Russian trade with South Africa in 2020
February 14, 2021
by Russian Foreign Trade
based on data from the Federal Customs Service of Russia
based on data from the Federal Customs Service of Russia
The Report on Russia’s foreign trade in goods with South Africa in 2020: exports, imports, products, dynamics.
Russia’s Trade with South Africa
In 2020, Russia’s trade with South Africa was $981,766,349, down 11.36% ($125,873,295) from 2019.
Russia’s exports to South Africa in 2020 totaled $288,384,866, up 2.74% ($7,691,092) from 2019.
Russia’s imports from South Africa in 2020 were $693,381,483, down 16.15% ($133,564,387) from 2019.
Russia’s trade deficit with South Africa in 2020 was $404,996,617, a 25.86% decrease ($141,255,479) over 2019.
South Africa was Russia’s 64th largest trading partner in 2020 (up from 67th in 2019), accounting for 0.1729% of Russia’s total trade (up from 0.1662% in 2019).
South Africa was Russia’s 73rd largest export market in 2020 (up from 79th in 2019), accounting for 0.0857% of Russia’s total exports (up from 0.0664% in 2019).
South Africa was Russia’s 46th largest supplier in 2020 (just as in 2019), accounting for 0.2996% of Russia’s total imports (down from 0.3392% in 2019).
Russia’s Exports to South Africa
The major share of Russian exports to South Africa in 2020 (and in 2019) was accounted for the following product types:
- Food products and agricultural raw materials (HS codes 01-24) - 40.53% of Russia’s total exports to South Africa (33.57% in 2019);
- Mineral products (HS codes 25-27) - 20.36% of Russia’s total exports to South Africa (7.65% in 2019);
- Chemical products (HS codes 28-40) - 16.47% of Russia’s total exports to South Africa (33.23% in 2019);
- Metals and products from them (HS codes 72-83) - 9.78% of Russia’s total exports to South Africa (10.33% in 2019);
- Wood and wood products (HS codes 44-49) - 8.98% of Russia’s total exports to South Africa (11.14% in 2019);
- Machinery, equipment and vehicles (HS codes 84-90) - 2.98% of Russia’s total exports to South Africa (3.74% in 2019).
The largest gains in Russia’s exports to South Africa in 2020 over 2019 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes (HS code 27) - an increase of $37,251,826;
- Cereals (HS code 10) - an increase of $22,769,119;
- Pulp of wood or of other fibrous cellulosic material; waste and scrap of paper or paperboard (HS code 47) - an increase of $3,438,207;
- Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof (HS code 90) - an increase of $1,634,069;
- Miscellaneous manufactured articles (HS code 96) - an increase of $1,322,154.
The largest declines in Russia’s exports to South Africa in 2020 over 2019 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Fertilizers (HS code 31) - a decrease of $40,527,630;
- Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or of paperboard (HS code 48) - a decrease of $7,510,213;
- Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals, of rare-earth metals,of radioactive elements or of isotopes (HS code 28) - a decrease of $3,940,934;
- Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles (HS code 85) - a decrease of $2,690,543;
- Rubber and articles thereof (HS code 40) - a decrease of $1,851,094;
- Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal (HS code 44) - a decrease of $1,317,844;
- Iron and steel (HS code 72) - a decrease of $1,100,637.
