🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates imports of food processing machinery: 2024 trade data
Imports of food processing machinery by the United Arab Emirates reached $205.8 million in 2024 (7.6 thousand tonnes). Its share of world imports was 1%. Value rose 71% on 2023. Over 2017-2024 the trade grew strongly, by about 14% a year on average.
Public statistics, latest reported year 2024. Values in US dollars.
Imports of food processing machinery by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $205.8M | 7.6K t |
| 2023 | $120.2M | 5.2K t |
| 2022 | $98.6M | 5.7K t |
| 2021 | $82.4M | 4.0K t |
| 2020 | $76.1M | 4.0K t |
| 2019 | $72.0M | 3.5K t |
| 2018 | $65.8M | 3.6K t |
| 2017 | $80.6M | 3.2K t |
Where the United Arab Emirates imports food processing machinery from
The largest suppliers were Germany (18%), China (13%), Italy (13%). Trade is spread widely: the top three suppliers together make up only 43%. Among the main suppliers, Denmark grew fastest (+517% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 🇩🇪 Germany | $36.3M | 18% |
| 🇨🇳 China | $26.7M | 13% |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | $25.9M | 13% |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | $24.7M | 12% |
| 🇮🇳 India | $13.8M | 6.7% |
| 🇫🇷 France | $12.8M | 6.2% |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | $11.2M | 5.5% |
| 🇩🇰 Denmark | $10.6M | 5.2% |
| 🇹🇷 Turkey | $8.5M | 4.1% |
| 🇺🇸 United States | $7.7M | 3.7% |
Types of food processing machinery under HS 8438
| 8438.20 | Machinery: industrial, for the manufacture of confectionery, cocoa or chocolate | 32% |
| 8438.80 | Machinery: used in the industrial preparation or manufacture of food or drink, n.e.c. in heading no. 8438 | 23% |
| 8438.10 | Machinery: industrial, for bakery and for the manufacture of macaroni, spaghetti or similar products | 17% |
| 8438.90 | Machinery: parts of those machines used in the industrial preparation or manufacture of food or drink | 14% |
| 8438.50 | Machinery: industrial, for the preparation of meat or poultry | 9.3% |
| 8438.60 | Machinery: industrial, for the preparation of fruits, nuts or vegetables | 3.3% |
| 8438.30 | Machinery: industrial, for sugar manufacture | 1.4% |
| 8438.40 | Machinery: industrial, brewery machinery | 0.3% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 8438.
Average import price of food processing machinery
The average declared value was about $27.08 per kg, close to the world average of $26.89.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
The United Arab Emirates also exports food processing machinery
In 2024, the United Arab Emirates exported food processing machinery worth $19.3 million (1.0 thousand tonnes). Zambia alone took 57% of it. Among the main buyer markets, Senegal grew fastest (+67% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 🇿🇲 Zambia | $11.1M | 57% |
| 🇸🇳 Senegal | $2.6M | 13% |
| 🇭🇺 Hungary | $1.9M | 9.6% |
| 🇵🇾 Paraguay | $612K | 3.2% |
| 🇦🇴 Angola | $364K | 1.9% |
| 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | $357K | 1.9% |
| 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | $348K | 1.8% |
| 🇲🇼 Malawi | $258K | 1.3% |
| 🇮🇳 India | $209K | 1.1% |
| 🇱🇧 Lebanon | $177K | 0.9% |
Who is behind these numbers in the United Arab Emirates?
Public statistics stop at country totals and the last published year. EximDataX shows the shipment records underneath: the companies, dates, quantities and declared values, updated weekly.
Shipment records are in the platform
Tell us what you trade and we will show you the latest records on a live call.
Mirror data: built from the shipment records of the countries that trade with it.
Updated weekly on EximDataX (some markets daily), while public statistics stop at 2024.
Source: CEPII BACI (reconciled UN Comtrade data), HS 2017 edition, release 202601, Etalab Open Licence 2.0. Annual values in US dollars at the customs border; quantities in tonnes where reported. HS 8438: Machinery n.e.c. in this chapter, for the industrial preparation or manufacture of food or drink; other than machinery for extraction or preparation of animal or fixed vegetable or microbial fats or oils.
Food processing machinery trade in the United Arab Emirates: questions
What is the value of food processing machinery imported by the United Arab Emirates?
The United Arab Emirates imported food processing machinery worth $205.8 million in 2024 (7.6 thousand tonnes).
Where does the United Arab Emirates import food processing machinery from?
The main supplier countries in 2024 were Germany (18%), China (13%), Italy (13%).
What is the average import price of food processing machinery in the United Arab Emirates?
The average declared import value was about $27.08 per kg in 2024, against a world average of $26.89 per kg.
Does the United Arab Emirates export food processing machinery?
Yes. The United Arab Emirates exported food processing machinery worth $19.3 million in 2024, mainly to Zambia, Senegal, Hungary.
What is the HS code for food processing machinery?
Food processing machinery falls under HS heading 8438 (Machinery n.e.c. in this chapter, for the industrial preparation or manufacture of food or drink; other than machinery f). The six-digit codes under it split the product by type.
How can I find the companies trading food processing machinery with the United Arab Emirates?
These public statistics stop at country level. EximDataX builds the United Arab Emirates trade from the records of its trading partners, updated weekly, so you can see who ships this product there.
Food processing machinery trade in other countries
More trade data for the United Arab Emirates
See what your buyers are buying.Then decide.
Everything we show you comes from official customs filings — records, not claims. 30 minutes. Your shipment. Your HS code. Real platform. If you don’t see something new about your market by the end of the call, we walk away. No follow-ups.