Red caviar

In 2025, overall exports of caviar made from fish eggs were worth a total US$627.4 million.

Total sales for exported caviar appreciated by 8.3% from $579.1 million five years earlier in in 2021 and grew in value by 6.2% compared to $590.7 million sold on international markets during 2024.

Of the dollar amount for 2025, $280.7 million or 44.7% of globally exported caviar was for sales of traditional caviar compared to the 42.3% share in 2024. The traditional delicacy is made from the internal egg masses of wild sturgeon sourced from the Caspian Sea or the Mediterranean’s Black Sea.

Alternative forms of caviar, made from fish other than sturgeon, accounted for revenues were $346.7 million or about 1.24 times the total for exported traditional caviar. This multiple belies the fact that the average unit price for traditional caviar ($212,144 per ton) is about 11 times the average unit for caviar made from non-sturgeon fish eggs ($19,355 per ton).

Revenues from exported traditional caviar expanded by 55.3% over the 5-year period starting in 2021 but accelerated to a 20.7% advance from 2024 to 2025. International sales of exported caviar alternatives fell via a -13% slowdown over the five-year period but a and a -3.2% retreat from one year earlier in 2024.

The top 5 exporters of traditional caviar by overall sales are mainland China, Italy, France, Poland and Germany. Combined, those leading exporters generated over three-quarters (76%) of global sales for traditional caviar.

More than three-fifths (60.9%) of its global total, the 5 major exporters of caviar alternatives accounted for a less concentrated percentage compared to traditional caviar. The leading shippers of caviar alternatives are Japan, Germany, mainland China, United States of America and Denmark.

From a continental perspective, 49.2% of traditional caviar exports came from Europe trailed by international suppliers in Asia (45.6%). Smaller percentages originated in North America (2.9%), Africa (1.4%), Latin America plus the Caribbean (1%), then Australia and New Zealand in Oceania (0.001%).

Focusing on the non-sturgeon alternative caviar exports, the leading continental supplier entities are located in Europe (48% of the world total), Asia (40.6%), North America (10.5%), Latin America plus the Caribbean (0.8%), Oceania’s Australia, Norfolk Island and New Zealand (0.1%), then Africa (0.005%).

In addition to total export sales for traditional and alternative caviar, this article delves into the lowest and highest average unit prices per ton as well as the major export countries as measured by shipment weight.

For research purposes, the Harmonized System (HS) code is 160431 for traditional caviar. The HS code is 160432 for caviar substitutes made from non-sturgeon fish eggs.

Listed below are the most lucrative countries for supplying traditional caviar in 2025 ranked by total international sales.

Also shown is percentage that each country represents in terms of globally exported caviar from sturgeon eggs sourced from the Black Sea or the Caspian Sea.

By value, the above 15 main export countries furnished 93.5% of globally exported traditional caviar in 2025.

Posting the strongest gains in international sales of traditional caviar from 2024 to 2025 were Portugal (up 295.3%), Spain (up 83.5%), Poland (up 56.3%) and the United States of America (up 41.8%).

The lone year-over-year decliner among the top 15 exporters of traditional caviar was the Netherlands (down -12.2% from 2024).

Listed below are the best countries that benefit from selling caviar made from non-sturgeon fish eggs on international markets during 2025.

Also shown is percentage that each country represents in terms of globally exported alternative caviar.

By value, the above 15 main export countries represent 85.4% of alternative caviar exported in 2025. That percentage reveals a less concentrated cohort of international suppliers compared to the 92.8% for 15 major exporters of traditional caviar made from sturgeon eggs.

The fastest-growing top exporters of non-traditional caviar from 2024 to 2025 were those located in Finland (up 128.2%), Lithuania (up 122.5%), United States of America (up 58.9%) and Latvia (up 27.6%).

Canada (down -8.8%) and mainland China (down -0.2%) recorded year-over-year reductions among the listed export nations.

In 2025, the world’s average unit price for caviar made from sturgeon eggs from the Black Sea or the Caspian Sea was US$212,144 per ton. The average unit price for traditional caviar fell by -7.5% from an average $229,262 per ton for 2024.

The top exporter of traditional caviar, mainland China, charged an above-average $305,553 per ton in 2025.

Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries exporting traditional caviar charging the lowest unit prices in 2025.

Posting double-digit reductions in unit price per ton for traditional caviar were Greece (down -98% from 2024), Czech Republic (down -89.1%), South Africa (down -50%), United Arab Emirates (down -47.9%), Netherlands (down -25.7%) then Spain (down -24.5%).

The following countries shipped exported traditional caviar at the highest average unit prices.

In 2025, the world’s average unit price for caviar made from non-sturgeon fish eggs was US$19,355 per ton—just 9.1% of the global average unit price for traditional sturgeon caviar.

The world average unit price for caviar alternatives rose 2.6% from an average $18,867 per ton one year earlier during 2024.

The top exporter of caviar alternatives made from non-sturgeon fish eggs, Japan, charged a comparatively high $34,241 per ton in 2025.

Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries collecting the lowest average unit prices for exported caviar alternatives in 2025.

Posting double-digit percentage decreases in their average unit price per ton for non-traditional caviar since 2024 were low-cost providers United Arab Emirates (down -73.3%), Vietnam (down -70.7%), South Africa (down -50%) and the Czech Republic (down -22.7%).

The following countries shipped exported caviar alternatives charging the greatest average unit prices.

As measured by shipment weight, a total 1,323 tons in traditional sturgeon caviar was exported during 2025.

The overall weight of globally exported caviar accelerated by 30.5% compared to 2024 and increased by 59.4% since 2021.

Ranked by shipped weight, listed below are the top 15 shippers of traditional caviar exports generating 93.9% of the world total.

The strongest year-over-year increases in terms of shipment weight for traditional caviar suppliers were posted by those located in Greece (up 5,760% from 2024), Portugal (up 150%), Spain (up 142.9%), Italy (up 44.7%), Belgium (up 23.8%) then mainland China (up 20.2%).

The severest declines in total shipment weight since 2024 were experienced by exporters in Latvia (down -40%), Bulgaria (down -23.5%) and Poland (down -16.4%).

A total 17,915 tons of caviar from non-sturgeon fish eggs were exported around the globe in 2025.

That overall shipment tonnage reflects a -36.7% reduction from 28,286 tons five years earlier in 2021 but a -5.6% setback from 18,987 tons for 2024.

By weight, the following is a ranking of the 15 largest shippers of exported alternatives to traditional caviar accounting for 86% of the world’s total.

Recording the strongest increases in shipment weight of non-traditional caviar were exporters based in the United States of America (up 78.6% from 2024), Lithuania (up 42.9%), South Korea (up 30.6%), Ukraine (up 25.4%) then Iceland (up 17.7%).

The greatest decliners as measured by year-over-year volume reductions were: Vietnam (down -61.8% from 2024), Kazakhstan (down -32.1%), Sweden (down -18.6%), Belarus (down -18%) then Russia (down -14.5%).

See also Top Salmon Exports & Imports by Country, Big Export Sales for Frozen or Fresh Shrimps, Frozen Fish Exports by Country, Top Water and Ice Exporters and Top Saffron Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on July 4, 2026

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 4, 2026

Wikipedia, Caviar. Accessed on July 4, 2026