| HS code |
Name of product group | Value of exports in 2020, US dollars ($) |
Percent share in total export | Value of exports in 2019, US dollars ($) |
Percent change in 2020 over 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02 | Meat and edible meat offal | 0 | 0.00 | 16,194 | -100.00 |
| 03 | Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates | 64,800 | 0.02 | 0 | ∞ |
| 07 | Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers | 0 | 0.00 | 124,575 | -100.00 |
| 08 | Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melons | 1,180 | 0.00 | 1,170 | 0.85 |
| 09 | Coffee, tea, maté and spices | 297,391 | 0.10 | 359,546 | -17.29 |
| 10 | Cereals | 115,504,659 | 40.05 | 92,735,540 | 24.55 |
| 11 | Products of the milling industry; malt; starches; inulin; wheat gluten | 62,606 | 0.02 | 913 | 6,757.17 |
| 12 | Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruits; industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder | 93,101 | 0.03 | 41,191 | 126.02 |
| 17 | Sugars and sugar confectionery | 153,000 | 0.05 | 0 | ∞ |
| 19 | Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or milk; bakers’ wares | 0 | 0.00 | 7,103 | -100.00 |
| 21 | Miscellaneous edible preparations | 703,964 | 0.24 | 908,975 | -22.55 |
| 22 | Beverages, spirits and vinegar | 13,066 | 0.00 | 25,449 | -48.66 |
| 25 | Salt; sulfur; earths and stone; plastering materials, lime and cement | 22,975 | 0.01 | 55,492 | -58.60 |
| 26 | Ores, slag and ash | 1,320 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 27 | Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes | 58,678,296 | 20.35 | 21,426,470 | 173.86 |
| 28 | Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals, of rare-earth metals,of radioactive elements or of isotopes | 2,062,556 | 0.72 | 6,003,490 | -65.64 |
| 29 | Organic chemicals | 593,168 | 0.21 | 150,235 | 294.83 |
| 30 | Pharmaceutical products | 1,522 | 0.00 | 3,808 | -60.03 |
| 31 | Fertilizers | 36,502,818 | 12.66 | 77,030,448 | -52.61 |
| 32 | Tanning or dyeing extracts; dyes, pigments, paints, varnishes, putty and mastics | 10,264 | 0.00 | 3,941 | 160.44 |
| 33 | Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations | 73,030 | 0.03 | 9,837 | 642.40 |
| 34 | Soap, organic surface-active agents, washing preparations, lubricating preparations, artificial waxes, prepared waxes, polishing or scouring preparations, candles and similar articles, modeling pastes, "dental waxes" and dental preparations with a basis of plaster | 88,310 | 0.03 | 32,467 | 172.00 |
| 35 | Albuminoidal substances; modified starches; glues; enzymes | 13 | 0.00 | 39,051 | -99.97 |
| 36 | Explosives; pyrotechnic products; matches; pyrophoric alloys; certain combustible preparations | 220,819 | 0.08 | 0 | ∞ |
| 38 | Miscellaneous chemical products | 1,544,060 | 0.54 | 1,700,609 | -9.21 |
| 39 | Plastics and articles thereof | 3,319,174 | 1.15 | 3,358,696 | -1.18 |
| 40 | Rubber and articles thereof | 3,083,592 | 1.07 | 4,934,686 | -37.51 |
| 42 | Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut (other than silkworm gut) | 1,122 | 0.00 | 882 | 27.21 |
| 44 | Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal | 2,034,988 | 0.71 | 3,352,832 | -39.31 |
| 47 | Pulp of wood or of other fibrous cellulosic material; waste and scrap of paper or paperboard | 8,281,199 | 2.87 | 4,842,992 | 70.99 |
| 48 | Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or of paperboard | 15,568,244 | 5.40 | 23,078,457 | -32.54 |
| 49 | Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans | 5,947 | 0.00 | 5,833 | 1.95 |
| 54 | Man-made filaments | 85,102 | 0.03 | 102,899 | -17.30 |
| 56 | Wadding, felt and nonwovens; special yarns, twine, cordage, ropes and cables and articles thereof | 184,492 | 0.06 | 93,577 | 97.16 |
| 58 | Special woven fabrics; tufted textile fabrics; lace, tapestries; trimmings; embroidery | 1,319 | 0.00 | 872 | 51.26 |
| 59 | Impregnated, coated, covered or laminated textile fabrics; textile articles of a kind suitable for industrial use | 545 | 0.00 | 1,454 | -62.52 |
| 60 | Knitted or crocheted fabrics | 230 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 61 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted | 18,556 | 0.01 | 10,770 | 72.29 |
| 62 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted | 50,060 | 0.02 | 24,114 | 107.60 |
| 63 | Other made up textile articles; sets; worn clothing and worn textile articles; rags | 623 | 0.00 | 716 | -12.99 |
