Largest market shown
Not reported
$11.2B of latest reported imports and $4.9B of calculated three-year opportunity.
Importer opportunity guide
South Africa import opportunities
where to source next
Explore South Africa's import market by product, supplier concentration, demand growth, and sourcing gaps. Use reported market size and calculated indicators to decide where deeper supplier research may be useful.
Latest imports$108.8B2024 reported value
Import CAGR+2.1%Three-year reported change
GDP$401.1BLatest reported value
GDP per capita$6.3KLatest reported value
Trade openness53.0%Reported share of GDP
South Africa import opportunities
What makes this an attractive import market?
Compare market size and growth with supplier concentration. A large market may still need product, quality, tariff, logistics, and buyer validation.
Current import base
$108.8B in imports
South Africa recorded $108.8B in imports in 2024, with a three-year change of +2.1%.
How to use the guide
Compare demand with supply
Start with the highest-value products, then review supplier concentration and market conditions before choosing a sourcing route.
Import market overview
Find products where demand and sourcing options meet
This page separates reported import observations from calculated indicators so market size is not mistaken for a guaranteed sourcing opportunity.
South Africa imports products from suppliers across major trade regions. The current profile reports $108.8B of imports in 2024, while the opportunity view highlights product and supplier combinations where market demand and supply context may justify further research.
Use the opportunity table to compare product market size, demand growth, supplier counts, concentration, and projected imports. High concentration can indicate reliance on a small supplier base; it can also reflect specialized products that require careful validation.
Top import opportunities
Products and supplier context to review
The top 50 screened products are ranked by calculated three-year opportunity. Reported market values and calculated indicators are labeled separately.
| Rank | Product | Market size | Demand growth | Suppliers | Concentration | Top supplier | Projected imports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HS 271012Product description unavailable | $11.2BLatest imports | +20.9% | 80 | 1581 | AREDeclining | $19.8B |
| 2 | HS 710812Metals: gold, non-monetary, unwrought (but not powder) | $2.7BLatest imports | +17.8% | 13 | 6907 | TZADeclining | $4.4B |
| 3 | HS 282200Cobalt oxides and hydroxides: commercial cobalt oxides | $1.6BLatest imports | +47.8% | 11 | 9443 | CODGrowing | $3.1B |
| 4 | HS 271019Product description unavailable | $2.7BLatest imports | +18.1% | 88 | 4952 | INDDeclining | $4.4B |
| 5 | HS 270900Oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude | $4.9BLatest imports | +1.1% | 18 | 2661 | NGADeclining | $5.1B |
| 6 | HS 851712Telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks | $1.8BLatest imports | +6.3% | 102 | 5000 | CHNSlowing | $2.2B |
| 7 | HS 870322Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1000 but not over 1500cc | $1.5BLatest imports | +13.3% | 34 | 3674 | INDDeclining | $2.2B |
| 8 | HS 710813Metals: gold, semi-manufactured | $824.6MLatest imports | +12.9% | 26 | 9182 | NAMDeclining | $1.2B |
| 9 | HS 740319Copper: refined, unwrought, n.e.c. in item no. 7403.1 | $540.5MLatest imports | +28.3% | 13 | 9950 | CODDeclining | $1.1B |
| 10 | HS 750110Nickel: nickel mattes | $514.7MLatest imports | +24.4% | 2 | 9977 | ZWEDeclining | $992.1M |
