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Quaternary ammonium salts and lecithins: top exporters and importers (2024)

In 2024, world trade in quaternary ammonium salts and lecithins totaled $2.9 billion (1.4 million tonnes). The top exporters were China (25%), the United States (11%) and Germany (9%); the top importers were South Korea (8%), the United States (8%) and Germany (7%). Compared with 2019, the value rose 16%.

Summary

World trade
$2.9billion
Tonnes
1.4million tonnes
Price per tonne
$2,064
The largest flows between countries. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Top exporters

  1. China$711 million · 24.8%
  2. United States$329 million · 11.5%
  3. Germany$268 million · 9.3%
  4. Netherlands$259 million · 9%
    re-exports
  5. India$198 million · 6.9%
  6. Italy$144 million · 5%
  7. Argentina$116 million · 4.1%
  8. Belgium$88 million · 3.1%
    re-exports
  9. Spain$78 million · 2.7%
  10. Japan$77 million · 2.7%
  11. Brazil$75 million · 2.6%
  12. Finland$73 million · 2.6%
  13. South Korea$65 million · 2.3%
  14. France$54 million · 1.9%
  15. Denmark$36 million · 1.3%
  16. Sweden$35 million · 1.2%
  17. United Kingdom$33 million · 1.1%
  18. Taiwan$24 million · 0.85%
  19. Ukraine$20 million · 0.69%
  20. Israel$17 million · 0.6%

Top importers

  1. South Korea$239 million · 8.3%
  2. United States$234 million · 8.2%
  3. Germany$202 million · 7.1%
  4. Netherlands$190 million · 6.6%
    re-exports
  5. France$150 million · 5.2%
  6. China$123 million · 4.3%
  7. United Kingdom$96 million · 3.4%
  8. Italy$96 million · 3.3%
  9. Spain$78 million · 2.7%
  10. Brazil$71 million · 2.5%
  11. Canada$70 million · 2.5%
  12. Japan$70 million · 2.4%
  13. Vietnam$66 million · 2.3%
  14. Belgium$65 million · 2.3%
    re-exports
  15. India$63 million · 2.2%
  16. Indonesia$62 million · 2.2%
  17. Ecuador$48 million · 1.7%
  18. Denmark$48 million · 1.7%
  19. Thailand$47 million · 1.6%
  20. Taiwan$46 million · 1.6%

Trend

Who sells it

China has been the top exporter since 2013

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

  • China 711
  • United States 329
  • Germany 268
  • Netherlands 259
  • India 198

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Country19952024
China4711
United States111329
Germany110268
Netherlands60.2259
India2.6198

Price

Implied price

The price per tonne stayed close to $2,064 since 1995

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

  • 2024: $2,064

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearUSD per tonne
1995$2,060
1996$2,045
1997$1,907
1998$1,786
1999$1,744
2000$1,704
2001$1,639
2002$1,636
2003$1,690
2004$1,822
2005$1,900
2006$1,946
2007$2,099
2008$2,347
2009$2,389
2010$2,226
2011$2,342
2012$2,279
2013$2,248
2014$2,180
2015$1,934
2016$1,852
2017$1,909
2018$2,053
2019$1,942
2020$1,937
2021$2,131
2022$2,485
2023$2,836
2024$2,064

What it includes

  • 2923 · Quaternary ammonium salts and lecithins

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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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