China was the largest supplier to the main importing countries.
What this market covers
Caviar is the salted roe of sturgeon, sold as a premium delicacy and increasingly from farmed fish. Buyers include fine dining, retailers and luxury food importers.
Typical segments
- Beluga caviar
- Osetra caviar
- Sevruga caviar
- Farmed sturgeon caviar
Top importing countries
Customs import value under HS 160431 in each country's latest reported year (in brackets), USD million.
GCC and Africa
Import value by country group, latest reported year per country, USD million.
Source: UN Comtrade
Why this market is moving now
- Import value for the 13 countries reporting every year rose 184% from 2020 to 2023.
- EU exports of the matching CN code to the region rose 257% from 2020 to 2025.
- Demand is concentrated: one country took a large share of the region's reported imports.
About the data
Figures are customs import values (CIF, US dollars) that 16 countries reported to UN Comtrade for HS code 160431 (Caviar). Each country's latest reported year is used: Bahrain 2024, Cote d'Ivoire 2025, Egypt 2025, Ethiopia 2023, Ghana 2025, Israel 2025, Jordan 2024, Kenya 2022, Kuwait 2025, Morocco 2025, Oman 2025, Qatar 2024, Saudi Arabia 2025, South Africa 2025, Tanzania 2025, United Arab Emirates 2023.
No import data for this code was available from Algeria, Nigeria, Tunisia.
South Africa reports import values FOB (free on board) rather than CIF.
Supplier figures add up the partner breakdown that the largest importing countries reported for their latest year. Partner areas that the reporters did not specify are left out of the list.
EU export figures are Eurostat Comext values in euros for CN code 16043100 (Caviar), the code used on the EU page for this market. Shares, changes and per-kilogram values are calculated from these figures. No figure on this page is a forecast.
Key figures
Each figure names the source it came from. Open the source list below to read the quoted line.
| Figure | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customs data from 16 Middle East and Africa countries shows imports of $19.1 million under HS code 160431 (Caviar) in their latest year with data (2025 for 10 countries, 2024 for 3, 2023 for 2 and 2022 for 1). | 19.1 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| Imports under HS 160431 by the 13 countries that reported every year from 2020 to 2023 were up 184% in 2023 compared with 2020, from $5.9 million to $16.8 million, calculated from UN Comtrade values. | +184 % since 2020 | 2023 | UN Comtrade |
| The United Arab Emirates was the largest importer among the countries covered, with $10.7 million in 2023, or 56% of the total. | 10.7 USD million | 2023 | UN Comtrade |
| Qatar followed with $3.5 million in 2024. | 3.5 USD million | 2024 | UN Comtrade |
| The six GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries accounted for $15.1 million, or 79% of the total, in their latest reported years. | 15.1 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The 8 African countries with data accounted for $840 thousand, or 4% of the total. | 840 USD thousand | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| China was the largest supplier to the 3 largest importing countries in the region, which took 91% of its reported imports, with $5.9 million, or 34% of their imports under HS 160431 (partner data for each country's latest year). | 5.9 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The average import value under HS 160431 was $166.80 per kilogram across the 16 countries that reported net weight, calculated from UN Comtrade value and weight. | 166.80 USD per kg | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| EU exports of CN 16043100 (Caviar) to the 15 Middle East and Africa countries covered were worth €8.1 million in 2025. | 8.1 EUR million | 2025 | Eurostat |
| EU exports of CN 16043100 to these countries were up 257% in 2025 compared with 2020, when they were €2.3 million, calculated from Eurostat values. | +257 % since 2020 | 2025 | Eurostat |
| The United Arab Emirates was the largest of these destinations for EU exports of CN 16043100 in 2025, at €5.8 million. | 5.8 EUR million | 2025 | Eurostat |
Sources and method
The figures on this page come from the public sources listed below. Read how we work.