| 11 | HS 847130Data processing machines: portable, digital and automatic, weighing not more than 10kg, consisting of at least a central processing unit, a keyboard and a display | $819.0MLatest imports | +9.5% | 102 | 7738 | CHNDeclining | $1.1B |
| 12 | HS 850760Electric accumulators: lithium-ion, including separators, whether or not rectangular (including square) | $572.6MLatest imports | +21.6% | 69 | 5713 | CHNDeclining | $1.0B |
| 13 | HS 740811Copper: wire, of refined copper, of which the maximum cross-sectional dimension exceeds 6mm | $560.2MLatest imports | +19.0% | 19 | 6057 | AREGrowing | $943.7M |
| 14 | HS 281820Aluminium oxide: other than artificial corundum | $656.5MLatest imports | +3.5% | 26 | 9701 | AUSGrowing | $727.4M |
| 15 | HS 300490Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.s. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale | $1.4BLatest imports | +6.1% | 96 | 1860 | INDDeclining | $1.7B |
| 16 | HS 271600Electrical energy | $385.2MLatest imports | +17.6% | 4 | 9959 | MOZDeclining | $625.8M |
| 17 | HS 854140Electrical apparatus: photosensitive, including photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled in modules or made up into panels, light emitting diodes | $416.9MLatest imports | +13.8% | 84 | 8805 | CHNDeclining | $614.1M |
| 18 | HS 100630Cereals: rice, semi-milled or wholly milled, whether or not polished or glazed | $621.6MLatest imports | +6.4% | 47 | 6257 | THADeclining | $749.6M |
| 19 | HS 330210Odoriferous substances and mixtures: of a kind used in the food or drink industries | $529.8MLatest imports | +12.6% | 86 | 5154 | SWZDeclining | $755.8M |
| 20 | HS 850231Electric generating sets: wind-powered, (excluding those with spark-ignition or compression-ignition internal combustion piston engines) | $340.1MLatest imports | +41.3% | 18 | 6507 | CHNDeclining | $664.2M |
| 21 | HS 850440Electrical static converters | $585.4MLatest imports | +10.3% | 116 | 3810 | CHNDeclining | $784.8M |
| 22 | HS 851762Communication apparatus (excluding telephone sets or base stations): machines for the reception, conversion and transmission or regeneration of voice, images or other data, including switching and routing apparatus | $960.8MLatest imports | +4.2% | 112 | 2019 | CHNDeclining | $1.1B |
| 23 | HS 284390Inorganic or organic compounds: of precious metals (excluding gold and silver), whether or not chemically defined, amalgams of precious metals | $352.4MLatest imports | +10.8% | 14 | 7988 | DEUDeclining | $479.8M |
| 24 | HS 740311Copper: refined, unwrought, cathodes and sections of cathodes | $367.3MLatest imports | +13.3% | 8 | 6342 | CODDeclining | $533.9M |
| 25 | HS 840820Engines: compression-ignition internal combustion piston engines (diesel or semi-diesel engines), of a kind used for the propulsion of vehicles of chapter 87 | $582.2MLatest imports | +6.7% | 48 | 3712 | THADeclining | $706.4M |
| 26 | HS 151190Vegetable oils: palm oil and its fractions, other than crude, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified | $467.5MLatest imports | +11.0% | 23 | 5316 | IDNDeclining | $639.2M |
| 27 | HS 271111Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas | $221.5MLatest imports | +22.0% | 4 | 10000 | MOZDeclining | $402.2M |
| 28 | HS 640299Footwear: n.e.s. in heading no. 6402, (other than just covering the ankle), with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics | $383.3MLatest imports | +7.4% | 81 | 6524 | CHNDeclining | $474.5M |
| 29 | HS 870321Vehicles: spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity not exceeding 1000cc | $377.4MLatest imports | +11.3% | 30 | 5540 | INDStable | $520.9M |
| 30 | HS 382499Chemical products, mixtures and preparations: n.e.c. heading 3824 | $464.7MLatest imports | +38.2% | 83 | 2393 | SWZDeclining | $907.5M |
