The Aromatic Trade: Tracking U.S. Essential Oil Exports

The United States is both the leading exporter and importer of essential oils, shipping a record-high $2.5 billion in 2024, primarily to Canada, the European Union (EU), and Mexico. U.S. exports increased by 21 percent since 2019. In 2024, essential oils ranked as the 19th-largest U.S. agricultural export. The main U.S. essential oils export is citrus oil, representing 19 percent of all essential oils that the United States exported. The United States imported $5.6 billion of essential oils in 2024, primarily from the EU (mostly from Ireland) and, to a lesser extent, Brazil and India. Food manufacturers, such as cola companies, primarily use U.S. imports as flavoring ingredients.

In 2024, worldwide essential oils trade was $43.0 billion, up 25 percent from 2023. Essential oils are aromatic products from many seasonal or perennial plants derived from materials like leaves, fruits, roots, and wood. People commonly use these in perfumes, flavoring, beverages, medicines, personal care items, and household products. The expansion of domestic food manufacturing in emerging markets will likely sustain strong demand for imported essential oils.