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Other plastic articles: top exporters and importers (2024)

In 2024, world trade in other plastic articles totaled $147.9 billion (13.5 million tonnes). The top exporters were China (24%), the United States (15%) and Germany (13%); the top importers were the United States (15%), Germany (9%) and China (6%). Compared with 2019, the value rose 76%.

Summary

World trade
$147.9billion
Tonnes
13.5million tonnes
Price per tonne
$10,919
The largest flows between countries. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Top exporters

  1. China$35.7 billion · 24.2%
  2. United States$22.6 billion · 15.3%
  3. Germany$18.7 billion · 12.7%
  4. France$5 billion · 3.4%
  5. Japan$4.9 billion · 3.3%
  6. United Kingdom$4.6 billion · 3.1%
  7. Italy$4.4 billion · 3%
  8. Netherlands$3.7 billion · 2.5%
    re-exports
  9. Ireland$3.1 billion · 2.1%
  10. Mexico$3.1 billion · 2.1%
  11. Poland$3 billion · 2%
  12. South Korea$2.7 billion · 1.8%
  13. Taiwan$2.3 billion · 1.6%
  14. Sweden$2.3 billion · 1.5%
  15. Spain$2.2 billion · 1.5%
  16. Canada$2.2 billion · 1.5%
  17. Czechia$2.1 billion · 1.5%
  18. Singapore$2.1 billion · 1.4%
    re-exports
  19. Vietnam$1.8 billion · 1.2%
  20. Austria$1.7 billion · 1.2%

Top importers

  1. United States$22.5 billion · 15.2%
  2. Germany$13.2 billion · 8.9%
  3. China$8.2 billion · 5.6%
  4. Mexico$6.8 billion · 4.6%
  5. France$6.4 billion · 4.3%
  6. Netherlands$5.5 billion · 3.7%
    re-exports
  7. Japan$5 billion · 3.4%
  8. United Kingdom$4.7 billion · 3.2%
  9. Italy$3.7 billion · 2.5%
  10. Poland$3.3 billion · 2.3%
  11. Canada$3.2 billion · 2.2%
  12. Spain$2.9 billion · 2%
  13. Czechia$2.7 billion · 1.9%
  14. South Korea$2.7 billion · 1.8%
  15. Thailand$2.6 billion · 1.8%
  16. Hong Kong$2.6 billion · 1.8%
    re-exports
  17. Vietnam$2.3 billion · 1.6%
  18. India$2.2 billion · 1.5%
  19. Australia$2 billion · 1.4%
  20. Switzerland$2 billion · 1.4%

Trend

Who sells it

China has been the top exporter since 2001

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

  • China 35.7
  • United States 22.6
  • Germany 18.7
  • France 5
  • Japan 4.9

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Country19952024
China2.535.7
United States3.222.6
Germany2.318.7
France0.965
Japan1.24.9

Price

Implied price

The price per tonne rose 111% since 1995

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

  • 2024: $10,919

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearUSD per tonne
1995$5,170
1996$3,330
1997$3,711
1998$4,222
1999$1,890
2000$4,522
2001$4,172
2002$4,656
2003$5,356
2004$3,896
2005$5,629
2006$5,560
2007$5,548
2008$6,847
2009$7,027
2010$7,408
2011$7,803
2012$7,753
2013$8,210
2014$8,656
2015$8,369
2016$9,118
2017$8,629
2018$9,010
2019$8,918
2020$9,162
2021$8,681
2022$13,532
2023$10,255
2024$10,919

What it includes

  • 3926 · Other plastic articles

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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