| 31 | HS 271121Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: in gaseous state, natural gas | $187.6MLatest imports | +49.0% | 3 | 9807 | MOZGrowing | $366.5M |
| 32 | HS 490700Unused 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 | $305.7MLatest imports | +10.0% | 27 | 7026 | USADeclining | $406.5M |
| 33 | HS 840733Engines: reciprocating piston engines, of a kind used for the propulsion of vehicles of chapter 87, of a cylinder capacity exceeding 250cc but not exceeding 1000cc | $216.6MLatest imports | +33.3% | 16 | 6753 | DEUDeclining | $423.0M |
| 34 | HS 870120Tractors: road, for semi-trailers | $778.1MLatest imports | +10.5% | 31 | 2151 | DEUGrowing | $1.0B |
| 35 | HS 271112Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, propane | $156.8MLatest imports | +37.8% | 10 | 9404 | USADeclining | $306.2M |
| 36 | HS 271113Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, butanes | $200.7MLatest imports | +31.0% | 26 | 5436 | USADeclining | $392.0M |
| 37 | HS 999999Commodities not specified according to kind | $792.0MLatest imports | +0.9% | 34 | 2436 | POLDeclining | $814.0M |
| 38 | HS 310540Fertilizers, mineral or chemical: ammonium dihydrogenorthophosphate (monoammonium phosphate) and mixtures thereof with diammonium hydrogenorthophosphate (diammonium phosphate) | $202.6MLatest imports | +19.6% | 17 | 6307 | RUSDeclining | $346.9M |
| 39 | HS 710231Diamonds: non-industrial, unworked or simply sawn, cleaved or bruted, but not mounted or set | $478.5MLatest imports | +0.5% | 17 | 3639 | AREDeclining | $485.7M |
| 40 | HS 170113Sugars: cane sugar, raw, in solid form, as specified in Subheading Note 2 to this chapter, not containing added flavouring or colouring matter | $214.3MLatest imports | +7.7% | 9 | 9741 | SWZDeclining | $267.8M |
| 41 | HS 870840Vehicles: parts, gear boxes | $721.6MLatest imports | +7.2% | 82 | 1964 | DEUDeclining | $889.7M |
| 42 | HS 842952Mechanical shovels, excavators and shovel loaders: with a 360 degree revolving super structure | $368.2MLatest imports | +9.0% | 26 | 3237 | CHNGrowing | $477.2M |
| 43 | HS 260400Nickel ores and concentrates | $169.9MLatest imports | +13.8% | 10 | 9955 | ZWEDeclining | $250.1M |
| 44 | HS 870899Vehicle parts and accessories: n.e.c. in heading no. 8708 | $885.8MLatest imports | +4.5% | 133 | 1426 | THADeclining | $1.0B |
| 45 | HS 840734Engines: reciprocating piston engines, of a kind used for the propulsion of vehicles of chapter 87, of a cylinder capacity exceeding 1000cc | $347.9MLatest imports | +3.3% | 39 | 4113 | DEUDeclining | $383.4M |
| 46 | HS 100199Cereals: wheat and meslin, other than durum wheat, other than seed | $524.4MLatest imports | +8.2% | 26 | 2210 | RUSDeclining | $663.7M |
| 47 | HS 381512Catalysts, supported: reaction initiators, reaction accelerators and catalytic preparations, with precious metal or precious metal compounds as the active substance, n.e.c. or included | $241.0MLatest imports | +11.8% | 23 | 4329 | DEUStable | $336.5M |
| 48 | HS 220820Spirits obtained by distilling grape wine or grape marc | $124.7MLatest imports | +20.5% | 39 | 8961 | FRADeclining | $217.9M |
| 49 | HS 670420Wigs, false beards, eyebrows and eyelashes, switches and the like and other articles n.e.s.: of human hair | $103.9MLatest imports | +30.8% | 46 | 9870 | CHNDeclining | $203.0M |
| 50 | HS 640419Footwear: (other than sportswear), with outer soles of rubber or plastics and uppers of textile materials | $205.3MLatest imports | +12.7% | 82 | 5116 | CHNDeclining | $294.2M |
Showing the five highest-ranked products on mobile. View the complete import opportunity data.
Product sectors
Which sectors carry the most demand?
