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Inorganic pigments and other colorants: top exporters and importers (2024)

In 2024, world trade in inorganic pigments and other colorants totaled $15.1 billion (5 million tonnes). The top exporters were China (29%), Germany (11%) and the United States (10%); the top importers were India (8%), the United States (7%) and Germany (6%). Compared with 2019, the value rose 6%.

Summary

World trade
$15.1billion
Tonnes
5million tonnes
Price per tonne
$3,035
The largest flows between countries. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Top exporters

  1. China$4.4 billion · 29.1%
  2. Germany$1.6 billion · 10.6%
  3. United States$1.6 billion · 10.4%
  4. Belgium$883 million · 5.9%
    re-exports
  5. United Kingdom$643 million · 4.3%
  6. Mexico$635 million · 4.2%
  7. Australia$495 million · 3.3%
  8. Japan$461 million · 3.1%
  9. Canada$454 million · 3%
  10. Netherlands$393 million · 2.6%
    re-exports
  11. France$355 million · 2.4%
  12. Spain$327 million · 2.2%
  13. India$294 million · 2%
  14. Saudi Arabia$204 million · 1.4%
  15. Italy$187 million · 1.2%
  16. Slovenia$180 million · 1.2%
  17. South Korea$173 million · 1.1%
  18. Malaysia$144 million · 0.95%
  19. Czechia$131 million · 0.87%
  20. Luxembourg$127 million · 0.84%

Top importers

  1. India$1.3 billion · 8.4%
  2. United States$1.1 billion · 7%
  3. Germany$847 million · 5.6%
  4. Italy$630 million · 4.2%
  5. China$617 million · 4.1%
  6. France$579 million · 3.8%
  7. Turkey$556 million · 3.7%
  8. Brazil$504 million · 3.3%
  9. Mexico$504 million · 3.3%
  10. South Korea$460 million · 3.1%
  11. Vietnam$393 million · 2.6%
  12. Spain$369 million · 2.4%
  13. Thailand$364 million · 2.4%
  14. Poland$359 million · 2.4%
  15. Indonesia$355 million · 2.4%
  16. Canada$351 million · 2.3%
  17. Belgium$334 million · 2.2%
    re-exports
  18. United Arab Emirates$299 million · 2%
  19. Netherlands$262 million · 1.7%
    re-exports
  20. Russia$242 million · 1.6%

Trend

Who sells it

China has been the top exporter since 2017

Value in USD billions. The five largest exporters in 2024.

  • China 4.4
  • Germany 1.6
  • United States 1.6
  • Belgium 0.88
  • United Kingdom 0.64

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Country19952024
China0.074.4
Germany0.81.6
United States0.71.6
Belgium0.440.88
United Kingdom0.410.64

Price

Implied price

The price per tonne rose 34% since 1995

Current US dollars per tonne: value over the weight reported by BACI.

  • 2024: $3,035

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearUSD per tonne
1995$2,264
1996$2,161
1997$1,936
1998$2,115
1999$1,954
2000$2,050
2001$2,015
2002$1,895
2003$2,113
2004$1,970
2005$2,361
2006$2,412
2007$2,549
2008$2,714
2009$2,601
2010$2,763
2011$3,466
2012$3,708
2013$3,258
2014$3,146
2015$2,727
2016$2,534
2017$2,881
2018$3,194
2019$2,935
2020$2,765
2021$3,206
2022$3,524
2023$3,163
2024$3,035

What it includes

  • 3206 · Inorganic pigments and other colorants

Products in the same chapter

Sources and methodology

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.

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