| 64 | Footwear, gaiters and the like; parts of such articles | 53,891 | 0.02 | 81,809 | -34.13 |
| 65 | Headgear and parts thereof | 194 | 0.00 | 110 | 76.36 |
| 68 | Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials | 57,401 | 0.02 | 19,298 | 197.45 |
| 69 | Ceramic products | 5,390 | 0.00 | 2,448 | 120.18 |
| 70 | Glass and glassware | 1,088 | 0.00 | 24,835 | -95.62 |
| 71 | Natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones,precious metals, metals clad with precious metal and articles thereof; imitation jewelry; coin | 13 | 0.00 | 31 | -58.06 |
| 72 | Iron and steel | 26,895,412 | 9.33 | 27,996,049 | -3.93 |
| 73 | Articles of iron or steel | 96,872 | 0.03 | 89,647 | 8.06 |
| 74 | Copper and articles thereof | 2,169 | 0.00 | 10,024 | -78.36 |
| 76 | Aluminum and articles thereof | 856,014 | 0.30 | 836,948 | 2.28 |
| 78 | Lead and articles thereof | 50 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 81 | Other base metals; cermets; articles thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 48 | -100.00 |
| 82 | Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal | 329,422 | 0.11 | 52,574 | 526.59 |
| 83 | Miscellaneous articles of base metal | 12,753 | 0.00 | 4,808 | 165.25 |
| 84 | Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof | 2,337,279 | 0.81 | 3,029,237 | -22.84 |
| 85 | Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles | 3,409,337 | 1.18 | 6,099,880 | -44.11 |
| 87 | Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof | 124,154 | 0.04 | 271,357 | -54.25 |
| 90 | Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof | 2,728,210 | 0.95 | 1,094,141 | 149.35 |
| 91 | Clocks and watches and parts thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 92 | Musical instruments; parts and accessories of such articles | 915 | 0.00 | 830 | 10.24 |
| 94 | Furniture; bedding, mattresses, mattress supports, cushions and similar stuffed furnishings; lamps and lighting fittings, not elsewhere specified or included; illuminated sign illuminated nameplates and the like; prefabricated buildings | 4,778 | 0.00 | 5,046 | -5.31 |
| 95 | Toys, games and sports requisites; parts and accessories thereof | 23,010 | 0.01 | 47,225 | -51.28 |
| 96 | Miscellaneous manufactured articles | 1,324,534 | 0.46 | 2,380 | 55,552.69 |
| 97 | Works of art, collectors’ pieces and antiques | 1,445 | 0.00 | 17,710 | -91.84 |
| SS | Classified | 792,424 | 0.27 | 522 055 | 51.79 |
Russia’s Imports from South Africa
The major share of Russian imports from South Africa in 2020 (and in 2019) was accounted for the following product types:
- Food products and agricultural raw materials (HS codes 01-24) - 46.48% of Russia’s total imports from South Africa (32.04% in 2019);
- Mineral products (HS codes 25-27) - 21.96% of Russia’s total imports from South Africa (22.50% in 2019);
- Machinery, equipment and vehicles (HS codes 84-90) - 18.27% of Russia’s total imports from South Africa (20.53% in 2019);
- Chemical products (HS codes 28-40) - 7.98% of Russia’s total imports from South Africa (16.39% in 2019);
- Precious metals and stones (HS code 71) - 2.88% of Russia’s total imports from South Africa (5.65% in 2019);
- Metals and products from them (HS codes 72-83) - 2.26% of Russia’s total imports from South Africa (2.69% in 2019).
The largest gains in Russia’s imports from South Africa in 2020 over 2019 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melons (HS code 08) - an increase of $66,522,733;
- Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof (HS code 84) - an increase of $6,014,107;
- Rubber and articles thereof (HS code 40) - an increase of $5,235,742;
- Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles (HS code 85) - an increase of $2,170,330.
The largest declines in Russia’s imports from South Africa in 2020 over 2019 were recorded for the following product groups:
- Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals, of rare-earth metals,of radioactive elements or of isotopes (HS code 28) - a decrease of $85,197,042;
- Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof (HS code 87) - a decrease of $50,519,838;
- Ores, slag and ash (HS code 26) - a decrease of $32,457,967;
- Natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones,precious metals, metals clad with precious metal and articles thereof; imitation jewelry; coin (HS code 71) - a decrease of $26,794,788;
- Beverages, spirits and vinegar (HS code 22) - a decrease of $8,783,072;
- Iron and steel (HS code 72) - a decrease of $7,148,456.
