Agar-agar imports in the United States: data, top suppliers and prices
In 2024, the United States imported agar-agar worth $41.4 million (2.4 thousand tonnes). It ranks 2nd of 171 countries for imports of this product. That is 5% more than in 2023. Across 2017-2024 the long-run trend was broadly stable.
Public statistics, latest complete year (2024). Values in US dollars. Page updated .
Imports by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $41.4M | 2.4K t |
| 2023 | $39.5M | 2.3K t |
| 2022 | $41.6M | 2.0K t |
| 2021 | $36.6M | 1.8K t |
| 2020 | $34.2M | 1.5K t |
| 2019 | $34.7M | 1.6K t |
| 2018 | $37.0M | 1.6K t |
| 2017 | $34.4M | 1.5K t |
Where the United States imports agar-agar from
Most of the value came from Spain (30%), Morocco (15%), China (11%). Among the main suppliers, Indonesia grew fastest (+145% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Spain | $12.4M | 30% |
| Morocco | $6.2M | 15% |
| China | $4.6M | 11% |
| Italy | $4.4M | 11% |
| Chile | $3.7M | 9% |
| Indonesia | $3.2M | 7.8% |
| South Korea | $1.7M | 4.1% |
| Mexico | $1.3M | 3.1% |
| Thailand | $1.1M | 2.7% |
| Germany | $808K | 2% |
Average import price per kg
The average declared value was about $17.26 per kg, close to the world average of $17.22.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Agar-agar exports from the United States
In 2024, the United States exported agar-agar worth $4.1 million (122 tonnes). That makes it the 9th largest exporter of this product worldwide, out of 83 countries. The largest buyer markets were Canada (22%), Germany (13%), Japan (10%). Trade is spread widely: the top three buyer markets together make up only 45%. Among the main buyer markets, Germany grew fastest (+217% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | $903K | 22% |
| Germany | $547K | 13% |
| Japan | $415K | 10% |
| United Kingdom | $397K | 9.7% |
| Mexico | $288K | 7% |
| China | $254K | 6.2% |
| Philippines | $168K | 4.1% |
| Morocco | $135K | 3.3% |
| Israel | $82K | 2% |
| Dominican Republic | $67K | 1.6% |
Who is behind these numbers in the United States?
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.
Direct customs feed: shipment-level records from the official customs source.
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 1302.31: Mucilages and thickeners: agar-agar, whether or not modified, derived from vegetable products.
Common questions
What is the value of agar-agar imported by the United States?
The United States imported agar-agar worth $41.4 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 2.4 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 2nd of 171 countries worldwide, with 15% of world imports. The value was up 5% on 2023.
Which countries supply agar-agar to the United States?
Spain was the largest supplier with 30% of the value ($12.4 million), followed by Morocco (15%) and China (11%). The top three together account for 56%, out of 31 supplier countries in total. Indonesia grew fastest among the top ten, up 145% on the year.
What is the average import price of agar-agar per kg?
The average declared import value was about $17.26 per kg in 2024, close to the world average of $17.22 per kg. It is total declared value divided by total weight, so it blends every grade and size; use it as a benchmark, not a quote. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
How have imports of agar-agar to the United States changed since 2017?
Imports went from $34.4 million in 2017 to $41.4 million in 2024, an increase of 20%. The peak was 2022 at $41.6 million. Monthly and weekly movements since then are in EximDataX.
Does the United States also export agar-agar?
Yes. The United States exported $4.1 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly to Canada, Germany and Japan. On balance the United States is a net importer of this product, by about $37.3 million a year.
What is the HS code for agar-agar?
The HS code for agar-agar is subheading 1302.31. It sits in HS chapter 13 (lac; gums, resins and other vegetable saps and extracts). The full list of codes and descriptions is on the HS 1302 page.
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
Public statistics stop at country totals. EximDataX has a direct customs feed for the United States with shipment-level records, updated weekly, so you can see importers and exporters by name with dates, quantities and declared values. Tell us your product and we will show you the latest records on a live call.
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