# South Africa Chemicals Export Opportunities (HS 28-38)

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> Yugalinks sector export playbook

Explore South Africa HS 28-38 chemicals export opportunities, product portfolio, buyer markets, growth signals, and diversification opportunities.

## Overview

- Exporter: South Africa (ZAF)
- Sector: Chemicals
- HS chapters: HS 28-38
- Latest trade year: 2024
- Sector exports: $231.4M
- Products: 39
- Buyer markets: 25
- Average CAGR: +10.7%
- Global sector size: $713.8B

## Product portfolio

| Product | Global size | Your exports | Opportunity | CAGR | Markets | Share |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| HS 300490 - Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.s. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale | $294.1B | $40.9M | $111.8B | +16.1% | 18 | +0.0% |
| HS 300215 - Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and immunological products: immunological products, put up in measured doses or in forms or packings for retail sale | $138.5B | $241.9K | $54.8B | +7.4% | 10 | +0.0% |
| HS 293719 - Polypeptide hormones, protein hormones and glycoprotein hormones, their derivatives and structural analogues: other than somatotropin, (its derivatives and structural anaologues) and insulin and its salts | $18.7B | $124.3K | $32.6B | +72.9% | 2 | +0.0% |
| HS 300214 - Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and immunological products: immunological products, mixed, put up in measured doses or in forms or packings for retail sale | $24.2B | $4.7K | $28.4B | +21.1% | 3 | +0.0% |
| HS 300220 - Vaccines: for human medicine | $25.9B | $66.4K | $21.6B | +3.5% | 5 | +0.0% |
| HS 300212 - Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and immunological products: antisera and other blood fractions | $26.4B | $118.3K | $15.0B | +5.5% | 5 | +0.0% |
| HS 300439 - Medicaments: containing hormones (but not insulin), adrenal cortex hormones or antibiotics, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale | $24.4B | $7.6K | $14.7B | -11.5% | 7 | +0.0% |
| HS 382499 - Chemical products, mixtures and preparations: n.e.c. heading 3824 | $19.9B | $21.3M | $13.7B | +33.3% | 5 | +0.1% |
| HS 293359 - Heterocyclic compounds: containing a pyrimidine ring (whether or not hydrogenated) or piperazine ring in the structure, (other than malonylurea (barbituric acid) and its derivatives),and loprazolam, mecloqualone, methaqualone, zipeprol and salts thereof | $11.8B | $462.2K | $11.7B | +3.4% | 2 | +0.0% |
| HS 330210 - Odoriferous substances and mixtures: of a kind used in the food or drink industries | $6.8B | $57.5K | $9.6B | +4.1% | 2 | +0.0% |
| HS 284190 - Salts of oxometallic or peroxometallic acids: n.e.c. in heading no. 2841 | $5.5B | $1.5M | $8.0B | +6.5% | 3 | +0.2% |
| HS 293499 - Nucleic acids and their salts, other heterocyclic compounds, n.e.c. in heading number 2934 | $11.9B | $237.7K | $7.4B | +1.4% | 2 | +0.0% |
| HS 300339 - Medicaments: containing hormones (excluding insulin), (but not containing antibiotics), for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, not packaged for retail sale | $3.4B | $59.7 | $6.7B | -21.3% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 382200 - Reagents: diagnostic or laboratory reagents on a backing and prepared diagnostic or laboratory reagents whether or not on a backing, other than those of heading no. 3002 or 3006: certified reference material | $15.1B | $20.6M | $6.3B | +45.6% | 3 | +0.1% |
| HS 330499 - Cosmetic and toilet preparations: n.e.c. in heading no. 3304, for the care of the skin (excluding medicaments, including sunscreen or sun tan preparations) | $14.9B | $33.1M | $5.8B | +26.0% | 2 | +0.3% |
| HS 293399 - Heterocyclic compounds: n.e.c. in headings no. 2933 | $6.9B | $26.4K | $5.0B | +1.1% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 293379 - Heterocyclic compounds: lactams: other than 6-hexanelactam (epsilon caprolactam) | $4.2B | $229.5K | $4.8B | +26.7% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 282200 - Cobalt oxides and hydroxides: commercial cobalt oxides | $2.4B | $759.2K | $4.6B | +12.6% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 330300 - Perfumes and toilet waters | $6.6B | $592.6K | $4.1B | +6.5% | 2 | +0.0% |
| HS 290110 - Acyclic hydrocarbons: saturated | $2.0B | $371.7 | $3.8B | -87.4% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 283691 - Carbonates: lithium carbonate | $2.5B | $0.9 | $3.8B | -47.4% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 381512 - Catalysts, supported: reaction initiators, reaction accelerators and catalytic preparations, with precious metal or precious metal compounds as the active substance, n.e.c. or included | $4.5B | $69.3M | $3.7B | +11.0% | 2 | +1.2% |
| HS 281820 - Aluminium oxide: other than artificial corundum | $3.5B | $649.3K | $3.4B | +17.4% | 2 | +0.0% |
| HS 381800 - Chemical elements: doped for use in electronics, in the form of discs, wafers or similar forms: chemical compounds doped for use in electronics | $5.7B | $121.9K | $3.3B | +4.0% | 2 | +0.0% |
| HS 382600 - Biodiesel and mixtures thereof: not containing or containing less than 70% by weight of petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous minerals | $4.8B | $62.4K | $2.8B | +37.5% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 282590 - Inorganic bases, metal oxides, hydroxides and peroxides: n.e.s. in heading no. 2825 | $1.5B | $4.2 | $2.4B | -20.4% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 300420 - Medicaments: containing antibiotics (other than penicillins, streptomycins or their derivatives), for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale | $3.8B | $7.2K | $2.0B | +1.9% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 293299 - Heterocyclic compounds: with oxygen hetero-atom(s) only, no lactones or unfused furan rings (hydrogenated or not) in the structure, other than isosafrole, 1-(1,3-benzodiaxol-5-yl) propan-2-one, piperonal, safrole, tetrahydrocannabinols (all isomers) | $2.4B | $164.7K | $2.0B | +8.3% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 382319 - Industrial monocarboxylic fatty acids: acid oils from refining: (other than stearic acid, oleic acid or tall oil fatty acids) | $1.3B | $36.8K | $1.9B | +10.8% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 370790 - Photographic goods: chemical preparations other than sensitised emulsions, put up in measured portions or put up for retail sale in a form ready for use | $2.2B | $25.8K | $1.8B | +163.7% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 310540 - Fertilizers, mineral or chemical: ammonium dihydrogenorthophosphate (monoammonium phosphate) and mixtures thereof with diammonium hydrogenorthophosphate (diammonium phosphate) | $2.7B | $15.1M | $1.7B | +7.3% | 1 | +1.1% |
| HS 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 | $2.0B | $1.7M | $1.7B | -9.3% | 1 | +0.1% |
| HS 284420 - Uranium: enriched in U235, plutonium, their compounds, alloys dispersions (including cermets), ceramic products and mixtures containing uranium enriched in U235, plutonium or compounds of these products | $4.9B | $88.5K | $1.7B | -9.3% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 284390 - Inorganic or organic compounds: of precious metals (excluding gold and silver), whether or not chemically defined, amalgams of precious metals | $892.9M | $73.2K | $1.7B | +20.3% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 284690 - Compounds, inorganic or organic (excluding cerium), of rare-earth metals, of yttrium, scandium or of mixtures of these metals | $1.4B | $40.1 | $1.5B | -22.1% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 293590 - Sulphonamides: n.e.c. in heading no. 2935 | $1.9B | $246.4K | $1.5B | -6.0% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 300670 - Pharmaceutical goods: Gel preparations designed to be used in human or veterinary medicine as a lubricant for parts of the body for surgical operations or physical examinations or as a coupling agent between the body and medical instruments | $1.2B | $2.8K | $1.4B | -24.4% | 1 | +0.0% |
| HS 284410 - Uranium: natural uranium and its compounds, alloys, dispersions (including cermets), ceramic products and mixtures containing natural uranium or natural uranium compounds | $1.6B | $23.5M | $1.4B | +0.7% | 1 | +1.5% |
| HS 340220 - Washing and cleaning preparations: surface-active, whether or not containing soap (excluding those of heading no. 3401), put up for retail sale | $1.2B | $299.7 | $1.4B | -6.0% | 1 | +0.0% |