HS2 sectors group the screened products into broader families for an easier first comparison.
| Sector | Products | Market size | Opportunity | Average growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HS2 sector 00HS2 00 | 2 | $13.8B | $7.9B | +19.5% |
| Precious stones and metalsHS2 71 | 3 | $4.0B | $5.0B | +10.4% |
| Electrical equipmentHS2 85 | 6 | $4.7B | $4.3B | +16.2% |
| Mineral fuelsHS2 27 | 6 | $6.1B | $4.2B | +26.4% |
| Inorganic chemicalsHS2 28 | 3 | $2.6B | $4.2B | +20.7% |
| VehiclesHS2 87 | 5 | $4.3B | $2.4B | +9.4% |
| CopperHS2 74 | 3 | $1.5B | $2.2B | +20.2% |
| MachineryHS2 84 | 5 | $2.3B | $2.2B | +12.4% |
| NickelHS2 75 | 1 | $514.7M | $990.9M | +24.4% |
| CerealsHS2 10 | 2 | $1.1B | $792.2M | +7.3% |
| Pharmaceutical productsHS2 30 | 1 | $1.4B | $677.5M | +6.1% |
| FootwearHS2 64 | 2 | $588.6M | $582.4M | +10.1% |
Supply gaps
Where supplier concentration deserves attention
The concentration index helps identify products where reported imports rely more heavily on a smaller supplier base. It is a screening signal, not a recommendation by itself.
| Product | Market size | Suppliers | Concentration | Top supplier | Share gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HS 271111Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, natural gas | $221.5M | 4 | 10000 | MOZ | 100.0% |
| HS 750110Nickel: nickel mattes | $514.7M | 2 | 9977 | ZWE | 99.9% |
| HS 271600Electrical energy | $385.2M | 4 | 9959 | MOZ | 99.8% |
| HS 260400Nickel ores and concentrates | $169.9M | 10 | 9955 | ZWE | 99.8% |
| HS 740319Copper: refined, unwrought, n.e.c. in item no. 7403.1 | $540.5M | 13 | 9950 | COD | 99.7% |
| HS 670420Wigs, false beards, eyebrows and eyelashes, switches and the like and other articles n.e.s.: of human hair | $103.9M | 46 | 9870 | CHN | 99.3% |
| HS 271121Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: in gaseous state, natural gas | $187.6M | 3 | 9807 | MOZ | 99.0% |
| HS 170113Sugars: cane sugar, raw, in solid form, as specified in Subheading Note 2 to this chapter, not containing added flavouring or colouring matter | $214.3M | 9 | 9741 | SWZ | 98.7% |
Supplier landscape
Which supplier markets appear most often?
These supplier names come from the leading peer signal in the screened opportunity rows and should be validated at product level.
CHN
China
11 screened products
$6.3BCalculated opportunity across these rowsARE
United Arab Emirates
3 screened products
$5.9BCalculated opportunity across these rowsIND
India
4 screened products
$5.3BCalculated opportunity across these rowsCOD
Democratic Republic of the Congo
3 screened products
$4.5BCalculated opportunity across these rowsTZA
United Rep. of Tanzania
1 screened products
$3.6BCalculated opportunity across these rowsNGA
Nigeria
1 screened products
$2.2BCalculated opportunity across these rowsDEU
Germany
6 screened products
$1.8BCalculated opportunity across these rowsMOZ
Mozambique
3 screened products
$1.4BCalculated opportunity across these rowsFrequently asked questions
Using the South Africa import opportunity index
Definitions and practical guidance for interpreting market size, growth, suppliers, and concentration.
What are the import opportunities?
They are product and supplier combinations in South Africa's screened import market with substantial reported demand and calculated opportunity indicators. They are research priorities, not guaranteed savings or supply contracts.
What does supplier concentration mean?
The concentration index indicates how much reported imports rely on a smaller supplier base. A high value can suggest supply dependence, but it can also reflect specialized products or limited reporting.
How should sourcing teams use this page?
Start with products that fit your specification and volume needs, then validate suppliers, tariffs, standards, logistics, pricing, and continuity for South Africa.
Data source
OECD trade statistics with CEPII context
OECD (2025), Balanced international merchandise trade statistics (BIMTS) - HS2017-6D, OECD Data Explorer (accessed on 2026-08-30). OECD BIMTS is the primary trade series for this view. Supporting bilateral trade context uses CEPII BACI bilateral trade flows (202601) under Etalab 2.0 Open Licence. Yugalinks presents derived views of reported observations and calculated indicators. Data terms: OECD Terms & Conditions.