Cereal flakes exports from South Africa: data, top buyers and prices
Exports of cereal flakes by South Africa reached $20.5 million in 2024 (12.4 thousand tonnes). Its share of world exports was 2%. That is 21% more than in 2023. Across 2017-2024 the long-run trend was broadly stable.
Public statistics, latest complete year (2024). Values in US dollars. Page updated .
Exports by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $20.5M | 12.4K t |
| 2023 | $16.9M | 9.6K t |
| 2022 | $20.0M | 11.9K t |
| 2021 | $21.3M | 14.0K t |
| 2020 | $17.7M | 11.6K t |
| 2019 | $22.2M | 12.8K t |
| 2018 | $22.6M | 10.8K t |
| 2017 | $17.9M | 13.4K t |
Where South Africa exports cereal flakes to
The largest buyer markets were Lesotho (24%), Eswatini (13%), Mozambique (12%). Trade is spread widely: the top three buyer markets together make up only 50%. Among the main buyer markets, United Arab Emirates grew fastest (+133% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Lesotho | $4.9M | 24% |
| Eswatini | $2.7M | 13% |
| Mozambique | $2.5M | 12% |
| Botswana | $2.1M | 10% |
| Namibia | $1.9M | 9.3% |
| United Arab Emirates | $1.2M | 5.7% |
| Philippines | $1.0M | 5% |
| Zimbabwe | $730K | 3.6% |
| Mauritius | $687K | 3.4% |
| Zambia | $583K | 2.9% |
Average export price per kg
The average declared value was about $1.65 per kg, 47% below the world average of $3.09, 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.
Cereal flakes imports to South Africa
South Africa imported $4.9 million of cereal flakes in 2024 (2.2 thousand tonnes). Zimbabwe alone supplied 70% of it. Among the main suppliers, Zimbabwe grew fastest (+108% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Zimbabwe | $3.4M | 71% |
| Spain | $634K | 13% |
| Poland | $554K | 11% |
| Lithuania | $60K | 1.2% |
| Ukraine | $51K | 1.1% |
| United Kingdom | $42K | 0.9% |
| Malaysia | $33K | 0.7% |
| India | $32K | 0.7% |
| Egypt | $20K | 0.4% |
| United States | $7K | 0.1% |
Who is behind these numbers in South Africa?
The shipment records behind South Africa cereal flakes exports (HS 1904.20): 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 1904.20: Food preparations: obtained from unroasted cereal flakes or from mixtures of unroasted cereal flakes and roasted cereal flakes or swelled cereals.
Common questions
What is the value of cereal flakes exported by South Africa?
South Africa exported cereal flakes worth $20.5 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 12.4 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 16th of 154 countries worldwide, with 2% of world exports. The value was up 21% on 2023.
Which countries buy cereal flakes from South Africa?
Lesotho was the largest buyer with 24% of the value ($4.9 million), followed by Eswatini (13%) and Mozambique (12%). The top three together account for 50%, out of 57 buyer countries in total. The United Arab Emirates grew fastest among the top ten, up 133% on the year.
What is the average export price of cereal flakes per kg?
The average declared export value was about $1.65 per kg in 2024, 47% below the world average of $3.09 per kg. Because it averages all grades and sizes, treat the figure as a market benchmark, not a price offer.
How have exports of cereal flakes from South Africa changed since 2017?
Exports went from $17.9 million in 2017 to $20.5 million in 2024, an increase of 14%. The peak was 2018 at $22.6 million. Over 8 years the average was $19.9 million a year.
Does South Africa also import cereal flakes?
Yes. South Africa imported $4.9 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly from Zimbabwe, Spain and Poland. On balance South Africa is a net exporter of this product, by about $15.6 million a year.
What is the HS code for cereal flakes?
The HS code for cereal flakes is subheading 1904.20. It sits in HS chapter 19 (preparations of cereals, flour, starch or milk; pastrycooks' products). The full list of codes and descriptions is on the HS 1904 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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