Soap imports in Tanzania: data, top suppliers and prices
Tanzania imported $69.2 million of soap in 2024 (85.5 thousand tonnes). Value fell 7% from 2023. Over 2017-2024 the trade grew strongly, by about 10% a year on average.
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 | $69.2M | 85.5K t |
| 2023 | $74.7M | 83.2K t |
| 2022 | $85.5M | 77.8K t |
| 2021 | $75.6M | 85.9K t |
| 2020 | $57.9M | 84.1K t |
| 2019 | $53.2M | 82.0K t |
| 2018 | $36.4M | 46.9K t |
| 2017 | $34.9M | 49.9K t |
Where Tanzania imports soap from
Kenya alone supplied 61% of it. Among the main suppliers, Turkey grew fastest (+131% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kenya | $41.9M | 61% |
| Indonesia | $10.5M | 15% |
| Turkey | $6.0M | 8.7% |
| Thailand | $2.0M | 2.8% |
| China | $1.8M | 2.6% |
| Uganda | $1.3M | 1.8% |
| South Africa | $1.2M | 1.8% |
| Malaysia | $1.1M | 1.6% |
| India | $1.1M | 1.6% |
| Singapore | $821K | 1.2% |
Product types under HS 3401
| 3401.19 | Industrial bar soap | 55% |
| 3401.11 | Toilet bar soap | 37% |
| 3401.20 | Liquid and cream soap | 7.1% |
| 3401.30 | Liquid skin wash | 1.9% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 3401.
Average import price per kg
The average declared value was about $0.81 per kg, 65% below the world average of $2.31, 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.
Soap exports from Tanzania
In 2024, Tanzania exported soap worth $24.1 million (50.7 thousand tonnes). Kenya alone took 50% of it. Among the main buyer markets, Kenya grew fastest (+631% on the year before).
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kenya | $12.2M | 50% |
| Malawi | $7.2M | 30% |
| Zambia | $1.6M | 6.5% |
| Republic of the Congo | $982K | 4.1% |
| DR Congo | $720K | 3% |
| Mozambique | $629K | 2.6% |
| Burundi | $291K | 1.2% |
| Rwanda | $167K | 0.7% |
| Zimbabwe | $112K | 0.5% |
| Sudan | $76K | 0.3% |
Who is behind these numbers in Tanzania?
The shipment records behind Tanzania soap imports (HS 3401): 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 3401: Soap; organic surface-active preparations used as soap, skin washing, in bars, cakes, moulded pieces, shapes, liquid or cream, containing soap or not; for retail, paper, wadding, felt and nonwovens, impregnated, coated or covered with soap or detergent.
Common questions
What is the value of soap imported by Tanzania?
Tanzania imported soap worth $69.2 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 85.5 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 50th of 225 countries worldwide, with 0% of world imports. The value was down 7% on 2023.
Which countries supply soap to Tanzania?
Kenya was the largest supplier with 61% of the value ($41.9 million), followed by Indonesia (15%) and Turkey (9%). The top three together account for 84%, out of 49 supplier countries in total. Malaysia grew fastest among the top ten, up 515% on the year.
What is the average import price of soap per kg?
The average declared import value was about $0.81 per kg in 2024, 65% below the world average of $2.31 per kg. Declared value divided by weight mixes every grade, so read it as a benchmark rather than a quote.
How have imports of soap to Tanzania changed since 2017?
Imports went from $34.9 million in 2017 to $69.2 million in 2024, an increase of 98%. The peak was 2022 at $85.5 million. Over 8 years the average was $60.9 million a year.
Does Tanzania also export soap?
Yes. Tanzania exported $24.1 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly to Kenya, Malawi and Zambia. On balance Tanzania is a net importer of this product, by about $45.1 million a year.
What is the HS code for soap?
The HS code for soap is heading 3401. In Tanzania the largest six-digit codes were 3401.19 (55% of the value) and 3401.11 (36%).
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
The totals here are public statistics; the company-level detail sits in EximDataX, which has a direct customs feed for Tanzania. Tell us your product to see it live.
Same product, other countries
Soap product types in Tanzania
More trade data for Tanzania
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