Botswana Food Preparations Import Market -- HS Code 2106 Trade Data & Price Trend (Feb 2025)

Botswana Food Preparations Import (HS 2106) Key Takeaways

Botswana's Food Preparations Import under HS Code 2106 in February 2025 reveals a market dominated by bulk food items (40% weight share) alongside high-value protein concentrates, signaling a dual-grade trade structure. Import value dipped to $2.45M with sharply rising unit prices ($2.36/kg), pointing to tightening supply conditions. Supplier concentration is extreme—90% of trade flows through a single intermediary cluster, heightening supply chain risks. South Africa accounts for 97% of volume, creating acute geographic dependency. This analysis covers February 2025 and is based on cleanly processed Customs data from the yTrade database.

Botswana Food Preparations Import (HS 2106) Background

What is HS Code 2106?

HS Code 2106 covers Food Preparations not elsewhere specified, a broad category encompassing processed food products that don’t fit into other classifications. These include items like protein concentrates, flavored syrups, and ready-to-use food mixes, catering to industries such as retail, hospitality, and manufacturing. Global demand remains stable due to their versatility in both consumer and industrial applications.

Current Context and Strategic Position

Botswana’s trade policy, as outlined in the BURS Tariff Notes 2025, clarifies regulatory boundaries for imports, including ships and related goods, which indirectly impacts logistics for Botswana’s Food Preparations Import. Given the country’s reliance on imported processed foods to meet domestic demand, HS Code 2106 trade data is critical for monitoring supply chain resilience. Strategic vigilance is essential to navigate potential disruptions and align with regional trade agreements.

Botswana Food Preparations Import (HS 2106) Price Trend

Key Observations

Botswana's Food Preparations Import trend for February 2025 reached a total value of 2.45 million USD, reflecting a sequential decline from January's 2.70 million USD. Despite this drop in total import value, the unit price surged to $2.36/kg, a sharp increase from $1.39/kg the previous month.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The Botswana Food Preparations Import trend showed a clear divergence between price and volume in early 2025. While import value decreased month-over-month, the sharp rise in unit price coincided with a significant contraction in volume, which fell from 1.94 million kg to 1.04 million kg. This pattern suggests potential supply chain constraints or shifts in product mix within hs code 2106, possibly driven by increased input costs or logistical challenges. Without specific policy developments directly affecting food imports during this period, these movements likely reflect broader market adjustments or seasonal procurement strategies for processed food products entering Botswana.

Botswana Food Preparations Import (HS 2106) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

According to yTrade data, Botswana's import of HS Code 2106 in February 2025 is dominated by food preparations under sub-code 21069090, which accounts for over 40% of the weight and value. This product, described as "food preparations not elsewhere classified," has a unit price of 2.52 USD per kilogram, indicating a mid-range specialization. An extreme price anomaly is present in sub-code 21069017, with a unit price of 440.08 USD per kilogram, but it represents less than 0.01% of the weight and is isolated from the main analysis due to its negligible volume.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The non-anomalous imports under HS Code 2106 can be grouped into two main categories based on unit price and product description. First, standard food preparations (sub-codes like 21069020 and 21069090) have lower unit prices ranging from 1.22 to 5.15 USD per kilogram, suggesting a trade in fungible, bulk commodities. Second, protein concentrates and textured protein substances (sub-codes 21061090 and 21061010) show higher unit prices from 7.48 to 13.97 USD per kilogram, indicating more value-added, differentiated goods. This structure points to a mix of commodity and manufactured product flows.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

For importers dealing with Botswana's HS Code 2106 trade data, the bulk food preparations likely face competitive pricing with limited power, while the protein-based products offer higher margins and potential for differentiation. Strategic focus should lean towards sourcing or developing specialized, high-value items to capture better pricing advantages in this market.

Table: Botswana HS Code 2106) Breakdown Details (Source: yTrade)

Check Detailed HS Code 2106 Breakdown

Botswana Food Preparations Import (HS 2106) Origin Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

South Africa is the overwhelmingly dominant source for Botswana's Food Preparations imports in February 2025. It accounts for 90.98% of the total import value and an even larger 97.40% of the weight. This gap, where the weight share is higher than the value share, points to a heavy reliance on bulk, lower-value food items. The extremely high shipment frequency from South Africa, representing 93.48% of all import transactions, confirms a pattern of small, frequent deliveries. This is typical for perishable goods or regular restocking for the retail sector.

