Botswana Medicinal Products Import Market -- HS Code 3004 Trade Data & Price Trend (May 2025)

Botswana Medicinal Products Import (HS 3004) Key Takeaways

Botswana's Medicinal Products import under HS Code 3004 in May 2025 was dominated by retail-packaged mixed medicaments (83% value share), with antibiotics and hormone-based products showing clear pricing tiers. The market rebounded to $4.87M after April's tariff-driven dip, signaling stabilization despite U.S. duty hikes. Supplier concentration is extreme, with manufacturers like Pfizer and Organon controlling 91.66% of imports, creating supply chain vulnerability. South Africa accounts for 37.26% of value but 69.88% of weight, revealing reliance on bulk shipments, while India delivers higher-value finished goods. This analysis covers May 2025 and is based on cleanly processed Customs data from the yTrade database.

Botswana Medicinal Products Import (HS 3004) Background

What is HS Code 3004?

HS Code 3004 covers medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed products for therapeutic or prophylactic uses. These products are critical to healthcare systems, pharmaceuticals, and research industries, driving consistent global demand due to their essential role in disease treatment and prevention. The stability of this demand underscores the strategic importance of tracking Botswana's Medicinal Products Import under this classification.

Current Context and Strategic Position

The United States increased additional duties on all imports from Botswana to 37% in April 2025 [Global Trade Alert], potentially impacting trade flows for HS Code 3004. Botswana's role as a supplier of medicinal products remains significant, particularly for regional and niche markets. Monitoring hs code 3004 trade data is essential to assess how tariff adjustments may influence supply chains and pricing dynamics. Vigilance is warranted to navigate these policy shifts and identify emerging opportunities or risks.

Botswana Medicinal Products Import (HS 3004) Price Trend

Key Observations

In May 2025, Botswana's imports of medicinal products under HS code 3004 reached 4.87 million USD, with a unit price of 39.38 USD per kilogram, marking a recovery from the previous month's dip.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The Botswana Medicinal Products Import trend showed significant volatility in the first half of 2025, with value peaking at 6.23 million USD in March before dropping to 4.02 million USD in April, coinciding with the U.S. administration's announcement of a 37% duty increase on all imports from Botswana effective April 9, 2025 [Global Trade Alert]. This policy shift likely contributed to trade uncertainties, affecting import decisions. The rebound in May to 4.87 million USD suggests market adaptation, with unit prices fluctuating from a low of 29.99 USD/kg in March to 39.38 USD/kg in May, indicating potential inventory adjustments or shifting supplier strategies amidst broader economic pressures. The hs code 3004 value trend reflects these external shocks, with sequential growth in May pointing to stabilized demand cycles in healthcare sectors.

Botswana Medicinal Products Import (HS 3004) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

According to yTrade data for May 2025, Botswana's import of HS Code 3004 is dominated by medicaments consisting of mixed or unmixed products, which hold over 83% of the value share. This product has a unit price of 8.10 USD per unit, showing it as a mass-market retail item. An extreme price anomaly exists for a sub-code involving penicillins and streptomycins derivatives with a unit price of 311.28 USD per unit, which is excluded from further analysis due to its outlier nature.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The non-anomalous imports fall into two main groups: antibiotics like penicillins and other types with unit prices from 2.76 to 11.77 USD, and hormone-based medicaments such as corticosteroids priced around 14.98 USD. All products are packaged for retail sale, indicating a trade in differentiated manufactured goods rather than fungible bulk commodities, with clear variations in active ingredients and pricing.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

The high concentration in mixed products limits importer pricing power, suggesting a need for strategic sourcing to secure competitive deals. Focus should be on diversifying suppliers for higher-value items like hormone-based medicaments. Reviewing HS Code 3004 trade data reveals that Botswana's import market is stable but requires careful negotiation to manage costs effectively.

Table: Botswana HS Code 3004) Breakdown Details (Source: yTrade)

Check Detailed HS Code 3004 Breakdown

Botswana Medicinal Products Import (HS 3004) Origin Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

South Africa is the dominant origin for Botswana's Medicinal Products imports in May 2025, supplying 37.26% of the total value. Its 69.88% share of total weight is significantly higher than its value share. This gap points to large-volume shipments of lower-value goods, such as active pharmaceutical ingredients or generic medicines, rather than high-value finished products.

