Saturated carboxylic acid imports in South Africa: data, top suppliers and prices
South Africa imported $105.5 million of saturated carboxylic acid in 2024 (84.9 thousand tonnes). Its share of world imports was 1%. Value rose 7% on 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 | $105.5M | 84.9K t |
| 2023 | $99.0M | 75.7K t |
| 2022 | $122.3M | 70.9K t |
| 2021 | $121.2M | 82.8K t |
| 2020 | $71.7M | 69.5K t |
| 2019 | $82.6M | 75.4K t |
| 2018 | $95.6M | 80.4K t |
| 2017 | $73.9M | 67.1K t |
Where South Africa imports saturated carboxylic acid from
The largest suppliers were China (21%), Indonesia (20%), Malaysia (14%). Among the main suppliers, India grew fastest (+30% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| China | $21.8M | 21% |
| Indonesia | $21.1M | 20% |
| Malaysia | $15.2M | 14% |
| Germany | $11.7M | 11% |
| India | $8.4M | 8% |
| United States | $6.5M | 6.2% |
| South Korea | $3.9M | 3.7% |
| Belgium | $3.9M | 3.7% |
| France | $2.6M | 2.5% |
| Netherlands | $2.5M | 2.4% |
Product types under HS 2915
| 2915.70 | Acids: saturated acyclic monocarboxylic acids: palmitic acid, stearic acid, their salts and esters | 38% |
| 2915.90 | Acids: saturated acyclic monocarboxylic acids: anhydrides, halides, peroxides, peroxyacids and halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated… | 14% |
| 2915.60 | Acids: saturated acyclic monocarboxylic acids: butanoic acids, pentanoic acids, their salts and esters | 8.6% |
| 2915.39 | Acids: saturated acyclic monocarboxylic acids: esters of acetic acid n.e.c. in item no. 2915.3 | 7.2% |
| 2915.40 | Acids: saturated acyclic monocarboxylic acids: mono-, di- or trichloroacetic acids, their salts and esters | 6.6% |
| 2915.50 | Acids: saturated acyclic monocarboxylic acids: propionic acid, its salts and esters | 6.5% |
| 2915.21 | Acids: saturated acyclic monocarboxylic acids: acetic acid | 5.7% |
| 2915.29 | Acids: saturated acyclic monocarboxylic acids: acetic acid and its salts n.e.c. in item no. 2915.2 | 4.8% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 2915.
Average import price per kg
The average declared value was about $1.24 per kg, close to the world average of $1.18.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Saturated carboxylic acid exports from South Africa
South Africa exported $52.9 million of saturated carboxylic acid in 2024 (46.3 thousand tonnes). The largest buyer markets were Belgium (29%), United States (23%), Nigeria (8%).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | $15.1M | 29% |
| United States | $12.0M | 23% |
| Nigeria | $4.3M | 8.1% |
| Germany | $3.3M | 6.3% |
| France | $2.2M | 4.3% |
| United Arab Emirates | $2.0M | 3.7% |
| Zimbabwe | $1.9M | 3.6% |
| Ireland | $1.4M | 2.6% |
| Zambia | $1.2M | 2.2% |
| Malawi | $1.1M | 2% |
Who is behind these numbers in South Africa?
Public statistics stop at country totals and the last published year. EximDataX shows the shipment records underneath: the companies, dates, quantities and declared values, updated weekly.
Shipment records are in the platform
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Mirror data: built from the shipment records of the countries that trade with it.
Updated weekly on EximDataX (some markets daily), while public statistics stop at 2024.
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 2915: Acids; saturated acyclic monocarboxylic acids and their anhydrides, halides, peroxides and peroxyacids; their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives.
Common questions
What is the value of saturated carboxylic acid imported by South Africa?
South Africa imported saturated carboxylic acid worth $105.5 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 84.9 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 29th of 204 countries worldwide, with 1% of world imports. The value was up 7% on 2023.
Which countries supply saturated carboxylic acid to South Africa?
China was the largest supplier with 21% of the value ($21.8 million), followed by Indonesia (20%) and Malaysia (14%). The top three together account for 55%, out of 48 supplier countries in total. India grew fastest among the top ten, up 30% on the year.
What is the average import price of saturated carboxylic acid per kg?
The average declared import value was about $1.24 per kg in 2024, 5% above the world average of $1.18 per kg. It is total declared value divided by total weight, so it blends every grade and size; use it as a benchmark, not a quote. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
How have imports of saturated carboxylic acid to South Africa changed since 2017?
Imports went from $73.9 million in 2017 to $105.5 million in 2024, an increase of 43%. The peak was 2022 at $122.3 million. Monthly and weekly movements since then are in EximDataX.
Does South Africa also export saturated carboxylic acid?
Yes. South Africa exported $52.9 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly to Belgium, the United States and Nigeria. On balance South Africa is a net importer of this product, by about $52.6 million a year.
What is the HS code for saturated carboxylic acid?
The HS code for saturated carboxylic acid is heading 2915. In South Africa the largest six-digit codes were 2915.70 (38% of the value) and 2915.90 (14%). It sits in HS chapter 29 (organic chemicals). The full list of codes and descriptions is on the HS 2915 page.
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
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