| HS code |
Name of product group | Value of imports in 2020, US dollars ($) |
Percent share in total import | Value of imports in 2019, US dollars ($) |
Percent change in 2020 over 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Live animals | 0 | 0.00 | 37,529 | -100.00 |
| 05 | Products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified or included | 0 | 0.00 | 12,601 | -100.00 |
| 06 | Live trees and other plants; bulbs, roots and the like; cut flowers and ornamental foliage | 333,581 | 0.05 | 447,751 | -25.50 |
| 07 | Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers | 406,965 | 0.06 | 671,190 | -39.37 |
| 08 | Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melons | 284,784,989 | 41.07 | 218,262,256 | 30.48 |
| 09 | Coffee, tea, maté and spices | 125,371 | 0.02 | 4,970 | 2,422.56 |
| 10 | Cereals | 440,363 | 0.06 | 2,240,287 | -80.34 |
| 12 | Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruits; industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder | 1,611,434 | 0.23 | 2,043,299 | -21.14 |
| 15 | Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes | 78,347 | 0.01 | 100,465 | -22.02 |
| 17 | Sugars and sugar confectionery | 7,416 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 18 | Cocoa and cocoa preparations | 5,374 | 0.00 | 5,841 | -8.00 |
| 19 | Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or milk; bakers’ wares | 0 | 0.00 | 411 | -100.00 |
| 20 | Preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts or other parts of plants | 13,859,345 | 2.00 | 11,822,655 | 17.23 |
| 21 | Miscellaneous edible preparations | 183,141 | 0.03 | 61,269 | 198.91 |
| 22 | Beverages, spirits and vinegar | 20,315,010 | 2.93 | 29,098,082 | -30.18 |
| 24 | Tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes | 130,038 | 0.02 | 140,417 | -7.39 |
| 25 | Salt; sulfur; earths and stone; plastering materials, lime and cement | 1,671,208 | 0.24 | 3,149,554 | -46.94 |
| 26 | Ores, slag and ash | 150,084,738 | 21.65 | 182,542,705 | -17.78 |
| 27 | Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes | 490,400 | 0.07 | 340,338 | 44.09 |
| 28 | Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals, of rare-earth metals,of radioactive elements or of isotopes | 28,241,669 | 4.07 | 113,438,711 | -75.10 |
| 29 | Organic chemicals | 4,521,468 | 0.65 | 4,420,326 | 2.29 |
| 30 | Pharmaceutical products | 171,600 | 0.02 | 208,387 | -17.65 |
| 31 | Fertilizers | 159,695 | 0.02 | 235,691 | -32.24 |
| 32 | Tanning or dyeing extracts; dyes, pigments, paints, varnishes, putty and mastics | 851,028 | 0.12 | 1,101,941 | -22.77 |
| 33 | Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations | 324,640 | 0.05 | 909,768 | -64.32 |
| 34 | Soap, organic surface-active agents, washing preparations, lubricating preparations, artificial waxes, prepared waxes, polishing or scouring preparations, candles and similar articles, modeling pastes, "dental waxes" and dental preparations with a basis of plaster | 737,825 | 0.11 | 1,212,579 | -39.15 |
| 35 | Albuminoidal substances; modified starches; glues; enzymes | 2,488,686 | 0.36 | 850,940 | 192.46 |
| 36 | Explosives; pyrotechnic products; matches; pyrophoric alloys; certain combustible preparations | 48,316 | 0.01 | 0 | ∞ |
| 38 | Miscellaneous chemical products | 4,700,586 | 0.68 | 4,981,886 | -5.65 |
| 39 | Plastics and articles thereof | 806,205 | 0.12 | 1,179,432 | -31.64 |
| 40 | Rubber and articles thereof | 12,267,356 | 1.77 | 7,031,614 | 74.46 |
| 41 | Raw hides and skins (other than furskins) and leather | 0 | 0.00 | 13,773 | -100.00 |
| 42 | Articles of leather; saddlery and harness; travel goods, handbags and similar containers; articles of animal gut (other than silkworm gut) | 188,515 | 0.03 | 77,572 | 143.02 |
| 44 | Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal | 42,036 | 0.01 | 29,483 | 42.58 |
| 45 | Cork and articles of cork | 342 | 0.00 | 82 | 317.07 |
