# South Africa exports to Malawi: Trade Route Risk | Yugalinks

Understand reported exports from South Africa to Malawi, the product routes that need a closer look, and the conditions that may affect planning.

Canonical: https://www.yugalinks.com/trade/corridor/ZAF-MWI/risk

## Route overview

In 2024, South Africa reported $115.4M in goods exports to Malawi. The overall review level is High attention.

## How to read this page

High attention means one or more conditions on these product types deserve a closer look. It is not a prediction that trade will stop or that a loss is certain. An HS6 code is the international six-digit code used to describe and compare traded goods.

## Key numbers

| Measure | Value | What it means |
| --- | ---: | --- |
| Latest reported exports | $115.4M | 2024 route total |
| Exports needing review | 92.4% | Share of route exports |
| Highest-priority products | 0 | Need the closest review |
| Products needing review | 17 | High-attention product types |
| Export volatility | 0.7 | Higher means bigger yearly swings |
| Below highest year | 31.2% | Compared with the route's best year |

## Product types to review

| Rank | HS6 | Product | Buyer-market imports | Below product high | Review level |
| ---: | --- | --- | ---: | ---: | --- |
| 1 | 390210 | Propylene, other olefin polymers: polypropylene in primary forms | $18.8M | 32.5% | High attention |
| 2 | 870421 | Vehicles: compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel), for transport of goods, (of a gvw not exceeding 5 tonnes), n.e.c. in item no 8704.1 | $22.8M | 12.6% | High attention |
| 3 | 870323 | Vehicles: spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity exceeding 1500cc but not exceeding 3000cc | $26.3M | 0% | High attention |
| 4 | 210690 | Food preparations: n.e.s. in item no. 2106.10 | $12.8M | 46.8% | High attention |
| 5 | 870333 | Vehicles: compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel), cylinder capacity exceeding 2500cc | $12.9M | 3.6% | High attention |
| 6 | 390120 | Ethylene polymers: in primary forms, polyethylene having a specific gravity of 0.94 or more | $12.2M | 0% | High attention |
| 7 | 490700 | Unused postage, revenue or similar stamps of current or new issue in the country in which they have, or will have, a recognised face value: stamp-impressed paper: cheque forms: banknotes, stock, share or bond certificates and the like of similar title | $63.9M | 94.1% | High attention |
| 8 | 380893 | Herbicides, anti-sprouting products and plant-growth regulators: not containing substances of 3808.50: put up in forms or packings for retail sale or as preparations or articles | $11.7M | 21.1% | High attention |
| 9 | 390110 | Ethylene polymers: in primary forms, polyethylene having a specific gravity of less than 0.94 | $11.7M | 42.1% | High attention |
| 10 | 721420 | Iron or non-alloy steel: bars and rods, hot-rolled, hot-drawn or hot-extruded, containing indentations, ribs, grooves or other deformations produced during the rolling process or twisted after rolling | $23.6M | 28.6% | High attention |

## Data sources

- Primary trade series: OECD (2025), Balanced international merchandise trade statistics (BIMTS) - HS2017-6D, OECD Data Explorer (accessed on 2026-08-29). [OECD Data Explorer](https://data-explorer.oecd.org/) - [OECD Terms & Conditions](https://www.oecd.org/termsandconditions/)
- CEPII BACI bilateral trade flows (202601): [dataset page](https://www.cepii.fr/CEPII/en/bdd_modele/bdd_modele_item.asp?id=37) - [BACI documentation](https://www.cepii.fr/DATA_DOWNLOAD/baci/doc/baci_webpage.html) - [Etalab 2.0 Open Licence](https://www.etalab.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/open-licence.pdf)

This page presents derived Yugalinks views of reported observations and calculated indicators.