Origin Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The import profile reveals three distinct clusters. India forms a high-yield cluster, with a 23.40% value share from just 11.28% of the weight, indicating shipments of higher-value finished pharmaceuticals. Germany, Italy, Belgium, France, and the UK form a transactional cluster, characterized by high shipment frequency for smaller consignments, suggesting a supply chain built on frequent deliveries of specialized or niche medicinal goods. Zimbabwe and Canada represent a volume cluster, where their weight shares outpace their value contributions, aligning with the import of bulk materials.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

Botswana's Medicinal Products import flow is heavily concentrated on South Africa for bulk supply. This creates a strategic vulnerability for HS Code 3004 trade, as any disruption to this route could severely impact the availability of essential medical goods. Diversifying sources, particularly by developing the high-value supply relationship with India and the specialized European partners, would build a more resilient and balanced pharmaceutical sourcing strategy for Botswana.

Table: Botswana Medicinal Products (HS 3004) Top Origin Countries (Source: yTrade)

Get Complete Origin Countries Profile

Botswana Medicinal Products (HS 3004) Suppliers Analysis

Supplier Concentration and Dominance

In May 2025, the Botswana Medicinal Products import market shows high supplier concentration. According to yTrade data, a small group of high-value, high-frequency suppliers dominates, accounting for 91.66% of the total import value. These suppliers handle regular, large-scale shipments, with typical trade involving consistent volumes and high monetary value, indicating a reliance on key partners for most imports.

Strategic Supplier Clusters and Trade Role

The remaining supplier clusters play minor roles, with low-value or low-frequency contributions. The dominant HS code 3004 suppliers, such as PFIZER and ORGANON, are manufacturers, pointing to a direct-to-factory sourcing model. This suggests that imports are primarily from producers rather than intermediaries, ensuring direct control over supply chains for medicinal products.

Sourcing Strategy and Vulnerability

For Botswana importers, the strategy should focus on nurturing relationships with major manufacturers to secure stable supply, but this creates vulnerability to disruptions from any single supplier. Diversifying into lower-value clusters could mitigate risks. Import duties may be affected by local policies, as indicated in the [BURS tariff schedule], so monitoring regulatory changes is advised.

Table: Botswana Medicinal Products (HS 3004) Top Suppliers List (Source: yTrade)

Check Full Medicinal Products Supplier lists

Action Plan for Medicinal Products Market Operation and Expansion

• Use hs code 3004 trade data to identify and engage with alternative manufacturers beyond the dominant suppliers like PFIZER and ORGANON. This diversifies the Botswana Medicinal Products Import supply chain and reduces vulnerability to single-source disruptions.
• Prioritize sourcing from India's high-value cluster by analyzing unit price and value share trends in the data. This boosts profit margins for Botswana's Medicinal Products Import by focusing on finished pharmaceuticals with better returns.
• Develop relationships with European suppliers for specialized goods by monitoring shipment frequency and volume patterns. This ensures reliable access to niche medicinal products and strengthens the overall Medicinal Products supply chain resilience.
• Regularly review the BURS tariff schedule and hs code 3004 trade data for any regulatory updates or duty changes. This helps manage costs effectively and avoid surprises in Botswana Medicinal Products Import operations.
• Leverage buyer and supplier frequency data to optimize inventory cycles and negotiate volume-based contracts with key partners. This prevents overstock and reduces holding costs, enhancing efficiency in the Medicinal Products supply chain.

Take Action Now —— Explore Botswana Medicinal Products Import Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Botswana Medicinal Products Import 2025 May?

The rebound to 4.87 million USD in May 2025 follows a sharp April drop linked to U.S. tariff hikes, with unit prices stabilizing at 39.38 USD/kg as importers adjusted to new trade conditions.

Q2. Who are the main origin countries of Botswana Medicinal Products (HS Code 3004) 2025 May?

South Africa dominates with 37.26% of import value, followed by India (23.40%) and a transactional cluster of European nations (Germany, Italy, Belgium, France, UK) handling specialized shipments.

Q3. Why does the unit price differ across origin countries of Botswana Medicinal Products Import?

Price gaps stem from product specialization: South Africa ships lower-value bulk ingredients, while India supplies higher-value finished pharmaceuticals, and Europe delivers niche medicinal goods.

Q4. What should importers in Botswana focus on when buying Medicinal Products?

Importers should strengthen ties with major manufacturers like PFIZER while diversifying into Indian and European suppliers to mitigate over-reliance on South African bulk shipments.

Q5. What does this Botswana Medicinal Products import pattern mean for overseas suppliers?

Suppliers from India and Europe hold leverage as high-value partners, whereas South African exporters face pressure to maintain cost competitiveness in bulk trade.

Q6. How is Medicinal Products typically used in this trade flow?

Imports under HS Code 3004 are retail-packaged medicaments, including antibiotics and hormone-based drugs, for direct healthcare use rather than bulk processing.