Cold-rolled low-carbon steel strip imports in South Africa: data, top suppliers and prices
Imports of cold-rolled low-carbon steel strip by South Africa reached $2.6 million in 2024 (2.1 thousand tonnes). That is 37% 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 .
Imports by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2.6M | 2.1K t |
| 2023 | $1.9M | 1.9K t |
| 2022 | $3.0M | 2.7K t |
| 2021 | $2.8M | 3.1K t |
| 2020 | $1.6M | 2.5K t |
| 2019 | $1.1M | 1.8K t |
| 2018 | $3.1M | 2.9K t |
| 2017 | $2.0M | 3.1K t |
Where South Africa imports cold-rolled low-carbon steel strip from
One supplier dominates: Germany accounted for 67% of the value. Among the main suppliers, Switzerland grew fastest (+355% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | $1.8M | 67% |
| China | $241K | 9.1% |
| Switzerland | $235K | 8.9% |
| South Korea | $165K | 6.3% |
| Belgium | $116K | 4.4% |
| United Kingdom | $38K | 1.4% |
| Japan | $32K | 1.2% |
| India | $25K | 0.9% |
| Netherlands | $11K | 0.4% |
| Italy | $9K | 0.4% |
Average import price per kg
The average declared value was about $1.25 per kg, close to the world average of $1.17.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Cold-rolled low-carbon steel strip exports from South Africa
Exports of cold-rolled low-carbon steel strip by South Africa reached $538 thousand in 2024 (264 tonnes). One buyer market dominates: Zambia accounted for 71% of the value. Among the main buyer markets, Namibia grew fastest (+446% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Zambia | $381K | 71% |
| Namibia | $65K | 12% |
| Botswana | $42K | 7.9% |
| Mozambique | $25K | 4.7% |
| China | $11K | 2.1% |
| United Kingdom | $5K | 1% |
| Malawi | $5K | 0.8% |
| Eswatini | $3K | 0.5% |
| Japan | $2K | 0.3% |
| Senegal | $0K | 0% |
Who is behind these numbers in South Africa?
The shipment records behind South Africa cold-rolled low-carbon steel strip imports (HS 7211.23): companies, dates, quantities and declared values.
Shipment records are in the platform
Tell us what you trade and we will show you the latest records on a live call.
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 7211.23: Iron or non-alloy steel: flat-rolled, cold-rolled, of a width less than 600mm, containing by weight less than 0.25% of carbon.
Common questions
What is the value of cold-rolled low-carbon steel strip imported by South Africa?
South Africa imported cold-rolled low-carbon steel strip worth $2.6 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 2.1 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 42nd of 159 countries worldwide, with 0% of world imports. The value was up 37% on 2023.
Which countries supply cold-rolled low-carbon steel strip to South Africa?
Germany was the largest supplier with 67% of the value ($1.8 million), followed by China (9%) and Switzerland (9%). The top three together account for 85%, out of 13 supplier countries in total. Switzerland grew fastest among the top ten, up 355% on the year.
What is the average import price of cold-rolled low-carbon steel strip per kg?
The average declared import value was about $1.25 per kg in 2024, 7% above the world average of $1.17 per kg. Because it averages all grades and sizes, treat the figure as a market benchmark, not a price offer.
How have imports of cold-rolled low-carbon steel strip to South Africa changed since 2017?
Imports went from $2.0 million in 2017 to $2.6 million in 2024, an increase of 35%. The peak was 2018 at $3.1 million. Over 8 years the average was $2.3 million a year.
Does South Africa also export cold-rolled low-carbon steel strip?
Yes. South Africa exported $538 thousand worth of this product in 2024, mainly to Zambia, Namibia and Botswana. On balance South Africa is a net importer of this product, by about $2.1 million a year.
What is the HS code for cold-rolled low-carbon steel strip?
The HS code for cold-rolled low-carbon steel strip is subheading 7211.23. It sits in HS chapter 72 (iron and steel). The full list of codes and descriptions is on the HS 7211 page.
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
The totals here are public statistics; EximDataX adds the company names by reading partner countries' customs records for South Africa. Tell us your product to see it live.
Same product, other countries
World cold-rolled low-carbon steel strip trade: top importers and exporters
More trade data for South Africa
See what your buyers are buying.Then decide.
Everything we show you comes from official customs filings — records, not claims. 30 minutes. Your shipment. Your HS code. Real platform. If you don’t see something new about your market by the end of the call, we walk away. No follow-ups.