Low trading activity in September

The latest international trade figures compiled by Statistics Botswana are mirroring a lower trade activity in the month of September when compared to the previous month of August, both imports and exports went down significantly.

According to this monthly data, dubbed the International Trade Merchandise Statistics, Diamonds were responsible for the trade shrink in both sides, displaying a decrease for both imports and exports.

Total Imports were valued at P6.560 billion during the month of September 2021, reflecting a decline of 26.2 percent from the revised August 2021 value of P8.89 billion.

The decline was led by the fall in the importation of Diamonds and Fuel, which decreased by 57.0 percent (P2.031 billion) and 19.6 percent (P210.0 million) respectively.

Imports from SACU, contributed 77.9 percent (P5.109 billion) to total imports during the reference period.

Diamonds; Food, Beverages & Tobacco and Fuel were the top most imported commodity groups from the customs union, with contributions of 19.1 percent (P974.9 million), 17.4 percent (P888.6 million) and 15.3 percent (P781.8 million) to total imports respectively.

South Africa contributed 66.0 percent (P4.328 billion) to total imports during the reporting period. Food, Beverages & Tobacco and Fuel made contributions of 20.1 percent (P871.0 million) and 15.5 percent (P670.5 million), respectively to imports from South Africa.

Namibia contributed 11.4 percent (P746.9 million) to the overall imports during the period under review. Imports from Namibia were mostly Diamonds at 81.0 percent (P605.2 million) of imports from that country.

Imports from Asia were valued at P667.8 million, representing 10.2 percent of September 2021 total imports.

The major commodity group imported from the regional block were Diamonds, with a contribution of 38.6 percent (P257.8 million) to total imports.

The Russian Federation, China and India were the main sources of imports from Asia, having supplied 2.4 percent (P158.3 million), 2.2 percent (P142.9 million) and 2.1 percent (P140.6 million) of total imports, respectively.

The EU supplied imports amounting to P294.7 million, accounting for 4.5 percent of total imports.

The major commodity group imported from the EU was Machinery & Electrical Equipment, at 41.9 percent (P123.5 million) of all imports from the union.

Germany and Finland were the major sources of imports from the EU during the

period under review.

Canada supplied imports worth P237.5 million, representing 3.6 percent of Botswana’s total imports during  the current period.

Imports from Canada were mainly diamonds, at 97.6 (P213.9 million) of imports from that

ountry.

The September 2021 total export value fell by 15.9 percent (P1.145 billion), from the revised August 2021 figure of P7. 223 billion to P6.077 billion.

The decline is attributed largely to the reduction in the exportation of Diamonds and Copper & Nickel. Diamonds dropped by 13.9 percent (P857.8 million) from the revised value of P6.188 billion for August 2021 to P5.330 billion during the current period.

Copper & Nickel fell by 37.7 percent (P149.5 million) from P396.7 million to P247.2 million.

Diamonds; Food, Beverages & Tobacco and Machinery & Electrical Equipment were the leading import commodity groups; with contributions of 23.3 percent, 14.5 percent and 14.1 percent respectively.

During the month under review, Diamonds, Copper & Nickel and Machinery & Electrical Equipment contributed 87.7 percent, 4.1 percent and 3.1 percent to total exports, respectively.

Asia was the main destination for Botswana exports, having received 57.1 percent (P3.472 billion) of total exports during, September 2021.

These exports were mainly destined to the UAE and Singapore, having received 19.9 percent (P1.206 billion) and 13.6 percent (P824.2 million) of total exports, respectively.

The top most exported commodity group to the regional block was Diamonds. During the month under review, exports destined to the EU amounted to P1.68 billion, accounting for

27.7 percent of total exports.

Belgium received almost all of the exports destined to the regional union, acquiring 27.6 percent (P1.677 billion) of total exports during the reporting period.

The Diamonds group was the main commodity group exported to the EU. The SACU region received exports valued at P637.3 million, representing 10.5 percent of total exports.

Diamonds and Machinery & Electrical Equipment commodity groups accounted for 36.4 percent (P232.3 million) and 26.6 percent (P169.7 million) of total exports to the customs union.

South Africa received 9.5 percent (P578.4 million) of total exports during the month under review. A trade deficit of P482.9 million was recorded in September 2021.

In September 2021, exports transported by Air were worth P5.389 billion, accounting for 88.7 percent of total exports, while those leaving the country by Road were valued at P667.7 million (11.0 percent).

During the reference period, imports representing 67.4 percent (P4.419 billion) were transported into the country by Road.

Transportation of imports by Air and Rail accounted for 19.7 percent (P1.289  billion) and 13.0 percent (P850.6 million) respectively.