This article focuses on Middle East and Gulf destination markets in China's bulk tomato paste export data. The product scope is tomato paste in containers weighing more than 5kg. For a wider baseline, see our China tomato paste export data review and the broader China tomato paste export destinations analysis.
The region deserves a separate view because the 2025 story was not only about more tonnage. It was also about concentration: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman formed a three-market core, while Jordan, Israel, Bahrain, Yemen and Lebanon shaped the second tier.
Middle East Volume and Share, 2021-2025
The region's volume rose to a five-year high in 2025, and its share of China's total bulk tomato paste export volume widened to 22.6%.
Annual Volume, Value and Price Movement
From 2021 to 2025, China exported approximately 598,556 tons of bulk tomato paste to Middle East and Gulf destinations. Volume rose from 78,527 tons in 2021 to 151,174 tons in 2025. The average export unit value peaked at US$1,209/ton in 2023, then moved down to US$671/ton in 2025, a 44.5% drop from the 2023 peak.
The Jan-Apr 2026 data should be read as year-to-date only, not as a full-year comparison. In those four months, the region accounted for 15.3% of China's total export volume, with an average export unit value of US$699/ton.
| Period | Middle East volume | Export value | Avg export unit value | Share of China volume | Distinct destination countries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 78,527 tons | US$63.1 million | US$803/ton | 15.4% | 13 |
| 2022 | 125,033 tons | US$123.4 million | US$987/ton | 18.8% | 12 |
| 2023 | 115,506 tons | US$139.6 million | US$1,209/ton | 15.9% | 10 |
| 2024 | 128,317 tons | US$125.6 million | US$978/ton | 19.2% | 13 |
| 2025 | 151,174 tons | US$101.4 million | US$671/ton | 22.6% | 14 |
| Jan-Apr 2026 | 33,694 tons | US$23.6 million | US$699/ton | 15.3% | 10 |
2025 Country Mix: Gulf Buyers Set the Tone
Saudi Arabia stayed the anchor market, while the United Arab Emirates and Oman made the 2025 country mix more concentrated around the Gulf.
Saudi Arabia, UAE and Oman Form the Core
In 2025, Saudi Arabia was the largest Middle East destination with 46,287 tons. The United Arab Emirates followed with 34,173 tons, and Oman ranked third with 25,548 tons. Together, these three markets accounted for 70.1% of the region's 2025 volume.
This makes the Middle East different from a broad long-tail region. The buyer map has smaller recorded destinations, but the commercial weight is concentrated in a few high-volume Gulf markets. That concentration matters for packing plans, documentation timing and forward shipment discussions.
| Destination country | 2025 volume | 2025 regional share | Jan-Apr 2026 volume | Jan-Apr 2026 regional share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | 46,287 tons | 30.6% | 11,705 tons | 34.7% |
| United Arab Emirates | 34,173 tons | 22.6% | 5,914 tons | 17.6% |
| Oman | 25,548 tons | 16.9% | 6,094 tons | 18.1% |
| Jordan | 12,159 tons | 8.0% | 2,749 tons | 8.2% |
| Israel | 9,472 tons | 6.3% | 1,995 tons | 5.9% |
| Bahrain | 5,873 tons | 3.9% | 0 tons | 0.0% |
| Yemen | 5,626 tons | 3.7% | 3,288 tons | 9.8% |
| Lebanon | 4,373 tons | 2.9% | 1,336 tons | 4.0% |
| Kuwait | 4,176 tons | 2.8% | 414 tons | 1.2% |
| Iraq | 2,748 tons | 1.8% | 155 tons | 0.5% |
Jan-Apr 2026 Monthly Rhythm
The first four months were not evenly distributed. January was the strongest month, March was the lightest, and April recovered from the March low.
What the First Four Months of 2026 Suggest
Jan-Apr 2026 volume reached 33,694 tons. January alone recorded 14,144 tons, while March fell to 3,723 tons before April recovered to 7,253 tons. This uneven rhythm is important for buyers because short-period data can be affected by shipment timing, documentation cycles and destination-specific ordering schedules.
The country mix remained familiar in the 2026 YTD data. Saudi Arabia led with 11,705 tons, followed by Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Yemen and Jordan also appeared clearly in the second tier, while Israel and Lebanon remained visible but smaller.
| Month | Middle East volume | Export value | Avg export unit value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01 | 14,144 tons | US$10.01 million | US$708/ton |
| 2026-02 | 8,574 tons | US$5.81 million | US$678/ton |
| 2026-03 | 3,723 tons | US$2.66 million | US$714/ton |
| 2026-04 | 7,253 tons | US$5.08 million | US$700/ton |
Buyer Takeaway
For buyers sourcing bulk tomato paste for Middle East and Gulf markets, the data points to a concentrated but timing-sensitive region.
- Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman should be treated as the core demand group because they carried more than 70% of regional volume in both 2025 and Jan-Apr 2026.
- Short-term monthly movement can be uneven. Buyers should avoid reading one low month as weak demand without checking shipment timing and destination schedules.
- Average export unit value is useful for trend reading, but sourcing decisions still depend on Brix level, color value, processing type, packaging format, documentation, shipment schedule and contract terms.
For supply-side context, see why Xinjiang is central to China tomato paste exports. Buyers planning Middle East shipments should use the trade data as a market signal, then confirm product specification, packing plan and shipment timing with the supplier.
Contact RTM for bulk tomato paste sourcingPrice Interpretation Note
The average export unit value in this article is calculated from China Customs export value divided by export volume. It is used for market trend analysis only and does not represent RTM Tomato's actual quotation, nor the transaction price of any specific supplier, product or contract. Actual tomato paste prices may vary by Brix level, processing type, packaging format, destination market, shipment timing, contract terms and product specification.
Data source: China Customs bulk tomato paste export data. Product scope: tomato paste in containers weighing more than 5kg. Middle East and Gulf scope follows destination records used in this analysis, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Turkey, Lebanon and smaller recorded destinations. 2021-2025 figures are full-year data from the historical destination-country dataset. 2026 figures cover January to April only, based on the latest downloaded destination-country data. Export volume refers to the first quantity in kilograms, converted into metric tons. Export value refers to customs export value in US dollars. Average export unit value is calculated as export value divided by export volume.