| 46 | Manufactures of straw, of esparto or of other plaiting materials; basketware and wickerwork | 31 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 48 | Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or of paperboard | 15,709 | 0.00 | 20,235 | -22.37 |
| 49 | Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans | 28,372 | 0.00 | 61,073 | -53.54 |
| 50 | Silk | 738 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 51 | Wool, fine or coarse animal hair; horsehair yarn and woven fabric | 37,776 | 0.01 | 11,671 | 223.67 |
| 54 | Man-made filaments | 276,346 | 0.04 | 186,233 | 48.39 |
| 58 | Special woven fabrics; tufted textile fabrics; lace, tapestries; trimmings; embroidery | 248 | 0.00 | 12,555 | -98.02 |
| 59 | Impregnated, coated, covered or laminated textile fabrics; textile articles of a kind suitable for industrial use | 49,322 | 0.01 | 105,777 | -53.37 |
| 61 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted | 13,535 | 0.00 | 25,758 | -47.45 |
| 62 | Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted | 5,322 | 0.00 | 10,925 | -51.29 |
| 63 | Other made up textile articles; sets; worn clothing and worn textile articles; rags | 233 | 0.00 | 18,497 | -98.74 |
| 64 | Footwear, gaiters and the like; parts of such articles | 431 | 0.00 | 91,135 | -99.53 |
| 65 | Headgear and parts thereof | 37 | 0.00 | 1,616 | -97.71 |
| 68 | Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials | 21,706 | 0.00 | 25,294 | -14.19 |
| 69 | Ceramic products | 315,646 | 0.05 | 115,826 | 172.52 |
| 70 | Glass and glassware | 51,724 | 0.01 | 257,271 | -79.90 |
| 71 | Natural or cultured pearls, precious or semi-precious stones,precious metals, metals clad with precious metal and articles thereof; imitation jewelry; coin | 19,960,607 | 2.88 | 46,755,395 | -57.31 |
| 72 | Iron and steel | 12,221,123 | 1.76 | 19,369,579 | -36.91 |
| 73 | Articles of iron or steel | 1,587,848 | 0.23 | 1,168,430 | 35.90 |
| 74 | Copper and articles thereof | 275,208 | 0.04 | 73,272 | 275.60 |
| 76 | Aluminum and articles thereof | 169,424 | 0.02 | 528,218 | -67.93 |
| 78 | Lead and articles thereof | 70 | 0.00 | 0 | ∞ |
| 79 | Zinc and articles thereof | 0 | 0.00 | 72,273 | -100.00 |
| 81 | Other base metals; cermets; articles thereof | 401,739 | 0.06 | 424,344 | -5.33 |
| 82 | Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal | 1,008,634 | 0.15 | 606,437 | 66.32 |
| 83 | Miscellaneous articles of base metal | 16,345 | 0.00 | 41,650 | -60.76 |
| 84 | Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof | 62,657,393 | 9.04 | 56,643,286 | 10.62 |
| 85 | Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles | 5,319,781 | 0.77 | 3,149,451 | 68.91 |
| 86 | Railway or tramway locomotives, rolling-stock and parts thereof; railway or tramway track fixtures and fittings and parts thereof; mechanical (including electro-mechanical) traffic signalling equipment of all kinds | 1,562,049 | 0.23 | 2,040,137 | -23.43 |
| 87 | Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof | 56,437,356 | 8.14 | 106,957,194 | -47.23 |
| 89 | Ships, boats and floating structures | 94,020 | 0.01 | 0 | ∞ |
| 90 | Optical, photographic, cinematographic, measuring, checking, precision, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus; parts and accessories thereof | 607,512 | 0.09 | 993,343 | -38.84 |
| 94 | Furniture; bedding, mattresses, mattress supports, cushions and similar stuffed furnishings; lamps and lighting fittings, not elsewhere specified or included; illuminated sign illuminated nameplates and the like; prefabricated buildings | 39,254 | 0.01 | 42,774 | -8.23 |
| 95 | Toys, games and sports requisites; parts and accessories thereof | 6,622 | 0.00 | 12,036 | -44.98 |
| 96 | Miscellaneous manufactured articles | 84,853 | 0.01 | 127,974 | -33.70 |
| SS | Classified | 36,782 | 0.01 | 322 406 | -88.59 |