Sawn wood imports in South Africa: data, top suppliers and prices
South Africa imported $121.9 million of sawn wood in 2024 (25.9 thousand tonnes). Value rose 10% 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 | $121.9M | 25.9K t |
| 2023 | $110.4M | 140.3K t |
| 2022 | $132.3M | 118.4K t |
| 2021 | $133.2M | 200.9K t |
| 2020 | $96.9M | 154.7K t |
| 2019 | $117.4M | 164.3K t |
| 2018 | $122.1M | 355.8K t |
| 2017 | $112.3M | 148.3K t |
Where South Africa imports sawn wood from
Eswatini alone supplied 60% of it. Among the main suppliers, Indonesia grew fastest (+184% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Eswatini | $72.9M | 60% |
| United States | $12.6M | 10% |
| Malaysia | $10.1M | 8.3% |
| Indonesia | $5.8M | 4.8% |
| Gabon | $2.4M | 1.9% |
| Uruguay | $2.3M | 1.9% |
| Italy | $2.3M | 1.9% |
| France | $1.5M | 1.2% |
| Cameroon | $1.5M | 1.2% |
| Angola | $849K | 0.7% |
Product types under HS 4407
| 4407.11 | Wood: coniferous species, of pine (Pinus spp.), sawn or chipped lengthwise, sliced or peeled, whether or not planed, sanded or finger-jointed, of a… | 58% |
| 4407.91 | Wood: oak (Quercus spp.), sawn or chipped lengthwise, sliced or peeled, whether or not planed, sanded or end-jointed, thicker than 6mm | 11% |
| 4407.25 | Wood, tropical: dark red meranti, light red meranti and meranti bakau, sawn or chipped lengthwise, sliced or peeled, whether or not planed, sanded or… | 8.7% |
| 4407.29 | Wood, tropical, n.e.c. in item no. 4407.2, sawn or chipped lengthwise, sliced or peeled, whether or not planed, sanded or end-jointed, of a thickness… | 8.3% |
| 4407.99 | Wood: sawn or chipped lengthwise, sliced or peeled, of a thickness exceeding 6mm, whether or not planed, sanded or finger-jointed, n.e.c. in heading… | 4.8% |
| 4407.95 | Wood: ash (Fraxinus spp.), sawn or chipped lengthwise, sliced or peeled, whether or not planed, sanded or end-jointed, thicker than 6mm | 3.2% |
| 4407.12 | Wood: coniferous species, of fir (Abies spp.) and spruce (Picea spp.), sawn or chipped lengthwise, sliced or peeled, whether or not planed, sanded or… | 2.8% |
| 4407.28 | Wood, tropical: iroko, sawn or chipped lengthwise, sliced or peeled, whether or not planed, sanded or end-jointed, thicker than 6mm | 1.7% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 4407.
Average import price per kg
The average declared value was about $4.71 per kg, 772% above the world average of $0.54. This usually points to higher-grade or processed goods.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Sawn wood exports from South Africa
South Africa exported $68.1 million of sawn wood in 2024 (124.0 thousand tonnes). Most of it went to Botswana (31%), Namibia (14%), Mozambique (13%). Among the main buyer markets, Saudi Arabia grew fastest (+353% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Botswana | $21.4M | 31% |
| Namibia | $9.6M | 14% |
| Mozambique | $8.8M | 13% |
| Seychelles | $6.0M | 8.8% |
| Lesotho | $5.0M | 7.3% |
| Maldives | $3.7M | 5.4% |
| Zimbabwe | $2.6M | 3.8% |
| Mauritius | $2.5M | 3.7% |
| Saudi Arabia | $2.0M | 2.9% |
| Kuwait | $963K | 1.4% |
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 4407: Wood sawn or chipped lengthwise, sliced or peeled, whether or not planed, sanded or finger-jointed, of a thickness exceeding 6mm.
Common questions
What is the value of sawn wood imported by South Africa?
South Africa imported sawn wood worth $121.9 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 25.9 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 45th of 222 countries worldwide, with 0% of world imports. The value was up 10% on 2023.
Which countries supply sawn wood to South Africa?
Eswatini was the largest supplier with 60% of the value ($72.9 million), followed by the United States (10%) and Malaysia (8%). The top three together account for 78%, out of 63 supplier countries in total. Indonesia grew fastest among the top ten, up 184% on the year.
What is the average import price of sawn wood per kg?
The average declared import value was about $4.71 per kg in 2024, 772% above the world average of $0.54 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 sawn wood to South Africa changed since 2017?
Imports went from $112.3 million in 2017 to $121.9 million in 2024, an increase of 9%. The peak was 2021 at $133.2 million. Monthly and weekly movements since then are in EximDataX.
Does South Africa also export sawn wood?
Yes. South Africa exported $68.1 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly to Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique. On balance South Africa is a net importer of this product, by about $53.9 million a year.
What is the HS code for sawn wood?
The HS code for sawn wood is heading 4407. In South Africa the largest six-digit codes were 4407.11 (58% of the value) and 4407.91 (11%). It sits in HS chapter 44 (wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal). The full list of codes and descriptions is on the HS 4407 page.
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
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