Soda ash imports in South Africa: data, top suppliers and prices
South Africa imported $119.5 million of soda ash in 2024 (395.0 thousand tonnes). Its share of world imports was 3%. That is 17% less than in 2023. Across 2017-2024 the long-run trend was broadly stable. The peak in this period was 2022, at $152.6 million.
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 | $119.5M | 395.0K t |
| 2023 | $144.1M | 460.4K t |
| 2022 | $152.6M | 496.5K t |
| 2021 | $66.8M | 377.3K t |
| 2020 | $68.8M | 410.7K t |
| 2019 | $68.3M | 399.7K t |
| 2018 | $83.9M | 446.9K t |
| 2017 | $77.5M | 442.1K t |
Where South Africa imports soda ash from
Botswana alone supplied 67% of it. Among the main suppliers, Turkey grew fastest (+82% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Botswana | $80.6M | 67% |
| China | $17.5M | 15% |
| Turkey | $8.8M | 7.4% |
| India | $4.3M | 3.6% |
| Bulgaria | $2.5M | 2.1% |
| Pakistan | $2.1M | 1.7% |
| Kenya | $1.5M | 1.2% |
| France | $812K | 0.7% |
| Germany | $527K | 0.4% |
| Netherlands | $453K | 0.4% |
Average import price per kg
The average declared value was about $0.30 per kg, close to the world average of $0.26.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Soda ash exports from South Africa
South Africa exported $6.4 million of soda ash in 2024 (14.0 thousand tonnes). Zambia alone took 69% of it. Among the main buyer markets, Mozambique grew fastest (+50% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Zambia | $4.4M | 69% |
| Zimbabwe | $855K | 13% |
| Mozambique | $434K | 6.8% |
| Namibia | $327K | 5.1% |
| Ghana | $79K | 1.2% |
| Eswatini | $65K | 1% |
| DR Congo | $51K | 0.8% |
| Nigeria | $42K | 0.7% |
| Malawi | $30K | 0.5% |
| Sierra Leone | $20K | 0.3% |
Who is behind these numbers in South Africa?
The shipment records behind South Africa soda ash imports (HS 2836.20): 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 2836.20: Carbonates: disodium carbonate.
Common questions
What is the value of soda ash imported by South Africa?
South Africa imported soda ash worth $119.5 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 395.0 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 12th of 196 countries worldwide, with 3% of world imports. The value was down 17% on 2023.
Which countries supply soda ash to South Africa?
Botswana was the largest supplier with 67% of the value ($80.6 million), followed by China (15%) and Turkey (7%). The top three together account for 89%, out of 21 supplier countries in total. France grew fastest among the top ten, up 682% on the year.
What is the average import price of soda ash per kg?
The average declared import value was about $0.30 per kg in 2024, 15% above the world average of $0.26 per kg. Declared value divided by weight mixes every grade, so read it as a benchmark rather than a quote.
How have imports of soda ash to South Africa changed since 2017?
Imports went from $77.5 million in 2017 to $119.5 million in 2024, an increase of 54%. The peak was 2022 at $152.6 million. Over 8 years the average was $97.7 million a year.
Does South Africa also export soda ash?
Yes. South Africa exported $6.4 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly to Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. On balance South Africa is a net importer of this product, by about $113.1 million a year.
What is the HS code for soda ash?
The HS code for soda ash is subheading 2836.20. It sits in HS chapter 28 (inorganic chemicals; organic and inorganic compounds of precious metals; of rare earth metals, of radio-active elements and of isotopes). The full list of codes and descriptions is on the HS 2836 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.
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