globaltraffic.earth

Where does China get its raw tobacco? Import sources 2024

In 2024, China imported $1.8 billion of raw tobacco (195 thousand tonnes), 13.8% of the world total. Its main sources were Zimbabwe (39%), Brazil (31%) and the United States (14%). China was the world’s largest importer of raw tobacco.

Summary

Value
$1.8billion
Tonnes
195thousand tonnes
Share of world total
13.8%
World rank
1st
Routes from the main sources. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Sources

The 20 main sources in the latest year.

PartnerValue (USD millions)TonnesUSD per tonneShareMode
Zimbabwe720Tonnes: 74,405USD per tonne: $9,67939.3%Sea
Brazil577Tonnes: 66,728USD per tonne: $8,64031.4%Sea
United States251Tonnes: 25,342USD per tonne: $9,91313.7%Sea
Zambia96.1Tonnes: 10,494USD per tonne: $9,1575.2%Sea
Argentina80.6Tonnes: 10,659USD per tonne: $7,5664.4%Sea
Dominican Republic58.4Tonnes: 1,643USD per tonne: $35,5563.2%Sea
Indonesia19Tonnes: 727USD per tonne: $26,1321%Sea
Kazakhstan12.6Tonnes: 1,615USD per tonne: $7,7980.69%Land
Tanzania9.4Tonnes: 1,247USD per tonne: $7,5000.51%Sea
Malawi9.3Tonnes: 1,180USD per tonne: $7,9240.51%Sea
Myanmar0.5Tonnes: 374USD per tonne: $1,3460.03%Land
Pakistan0.41Tonnes: 84USD per tonne: $4,8410.02%Land
South Africa0.26Tonnes: 27USD per tonne: $9,8900.01%Sea
United Kingdom0.26Tonnes: 130USD per tonne: $2,0000.01%Sea
Italy0.03Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $1,103,3850%Air
Cambodia0.02Tonnes: 9USD per tonne: $1,9740%Sea
Belgium re-exports< 0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $44,1030%Sea
Netherlands re-exports< 0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $609,0000%Air
France< 0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $2,7500%Sea
Nicaragua< 0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $2,0000%Sea

Trend

Who it buys from

Zimbabwe has been its main source since 2023

Value in USD millions. The five largest sources in 2024.

  • Zimbabwe 720
  • Brazil 577
  • United States 251
  • Zambia 96.1
  • Argentina 80.6

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Partner19952024
Zimbabwe32.4720
Brazil5.8577
United States0.77251
Zambia096.1
Argentina080.6

Sources and methodology

Other products of this country

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), which reconciles what exporters and importers report: countries that stopped reporting (Russia since 2022) appear with their partners’ data. FOB values in current US dollars; tonnes when BACI reports them. The price per tonne is the value of the rows with a weight divided by that weight. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. Data up to 2024.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.

See all products