Packaged medicines imports in Botswana: data, top suppliers and prices
Botswana imported $90.9 million of packaged medicines in 2024 (3.8 thousand tonnes). Value fell 14% from 2023. Across 2017-2024 the long-run trend was broadly stable.
Public statistics, latest complete year (2024). Values in US dollars. Page updated .
Imports by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $90.9M | 3.8K t |
| 2023 | $105.9M | 4.8K t |
| 2022 | $101.1M | 3.2K t |
| 2021 | $95.1M | 2.9K t |
| 2020 | $98.3M | 4.0K t |
| 2019 | $110.9M | 4.8K t |
| 2018 | $95.1M | 4.4K t |
| 2017 | $102.2M | 3.6K t |
Where Botswana imports packaged medicines from
One supplier dominates: South Africa accounted for 59% of the value. Among the main suppliers, Cyprus grew fastest (+128% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | $53.2M | 59% |
| India | $22.1M | 24% |
| Cyprus | $3.6M | 4% |
| Zimbabwe | $3.1M | 3.4% |
| Canada | $1.9M | 2.1% |
| Belgium | $1.7M | 1.9% |
| Germany | $1.1M | 1.3% |
| Malaysia | $849K | 0.9% |
| Singapore | $728K | 0.8% |
| Namibia | $618K | 0.7% |
Product types under HS 3004
| 3004.90 | Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale | 84% |
| 3004.20 | Antibiotic medicines (packaged) | 5.3% |
| 3004.10 | Penicillin and streptomycin medicines (packaged) | 2.5% |
| 3004.31 | Insulin medicines (packaged) | 2.5% |
| 3004.32 | Corticosteroid medicines (packaged) | 2.1% |
| 3004.39 | Hormone medicines (packaged) | 1.3% |
| 3004.50 | Vitamin medicines (packaged) | 0.9% |
| 3004.42 | Pseudoephedrine medicines (packaged) | 0.7% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 3004.
Average import price per kg
The average declared value was about $24.00 per kg, 70% below the world average of $80.84, which often means bulk or lower-grade product.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Packaged medicines exports from Botswana
Botswana exported $2.6 million of packaged medicines in 2024 (56 tonnes). One buyer market dominates: Mauritius accounted for 58% of the value. Among the main buyer markets, Mauritius grew fastest (+789% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Mauritius | $1.5M | 58% |
| Zimbabwe | $914K | 35% |
| Namibia | $81K | 3.1% |
| Tanzania | $47K | 1.8% |
| Zambia | $42K | 1.6% |
| Malawi | $10K | 0.4% |
| Lesotho | $6K | 0.2% |
| Ireland | $3K | 0.1% |
| South Africa | $2K | 0.1% |
| France | $1K | 0% |
Who is behind these numbers in Botswana?
The shipment records behind Botswana packaged medicines imports (HS 3004): companies, dates, quantities and declared values.
Shipment records are in the platform
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Direct customs feed: shipment-level records from the official customs source.
Source: CEPII BACI (reconciled UN Comtrade data), HS 2017 edition, release 202601, Etalab Open Licence 2.0. Annual values in US dollars at the customs border; quantities in tonnes where reported. HS 3004: Medicaments; (not goods of heading no. 3002, 3005 or 3006) consisting of mixed or unmixed products for therapeutic or prophylactic use, put up in measured doses (incl. those in the form of transdermal admin. systems) or packed for retail sale.
Common questions
What is the value of packaged medicines imported by Botswana?
Botswana imported packaged medicines worth $90.9 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 3.8 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 132nd of 225 countries worldwide, with 0% of world imports. The value was down 14% on 2023.
Which countries supply packaged medicines to Botswana?
South Africa was the largest supplier with 59% of the value ($53.2 million), followed by India (24%) and Cyprus (4%). The top three together account for 87%, out of 27 supplier countries in total. Namibia grew fastest among the top ten, up 225% on the year.
What is the average import price of packaged medicines per kg?
The average declared import value was about $24.00 per kg in 2024, 70% below the world average of $80.84 per kg. Declared value divided by weight mixes every grade, so read it as a benchmark rather than a quote.
How have imports of packaged medicines to Botswana changed since 2017?
Imports went from $102.2 million in 2017 to $90.9 million in 2024, a fall of 11%. The peak was 2019 at $110.9 million. Over 8 years the average was $99.9 million a year.
Does Botswana also export packaged medicines?
Yes. Botswana exported $2.6 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly to Mauritius, Zimbabwe and Namibia. On balance Botswana is a net importer of this product, by about $88.2 million a year.
What is the HS code for packaged medicines?
The HS code for packaged medicines is heading 3004. In Botswana the largest six-digit codes were 3004.90 (84% of the value) and 3004.20 (5%).
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
EximDataX has a direct customs feed for Botswana, so the importers and exporters behind these totals are visible by name, shipment by shipment. Ask for a live look at your product.
Same product, other countries
Packaged medicines product types in Botswana
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