Pens imports in Tanzania: data, top suppliers and prices
Tanzania imported $4.8 million of pens in 2024 (2.7 thousand tonnes). The value was almost unchanged from 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 | $4.8M | 2.7K t |
| 2023 | $4.9M | 2.1K t |
| 2022 | $4.9M | 2.2K t |
| 2021 | $3.7M | 1.7K t |
| 2020 | $2.6M | 1.3K t |
| 2019 | $3.7M | 1.2K t |
| 2018 | $2.8M | 1.1K t |
| 2017 | $5.3M | 1.0K t |
Where Tanzania imports pens from
Most of the value came from India (48%), China (34%), Kenya (15%).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| India | $2.3M | 48% |
| China | $1.7M | 34% |
| Kenya | $716K | 15% |
| United Arab Emirates | $32K | 0.7% |
| Hong Kong | $26K | 0.5% |
| United Kingdom | $19K | 0.4% |
| Germany | $12K | 0.3% |
| United States | $11K | 0.2% |
| Japan | $9K | 0.2% |
| France | $6K | 0.1% |
Product types under HS 9608
| 9608.10 | Ballpoint pen | 63% |
| 9608.20 | Marker | 14% |
| 9608.91 | Pen nib | 10% |
| 9608.99 | Pen holder | 5.7% |
| 9608.50 | Pen set | 5% |
| 9608.30 | Fountain pen | 0.9% |
| 9608.60 | Pen refill | 0.5% |
| 9608.40 | Mechanical pencil | 0.3% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 9608.
Average import price per kg
The average declared value was about $1.78 per kg, 87% below the world average of $13.28, which often means bulk or lower-grade product.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Pens exports from Tanzania
In 2024, Tanzania exported pens worth $351 thousand (97 tonnes). Rwanda alone took 63% of it.
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Rwanda | $220K | 63% |
| Uganda | $67K | 19% |
| Kenya | $22K | 6.4% |
| Zambia | $20K | 5.7% |
| DR Congo | $19K | 5.3% |
| Malawi | $2K | 0.6% |
| Denmark | $1K | 0.1% |
| Djibouti | $0K | 0% |
| Burundi | $0K | 0% |
| United Kingdom | $0K | 0% |
Who is behind these numbers in Tanzania?
The shipment records behind Tanzania pens imports (HS 9608): companies, dates, quantities and declared values.
Shipment records are in the platform
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Direct customs feed: shipment-level records from the official customs source.
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 9608: Pens; ball-point, felt tipped, other porous tipped pens; fountain pens, stylograph pens duplicating stylos, propelling or sliding pencils; parts of the foregoing, excluding those of heading no. 9609.
Common questions
What is the value of pens imported by Tanzania?
Tanzania imported pens worth $4.8 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 2.7 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 104th of 223 countries worldwide, with 0% of world imports. The value was down 2% on 2023.
Which countries supply pens to Tanzania?
India was the largest supplier with 48% of the value ($2.3 million), followed by China (34%) and Kenya (15%). The top three together account for 97%, out of 50 supplier countries in total. Germany grew fastest among the top ten, up 689% on the year.
What is the average import price of pens per kg?
The average declared import value was about $1.78 per kg in 2024, 87% below the world average of $13.28 per kg. Declared value divided by weight mixes every grade, so read it as a benchmark rather than a quote.
How have imports of pens to Tanzania changed since 2017?
Imports went from $5.3 million in 2017 to $4.8 million in 2024, a fall of 8%. The peak was 2017 at $5.3 million. Over 8 years the average was $4.1 million a year.
Does Tanzania also export pens?
Yes. Tanzania exported $351 thousand worth of this product in 2024, mainly to Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya. On balance Tanzania is a net importer of this product, by about $4.5 million a year.
What is the HS code for pens?
The HS code for pens is heading 9608. In Tanzania the largest six-digit codes were 9608.10 (63% of the value) and 9608.20 (14%).
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
EximDataX has a direct customs feed for Tanzania, so the importers and exporters behind these totals are visible by name, shipment by shipment. Ask for a live look at your product.
Same product, other countries
Pens product types in Tanzania
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