

Оne possible reason for the decline in global exports is the expansion of domestic apple production in countries that previously relied heavily on imports. The spread of modern cultivation technologies has allowed these countries to increase domestic supplies and reduce their need for foreign purchases. Another contributing factor may be changing consumer preferences toward blueberries and other fruits and berries. Meanwhile, the average export price of apples increased in nominal terms from $796 to $1,110/t, but after adjusting for inflation, the increase amounted to just 3.9% over nine years.

South Africa has achieved some of the strongest results among major exporters. Its average annual apple exports increased from 504 thsd tons in 2016–2018 to 653 thsd tons in 2023–2025, a rise of nearly 30%. The country’s share of global trade increased from 5.7% to 8.8%. This growth was supported by its favorable geographical location, a harvest season opposite to that of the Northern Hemisphere, and diversification of export markets. In particular, South African exporters actively expanded shipments to Asia, Africa and the Middle East, especially India.

Italy and Turkey have also strengthened their positions in the global market, although they have followed different strategies. Italy’s average annual exports increased by only 3.6%, from 923 to 956 thsd tons, but its share of global trade rose from 10.4% to 12.9%. Italian producers focus on premium varieties, product quality, modern storage facilities and efficient sales organization. Meanwhile, Turkey increased its average annual exports by 40.4%, from 193 to 271 thsd tons, expanding its market share from 2.2% to 3.6%. This growth was supported by competitive prices, expanded cold storage capacity and increased shipments to major import markets.

An interesting trend has also emerged in the United States, where average annual apple exports declined by 5%, from 872 to 828 thsd tons, while the country’s share of global trade increased from 9.8% to 11.2%. This demonstrates that even with declining physical export volumes, some suppliers can strengthen their positions against the backdrop of an overall market contraction. According to experts, future competitiveness will increasingly depend on production costs, apple quality, logistics efficiency and access to promising export markets. As international trade contracts, countries capable of offering competitive products and adapting quickly to changing global demand will gain an advantage.

Tags: apples, global market