## Best markets

- USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands (USA): $151.7B calculated opportunity across 20 products.
- China (CHN): $44.7B calculated opportunity across 15 products.
- Germany (DEU): $39.3B calculated opportunity across 12 products.
- Switzerland, Liechtenstein (CHE): $36.6B calculated opportunity across 4 products.
- Belgium (BEL): $26.0B calculated opportunity across 4 products.
- Netherlands (NLD): $14.7B calculated opportunity across 4 products.
- United Kingdom (GBR): $11.1B calculated opportunity across 5 products.
- Italy (ITA): $9.8B calculated opportunity across 2 products.
- Slovenia (SVN): $9.7B calculated opportunity across 1 products.
- Canada (CAN): $8.5B calculated opportunity across 4 products.
- Ireland (IRL): $7.5B calculated opportunity across 3 products.
- Mexico (MEX): $7.3B calculated opportunity across 3 products.

## Growth stars

- HS 370790: +163.7% average CAGR, $1.8B calculated opportunity.
- HS 293719: +72.9% average CAGR, $32.6B calculated opportunity.
- HS 382200: +45.6% average CAGR, $6.3B calculated opportunity.
- HS 382600: +37.5% average CAGR, $2.8B calculated opportunity.
- HS 382499: +33.3% average CAGR, $13.7B calculated opportunity.
- HS 293379: +26.7% average CAGR, $4.8B calculated opportunity.
- HS 330499: +26.0% average CAGR, $5.8B calculated opportunity.
- HS 300214: +21.1% average CAGR, $28.4B calculated opportunity.
- HS 284390: +20.3% average CAGR, $1.7B calculated opportunity.
- HS 281820: +17.4% average CAGR, $3.4B calculated opportunity.

## Diversification opportunities

- HS 300490: 18 buyer markets, $111.8B calculated opportunity.
- HS 300215: 10 buyer markets, $54.8B calculated opportunity.
- HS 300439: 7 buyer markets, $14.7B calculated opportunity.
- HS 300220: 5 buyer markets, $21.6B calculated opportunity.
- HS 300212: 5 buyer markets, $15.0B calculated opportunity.
- HS 382499: 5 buyer markets, $13.7B calculated opportunity.
- HS 300214: 3 buyer markets, $28.4B calculated opportunity.
- HS 284190: 3 buyer markets, $8.0B calculated opportunity.
- HS 382200: 3 buyer markets, $6.3B calculated opportunity.
- HS 293719: 2 buyer markets, $32.6B calculated opportunity.

## Method

Reported trade observations and calculated indicators are shown separately. Validate buyers, standards, logistics, pricing, and competition before acting. [Read the Yugalinks methodology](https://www.yugalinks.com/methodology).

## Data sources

- Primary trade series: OECD (2025), Balanced international merchandise trade statistics (BIMTS) - HS2017-6D, OECD Data Explorer (accessed on 2026-08-30). [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.