🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates imports of packaged medicines: 2024 trade data
The United Arab Emirates imported $2.96 billion of packaged medicines in 2024 (63.5 thousand tonnes). Its share of world imports was 1%. Value fell 24% from 2023. Over 2017-2024 the trade grew strongly, by about 9% a year on average. The peak in this period was 2023, at $3.89 billion.
Public statistics, latest reported year 2024. Values in US dollars.
Imports of packaged medicines by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2.96B | 63.5K t |
| 2023 | $3.89B | 64.8K t |
| 2022 | $2.78B | 50.7K t |
| 2021 | $3.11B | 43.2K t |
| 2020 | $2.72B | 40.2K t |
| 2019 | $2.34B | 40.0K t |
| 2018 | $2.53B | 41.6K t |
| 2017 | $1.59B | 26.9K t |
Where the United Arab Emirates imports packaged medicines from
Most of the value came from United Kingdom (17%), United States (17%), Germany (12%). Trade is spread widely: the top three suppliers together make up only 46%. Among the main suppliers, United Kingdom grew fastest (+84% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | $508.7M | 17% |
| 🇺🇸 United States | $496.1M | 17% |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | $345.7M | 12% |
| 🇫🇷 France | $266.9M | 9% |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | $178.4M | 6% |
| 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | $169.1M | 5.7% |
| 🇮🇳 India | $158.8M | 5.4% |
| 🇧🇪 Belgium | $149.5M | 5.1% |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | $102.2M | 3.5% |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | $87.0M | 2.9% |
Types of packaged medicines under HS 3004
| 3004.90 | Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale | 73% |
| 3004.39 | Medicaments: containing hormones (but not insulin), adrenal cortex hormones or antibiotics, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail… | 13% |
| 3004.32 | Medicaments: containing corticosteroid hormones, their derivatives or structural analogues (but not containing antibiotics), for therapeutic or… | 3.8% |
| 3004.20 | Medicaments: containing antibiotics (other than penicillins, streptomycins or their derivatives), for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for… | 3.4% |
| 3004.50 | Medicaments: containing vitamins or their derivatives, for therapeutic or prophylactic use, packaged for retail sale | 2.3% |
| 3004.10 | Medicaments: containing penicillins, streptomycins or their derivatives, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale | 1.8% |
| 3004.31 | Medicaments: containing insulin, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale | 1.8% |
| 3004.49 | Medicaments: containing alkaloids or their derivatives: other than ephedrine, pseudoephedrine (INN) or norephedrine or their salts: for therapeutic… | 1% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 3004.
Average import price of packaged medicines
The average declared value was about $46.66 per kg, 42% below the world average of $80.84, 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.
The United Arab Emirates also exports packaged medicines
Exports of packaged medicines by the United Arab Emirates reached $355.6 million in 2024 (11.7 thousand tonnes). Saudi Arabia alone took 56% of it.
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | $199.5M | 56% |
| 🇰🇼 Kuwait | $23.8M | 6.7% |
| 🇱🇧 Lebanon | $18.0M | 5.1% |
| 🇲🇦 Morocco | $16.3M | 4.6% |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | $11.8M | 3.3% |
| 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | $9.7M | 2.7% |
| 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | $8.9M | 2.5% |
| 🇧🇭 Bahrain | $7.3M | 2% |
| 🇦🇴 Angola | $7.1M | 2% |
| 🇿🇲 Zambia | $6.3M | 1.8% |
Who is behind these numbers in the United Arab Emirates?
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 3004: Medicaments; (not goods of heading no. 3002, 3005 or 3006) consisting of mixed or unmixed products for therapeutic or prophylactic use, put up in measured doses (incl. those in the form of transdermal admin. systems) or packed for retail sale.
Packaged medicines trade in the United Arab Emirates: questions
What is the value of packaged medicines imported by the United Arab Emirates?
The United Arab Emirates imported packaged medicines worth $2.96 billion in 2024 (63.5 thousand tonnes).
Where does the United Arab Emirates import packaged medicines from?
The main supplier countries in 2024 were United Kingdom (17%), United States (17%), Germany (12%).
What is the average import price of packaged medicines in the United Arab Emirates?
The average declared import value was about $46.66 per kg in 2024, against a world average of $80.84 per kg.
Does the United Arab Emirates export packaged medicines?
Yes. The United Arab Emirates exported packaged medicines worth $355.6 million in 2024, mainly to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon.
What is the HS code for packaged medicines?
Packaged medicines falls under HS heading 3004 (Medicaments; (not goods of heading no. 3002, 3005 or 3006) consisting of mixed or unmixed products for therapeutic or pr). The six-digit codes under it split the product by type.
How can I find the companies trading packaged medicines with the United Arab Emirates?
These public statistics stop at country level. EximDataX builds the United Arab Emirates trade from the records of its trading partners, updated weekly, so you can see who ships this product there.
Packaged medicines trade in other countries
More trade data for the United Arab Emirates
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