Bitumen imports in South Africa: data, top suppliers and prices
South Africa imported $124.7 million of bitumen in 2024 (268.9 thousand tonnes). Its share of world imports was 1%. That is 13% less than in 2023. Over 2017-2024 the trade grew strongly, by about 56% a year on average.
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 | $124.7M | 268.9K t |
| 2023 | $142.7M | 264.5K t |
| 2022 | $77.3M | 123.2K t |
| 2021 | $10.4M | 19.4K t |
| 2020 | $256K | 755 t |
| 2019 | $408K | 527 t |
| 2018 | $2.5M | 3.4K t |
| 2017 | $5.6M | 17.9K t |
Where South Africa imports bitumen from
Most of the value came from Bahrain (28%), Turkey (27%), Pakistan (11%). Among the main suppliers, Iraq grew fastest (+98% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Bahrain | $35.5M | 29% |
| Turkey | $33.4M | 27% |
| Pakistan | $13.6M | 11% |
| Greece | $12.5M | 10% |
| Togo | $9.5M | 7.6% |
| United Arab Emirates | $6.2M | 5% |
| Iraq | $5.7M | 4.6% |
| Oman | $4.0M | 3.2% |
| Spain | $1.4M | 1.2% |
| Latvia | $1.2M | 0.9% |
Average import price per kg
The average declared value was about $0.46 per kg, close to the world average of $0.45.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Bitumen exports from South Africa
Exports of bitumen by South Africa reached $31.2 million in 2024 (34.0 thousand tonnes). Zimbabwe alone took 57% of it. Among the main buyer markets, DR Congo grew fastest, more than tenfold on the year before.
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Zimbabwe | $17.7M | 57% |
| Namibia | $3.3M | 10% |
| Mozambique | $3.1M | 9.8% |
| Eswatini | $2.3M | 7.4% |
| DR Congo | $1.5M | 4.7% |
| Lesotho | $1.4M | 4.4% |
| Botswana | $1.0M | 3.3% |
| Malawi | $744K | 2.4% |
| Zambia | $155K | 0.5% |
| Madagascar | $75K | 0.2% |
Who is behind these numbers in South Africa?
The shipment records behind South Africa bitumen imports (HS 2713.20): companies, dates, quantities and declared values.
Shipment records are in the platform
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Mirror data: built from the shipment records of the countries that trade with it.
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 2713.20: Petroleum bitumen: obtained from bituminous minerals.
Common questions
What is the value of bitumen imported by South Africa?
South Africa imported bitumen worth $124.7 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 268.9 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 29th of 186 countries worldwide, with 1% of world imports. The value was down 13% on 2023.
Which countries supply bitumen to South Africa?
Bahrain was the largest supplier with 28% of the value ($35.5 million), followed by Turkey (27%) and Pakistan (11%). The top three together account for 66%, out of 24 supplier countries in total. Iraq grew fastest among the top ten, up 98% on the year.
What is the average import price of bitumen per kg?
The average declared import value was about $0.46 per kg in 2024, close to the world average of $0.45 per kg. Declared value divided by weight mixes every grade, so read it as a benchmark rather than a quote.
How have imports of bitumen to South Africa changed since 2017?
Imports went from $5.6 million in 2017 to $124.7 million in 2024. The peak was 2023 at $142.7 million. Over 8 years the average was $45.5 million a year.
Does South Africa also export bitumen?
Yes. South Africa exported $31.2 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly to Zimbabwe, Namibia and Mozambique. On balance South Africa is a net importer of this product, by about $93.5 million a year.
What is the HS code for bitumen?
The HS code for bitumen is subheading 2713.20. It sits in HS chapter 27 (mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes). The full list of codes and descriptions is on the HS 2713 page.
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
For South Africa, EximDataX reads the shipment records of the countries that trade with it and shows the companies on both sides. We can walk you through your product on a short call.
Same product, other countries
More trade data for South Africa
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