Wooden crates and pallets exports from South Africa: data, top buyers and prices
Exports of wooden crates and pallets by South Africa reached $23.9 million in 2024 (35.4 thousand tonnes). That is 11% 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 | $23.9M | 35.4K t |
| 2023 | $21.6M | 29.0K t |
| 2022 | $21.9M | 30.8K t |
| 2021 | $21.5M | 37.7K t |
| 2020 | $16.3M | 31.3K t |
| 2019 | $18.2M | 35.1K t |
| 2018 | $25.0M | 43.8K t |
| 2017 | $21.1M | 42.9K t |
Where South Africa exports wooden crates and pallets to
Most of it went to Botswana (19%), Mozambique (14%), Namibia (14%). Trade is spread widely: the top three buyer markets together make up only 48%. Among the main buyer markets, India grew fastest (+83% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Botswana | $4.7M | 20% |
| Mozambique | $3.4M | 14% |
| Namibia | $3.4M | 14% |
| Eswatini | $2.4M | 10% |
| Germany | $2.3M | 9.7% |
| Zambia | $1.8M | 7.5% |
| Lesotho | $1.4M | 5.9% |
| Belgium | $1.3M | 5.6% |
| India | $761K | 3.2% |
| Zimbabwe | $600K | 2.5% |
Product types under HS 4415
| 4415.20 | Wood: pallets, box pallets and other load boards: pallet collars | 89% |
| 4415.10 | Wood: cases, boxes, crates, drums, similar packings and cable-drums | 11% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 4415.
Average export price per kg
The average declared value was about $0.68 per kg, close to the world average of $0.67.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Wooden crates and pallets imports to South Africa
Imports of wooden crates and pallets by South Africa reached $4.6 million in 2024 (5.9 thousand tonnes). The largest suppliers were Mozambique (35%), Eswatini (13%), Namibia (11%). Among the main suppliers, Mozambique grew fastest, more than tenfold on the year before.
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Mozambique | $1.6M | 35% |
| Eswatini | $571K | 13% |
| Namibia | $505K | 11% |
| China | $344K | 7.6% |
| Lesotho | $330K | 7.3% |
| Germany | $185K | 4.1% |
| Spain | $182K | 4% |
| Estonia | $140K | 3.1% |
| France | $88K | 1.9% |
| Botswana | $76K | 1.7% |
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
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.
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 4415: Packing cases, boxes, crates, drums and similar packings, of wood; cable-drums of wood; pallets, box pallets and other load boards, of wood; pallet collars of wood.
Common questions
What is the value of wooden crates and pallets exported by South Africa?
South Africa exported wooden crates and pallets worth $23.9 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 35.4 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 34th of 182 countries worldwide, with 0% of world exports. The value was up 11% on 2023.
Which countries buy wooden crates and pallets from South Africa?
Botswana was the largest buyer with 19% of the value ($4.7 million), followed by Mozambique (14%) and Namibia (14%). The top three together account for 48%, out of 80 buyer countries in total. India grew fastest among the top ten, up 83% on the year.
What is the average export price of wooden crates and pallets per kg?
The average declared export value was about $0.68 per kg in 2024, close to the world average of $0.67 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 exports of wooden crates and pallets from South Africa changed since 2017?
Exports went from $21.1 million in 2017 to $23.9 million in 2024, an increase of 13%. The peak was 2018 at $25.0 million. Monthly and weekly movements since then are in EximDataX.
Does South Africa also import wooden crates and pallets?
Yes. South Africa imported $4.6 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly from Mozambique, Eswatini and Namibia. On balance South Africa is a net exporter of this product, by about $19.4 million a year.
What is the HS code for wooden crates and pallets?
The HS code for wooden crates and pallets is heading 4415. In South Africa the largest six-digit codes were 4415.20 (89% of the value) and 4415.10 (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 4415 page.
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
Public statistics stop at country totals. EximDataX rebuilds South Africa trade from the customs records of its trading partners, updated weekly, so you can see the companies that ship to and from it. Tell us your product and we will show you the latest records on a live call.
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.