- All commodity groups declined except Copper
- Diamonds contributed the most at 88.1%
- UAE, India destinations of most exports
GAZETTE REPORTER
Botswana’s total export value declined by 3.7 percent (P385 million) from the revised June 2022 figure of P10.4 billion to P10.015 billion.
According to the International Merchandise Trade Statistics Digest of July 2022, the decrease is attributed to a decline in all commodity groups, safe for copper.
“Diamonds, however, was the major contributor to the decline in total exports value, having decreased by 4.8 percent (P441.6 million) from the revised June 2022.
The International Merchandise Trade Statistics Digest is a publication of Statistics Botswana.
Asia, Europe and SACU
But despite the being the main contributor to the country’s export bill decline in the month under review, Diamonds accounted for 88.1 percent followed by Copper with 3.6 percent with Machinery & Electrical Equipment contributing 2.2 percent of the monthly total value of exports.
“Exports destinations for Botswana mostly lie in Asia, Europe as well as the SACU region,” says the report. “In July 2022, Asia was the top destination for Botswana exports, having received 70.4 percent of total exports.
“These exports were mainly destined for the UAE and India, having received 31.0 percent and 16.8 percent of total exports, respectively. Diamonds and Copper were the major commodity groups exported to Asia during the current period.”
Inversely, imports were valued at P8 billion resulting in a decrease of 8.9 percent from the revised June 2022 figure of P8.8 which Statistics Botswana attributed to the decrease in Food, Beverages & Tobacco imports.
Nevertheless, the top imports in the month under review were imports with contributed 28.3 percent of total imports, while Diamonds and Food, Beverages & Tobacco imports accounted for 18.7 percent and 11.8 percent respectively. Machinery & Electrical Equipment imports represented 11.7 percent of total imports.
Most imports from SA
“SACU region contributed 67.0 percent to the total imports,” reads the Statistics Botswana report. “South Africa supplied imports representing 61.3 percent of total imports during the current month.
“Fuel and Food, Beverages & Tobacco contributed 37.3 percent and 16.0 percent respectively, of total imports from that country. Chemicals & Rubber Products and Machinery & Electrical Equipment followed with contributions of 11.7 percent and 11.0 percent respectively, to total imports from that country.
“Namibia contributed 5.6 percent to total imports during the period under review. Imports from Namibia were mostly Fuel at 88.2 percent of imports from that country.”