The value of Botswana’s monthly exports declined in August while the value of imports went up.
Data from Statistics Botswana shows that during August, total exports stood at P7 billion, a decline of 10.7 percent from the July value of P7.8 billion.
During the month under review, the leading export commodity was diamonds, accounting for 85.7 percent of total exports followed by copper and nickel at 5.3 percent and lastly machinery and electrical equipment at 3.3 percent.
In August, Asia was the main destination for Botswana export, having received 58.2 percent or P4 billion of total exports.
These exports mostly went to India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as they received 17.7 percent or P1.2 billion and 16.8 percent of total exports, respectively.
The top most exported commodity to the regional block was diamonds.
During the month under review, exports destined to the European Union (EU) amounted to P2 billion, accounting for 27.1 percent of total exports.
Belgium received almost all of the exports destined to the regional union, acquiring 99.8 percent. The diamonds group was the main commodity group exported to the EU.
The Southern African Customs Union (SACU) received goods from Botswana worth P863.3 million, representing 12.4 percent of total exports.
Diamonds and machinery and electrical equipment commodity groups accounted for 34.4 percent and 16.3 percent of total exports to the bloc.
Meanwhile, during the same month, Botswana imported goods were valued at P8.7 billion, a rise of 17.8 percent from the July value of P7.4 billion.
Diamonds contributed 40.1 percent or P3.5 billion to total imports.
Fuel and machinery and electrical equipment followed with contributions of 12.3 percent and 10.4 percent respectively.
At 66.2 percent or P5.7 billion, the SACU region was the highest contributor to the country’s total imports for August.
The top most imported commodity groups from the customs union were diamonds, fuel, and food, beverages, and tobacco with contributions of 24.3 percent (P1.4 billion), 16.7 percent (P959.8 million), and 13.6 percent (P782.0 million) to imports from the region, respectively.
The EU supplied imports amounting to P1.6 billion accounting for 18.3 percent of total imports.
The major commodity group imported from the EU was diamonds, at 89.0 percent (P1.4 billion) of all imports from the union.
Belgium was the major source of imports from the EU, having supplied 16.3 percent (P1.4 billion) of total imports during the period under review.
Diamonds accounted for 99.8 percent (P1.4 billion) of all goods coming from that country.
Imports from Asia were valued at P834.9 million, representing 9.6 percent of August 2021 total imports.