Origin Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The remaining import partners form two distinct clusters. The first is a High-Yield cluster including the United States, Italy, and Denmark. These countries ship smaller volumes but achieve a much higher value per kilogram, indicating imports of specialized, premium, or branded food preparations. The second is a Volume/Hub cluster featuring China Mainland and Malaysia. They ship larger quantities relative to their value, suggesting a role as sources for more standardized, bulk ingredients or processed foods that fill specific supply gaps.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

Botswana's import strategy for Food Preparations is heavily concentrated on South Africa, which creates a significant supply chain risk. Any disruption in cross-border trade, logistics, or South African production would immediately impact availability. To build resilience, importers should actively develop alternative sourcing channels from the High-Yield cluster for premium products and the Volume cluster for cost-effective bulk items. This diversification would help stabilize the supply of goods under HS Code 2106 and mitigate potential shortages.

Table: Botswana Food Preparations (HS 2106) Top Origin Countries (Source: yTrade)

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Botswana Food Preparations (HS 2106) Suppliers Analysis

Supplier Concentration and Dominance

In February 2025, the Botswana Food Preparations Import market showed strong concentration, with one group of suppliers handling most trade. According to yTrade data, the dominant cluster accounted for 90.08% of the import value and 82.23% of shipment frequency, making it the core of Botswana's Food Preparations Import suppliers. This group also represented the median trade profile, with high volume and regular deliveries.

Strategic Supplier Clusters and Trade Role

The other supplier clusters played smaller roles, with low-value groups contributing minimally to overall trade. The dominant cluster's representative companies, such as PICK AND PAY ED and FRUIT AND VEG CITY, indicate a market driven by retail and distribution intermediaries rather than direct manufacturers. This suggests that HS code 2106 suppliers in Botswana's import scene are largely agent-based, with key players acting as frequent, high-volume conduits for food preparations.

Sourcing Strategy and Vulnerability

For importers in Botswana, this structure implies high dependence on a few intermediaries, raising risks like supply chain disruptions or price volatility. Strategic focus should include diversifying sources to mitigate these risks. The recent customs and tariff updates from [BURS] could affect import costs, reinforcing the need for adaptable sourcing models.

Table: Botswana Food Preparations (HS 2106) Top Suppliers List (Source: yTrade)

Check Full Food Preparations Supplier lists

Action Plan for Food Preparations Market Operation and Expansion

• Use hs code 2106 trade data to identify and develop sourcing channels from high-yield countries like the US and Italy to import premium products, reducing over-reliance on South Africa and strengthening the Botswana Food Preparations Import supply chain against disruptions.
• Analyze the unit price data from sub-codes to shift sourcing towards high-margin protein concentrates (e.g., 21061090), moving beyond bulk commodities to capture better pricing and improve profitability for your Food Preparations supply chain.
• Map the dominant supplier cluster in the import data and actively identify new intermediaries or direct manufacturers to diversify your vendor base, mitigating the risk of supply shocks from a single source in the Botswana Food Preparations Import market.
• Segment your procurement strategy by leveraging trade data to source standard bulk items from cost-effective hubs like China and premium goods from specialized partners, optimizing both cost and product variety within your hs code 2106 portfolio.

Take Action Now —— Explore Botswana Food Preparations Import Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Botswana Food Preparations Import 2025 February?

Botswana's Food Preparations imports saw a sharp rise in unit price ($2.36/kg, up from $1.39/kg) despite a drop in volume (1.04M kg vs. 1.94M kg), likely due to supply chain constraints or a shift toward higher-value products like protein concentrates.

Q2. Who are the main origin countries of Botswana Food Preparations (HS Code 2106) 2025 February?

South Africa dominates with 90.98% of import value, followed by the U.S., Italy, and Denmark (High-Yield cluster) and China/Malaysia (Volume cluster), which fill niche roles.

Q3. Why does the unit price differ across origin countries of Botswana Food Preparations Import?

Prices vary by product type: bulk food preparations (e.g., sub-code 21069090 at $2.52/kg) are cheaper, while protein concentrates (e.g., 21061090 at $7.48–$13.97/kg) command premium prices.

Q4. What should importers in Botswana focus on when buying Food Preparations?

Diversify sourcing beyond South Africa (90% reliance) to mitigate supply risks, prioritizing High-Yield clusters for premium goods and Volume clusters for cost-effective bulk items.

Q5. What does this Botswana Food Preparations import pattern mean for overseas suppliers?

Suppliers from High-Yield clusters (U.S., Italy) can leverage Botswana's demand for premium products, while Volume hubs (China) face competition on price-sensitive bulk items.

Q6. How is Food Preparations typically used in this trade flow?

Imports are primarily retail-driven, with intermediaries like Pick n Pay handling bulk food preparations and specialized protein products for consumer markets.