- UN Comtrade: UN Comtrade database, annual imports by HS code (public preview API) (2026-11-06)
Quoted lines
- Figure 1
cmdCode=160431 flowCode=M partnerCode=0 primaryValue: ARE2023=10706797; BHR2024=38345; CIV2025=3273; EGY2025=67536; ETH2023=4913; GHA2025=541; ISR2025=3100000; JOR2024=61654; KEN2022=648; KWT2025=69700; MAR2025=179462; OMN2025=16936; QAT2024=3542161; SAU2025=693883; TZA2025=79; ZAF2025=583810; sum=19069737 (shown as 19.1 USD million)
- Figure 2
cmdCode 160431, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for ARE BHR CIV EGY ISR JOR KWT MAR OMN QAT SAU TZA ZAF: 2020 = 5926698; 2023 = 16839640; change +184%
- Figure 3
reporterCode 784, period 2023, cmdCode 160431, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, primaryValue 10706797; share of 19069737 = 56%
- Figure 5
cmdCode 160431, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for ARE BHR KWT OMN QAT SAU = 15067822; share 79% (shown as 15.1 USD million)
- Figure 6
cmdCode 160431, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for CIV EGY ETH GHA KEN MAR TZA ZAF = 840261; share 4%
- Figure 8
cmdCode 160431, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue 19069737 / sum of netWgt 114326 kg = 166.80 USD per kg
- Figure 1
- UN Comtrade: UN Comtrade database, annual imports by HS code (public preview API) (2026-11-06)
Quoted lines
- Figure 4
reporterCode 634, period 2024, cmdCode 160431, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, primaryValue 3542161
- Figure 4
- UN Comtrade: UN Comtrade database, annual imports by HS code (public preview API) (2026-11-06)
Quoted lines
- Figure 7
cmdCode 160431, flowCode M, partnerCode 156, primaryValue summed over reporters = 5851496; world 17348958; share 34% (shown as 5.9 USD million)
- Figure 7
- Eurostat: EU trade since 1988 by HS2-4-6 and CN8 (DS-045409) (2026-11-06)
Quoted lines
- Figure 9
DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 16043100, flow export, VALUE_IN_EUROS, 2025: AE=5785809; BH=24880; CI=69902; EG=3870; ET=228; GH=184; IL=370515; JO=7083; KW=23838; MA=119822; NG=1815; QA=1369626; SA=170806; TN=802; ZA=195636; sum 8144816
- Figure 10
DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 16043100, flow export, VALUE_IN_EUROS, sum over the same partners: 2020 = 2279778; 2025 = 8144816; change +257%
- Figure 11
DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 16043100, partner AE, flow export, 2025, VALUE_IN_EUROS 5785809
- Figure 9
Buyers and suppliers
Who buys
- Fine dining restaurants
- Luxury food retailers
- Specialty importers
Large suppliers to the countries covered
EU exports to the largest destinations in the region, 2025
Eurostat Comext, CN 16043100, EUR million.
What the full report covers
- 01Executive summary
The answer in one page: size, direction and what moves it - 02Market definition and scope
What is in and out of the Middle East and Africa market - 03Market size, 2021 to 2025
Historical series and growth rates - 04Outlook to 2031
Base, low and high scenarios with stated assumptions - 05Rules, policy and deadlines
Regulation and programmes that change demand - 06Drivers and barriers
What accelerates or slows adoption, by customer segment - 07Prices, costs and margins
Unit economics where public data allows - 08Competitive landscape
8 to 12 company profiles with recent moves - 09Opportunities and risks
For new entrants, suppliers and investors - 10Method and sources
Every assumption and source, listed
Included with the full report
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- Method note and assumptions
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Frequently asked questions
How big is the Middle East and Africa caviar market?
There is no single official market total. Customs data reported to UN Comtrade shows imports of $19.1 million under HS code 160431 by 16 countries in the region, using the latest year each one reported.
Which Middle East and Africa countries import the most caviar?
The United Arab Emirates was the largest importer, followed by Qatar and Israel.
Where does the Middle East and Africa import caviar from?
China was the largest supplier to the largest importing countries in the region. Other large suppliers included Iran, Poland and the United States.
How do GCC and African imports of caviar compare?
The GCC countries with data took $15.1 million, or 79% of the total, and the African countries with data took $840 thousand, or 4%, each in its latest reported year.
How much caviar does the EU export to the Middle East and Africa?
Eurostat shows EU exports of CN 16043100 to the countries covered of €8.1 million in 2025. The United Arab Emirates was the largest destination.
What is the average import price of caviar in the Middle East and Africa?
Dividing UN Comtrade import value by net weight gives about $166.80 per kilogram for HS 160431, across the countries that reported weight.
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