Botswana Medicinal Products Import Market -- HS Code 3004 Trade Data & Price Trend (Q2 2025)

Botswana Medicinal Products Import (HS 3004) Key Takeaways

Botswana's Medicinal Products import under HS Code 3004 in Q2 2025 declined 9% to $9.24M, recovering from an April slump triggered by U.S. tariffs, signaling volatile but adaptive trade conditions. The market is dominated by high-volume, low-value retail medicaments (80% share), with specialized therapies like insulin commanding premium pricing. Supplier concentration risks are high, with 79% of import value controlled by a few manufacturers like Haleon South Africa and AbbVie. India leads as the top origin (34% value share), supplying higher-grade finished products, while South Africa handles bulk shipments. This analysis, covering Q2 2025, is based on 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 preventive medicine, driving stable global demand due to their essential role in treatment and disease prevention. Botswana's Medicinal Products Import under this code reflects its reliance on these goods for domestic healthcare needs.

Current Context and Strategic Position

The United States increased additional duties on all imports from Botswana to 37% effective April 2025 [Global Trade Alert], potentially impacting trade flows for HS Code 3004. Botswana's strategic significance lies in its dependence on imported medicinal products to meet healthcare demands, making tariff shifts a key factor for market stability. Monitoring hs code 3004 trade data is essential to assess the impact of these policy changes and ensure supply chain resilience. Vigilance is warranted to navigate evolving trade dynamics in 2025.

Botswana Medicinal Products Import (HS 3004) Price Trend

Key Observations

Botswana's Medicinal Products Import trend for Q2 2025 closed with total imports valued at $9.24 million USD. This represents a 9% sequential decline from Q1's $10.92 million, though a strong recovery in May helped offset a sharp April contraction.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The hs code 3004 value trend showed significant volatility, dropping sharply in April before rebounding in May. The April contraction aligns directly with the United States' implementation of a 37% additional duty on all imports from Botswana [GlobalTradeAlert], which likely disrupted supply chains and import economics for pharmaceutical ingredients or finished medicines. The subsequent recovery in May suggests importers and distributors adapted to the new tariff reality, potentially by accelerating shipments ahead of further uncertainty or absorbing initial cost shocks. This pattern reflects the sensitive balance between essential medical supply needs and sudden policy shifts in international trade.

Botswana Medicinal Products Import (HS 3004) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

Botswana's import of HS Code 3004 in Q2 2025 is heavily concentrated in general medicaments for retail sale, which account for over 80% of the total value. According to yTrade data, this category, described as mixed or unmixed products not elsewhere specified, moves in high volume at a relatively low unit price of $7.78 per unit. This indicates a market dominated by high-volume, lower-value finished pharmaceutical products.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The remaining imports are split into distinct therapeutic classes. One group consists of higher-value antibiotic and hormone-based medicines, including those containing insulin with a unit price over $75. Another group includes various specialized retail products like corticosteroids and vitamins, which trade at moderate prices. This structure confirms that Botswana's HS Code 3004 import trade is entirely in finished, packaged medicinal goods, with clear differentiation by active ingredient and therapeutic use rather than bulk commodity characteristics.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

The market structure for HS Code 3004 imports into Botswana gives significant pricing power to suppliers of specialized, high-potency products like insulin, while the high-volume general medicaments category is likely more competitive. Companies should focus on niche therapeutic areas to avoid the intense competition in the broad retail market. Analyzing this HS Code 3004 trade data shows that success depends on product specialization rather than volume alone.

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

INDIA is the dominant source for Botswana's Medicinal Products imports in Q2 2025, accounting for 34.07% of the total value. INDIA's value share exceeds its quantity share, indicating a focus on higher-grade or finished medicinal products. SOUTH AFRICA follows with a 28.39% value share but leads in quantity at 37.38%, suggesting bulk or lower-end variants. SOUTH AFRICA also has the highest frequency of shipments at 31.31%, pointing to regular, high-volume trade.

Origin Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The import origins cluster into three groups. The High-Yield Cluster includes INDIA and European nations like Belgium, Italy, and the United Kingdom, where value shares outweigh quantity shares, reflecting demand for premium or specialized medicinal products. The Volume Cluster features SOUTH AFRICA and Zimbabwe, with quantity shares dominating value, indicating bulk imports of generics or raw materials. The Transactional Cluster, led by SOUTH AFRICA and INDIA with high frequency shares, ensures consistent supply through frequent shipments, typical for essential drugs in Botswana's healthcare sector.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

Botswana's reliance on INDIA for high-value Medicinal Products requires securing stable supply chains to avoid disruptions. Diversifying sources beyond dominant partners like INDIA and SOUTH AFRICA could mitigate risks, especially for critical pharmaceuticals. Analyzing HS Code 3004 trade data shows opportunities to explore alternative suppliers in regions with lower dependency, ensuring resilience in Botswana's Medicinal Products import strategy.

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

According to yTrade data, the Botswana Medicinal Products import suppliers market in Q2 2025 is highly concentrated, with a core group of frequent, high-value suppliers driving nearly 79% of the total import value. This dominant cluster also handles over 80% of the shipment frequency, indicating that the typical trade involves regular, substantial deliveries of medicinal products. These suppliers form the backbone of Botswana's import activity for this period.

Strategic Supplier Clusters and Trade Role

The profile of HS code 3004 suppliers shows that the dominant group, including names like Haleon South Africa and AbbVie, points to a direct-to-factory sourcing model, as these are likely manufacturers rather than intermediaries. Other clusters include high-value but less frequent suppliers, which may handle bulk or specialized shipments, and low-value groups with either high or low frequency, suggesting niche or ancillary roles in the supply chain. This structure highlights a market where most imports come directly from producers.

Sourcing Strategy and Vulnerability

For importers in Botswana, relying heavily on a few high-frequency suppliers offers efficiency but increases vulnerability to disruptions, such as supply chain issues or regulatory changes. Diversifying sources among the less dominant clusters could mitigate risks. Monitoring import regulations is crucial, as updates from authorities like BURS [BURS] may affect tariff structures and sourcing costs.

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

• Diversify your supplier base beyond the dominant high-frequency partners like Haleon and AbbVie by leveraging hs code 3004 trade data to identify reliable, lower-frequency suppliers; this reduces vulnerability to single-source disruptions in the Medicinal Products supply chain.
• Target niche therapeutic markets, such as insulin-based medicines, by analyzing product-level hs code 3004 trade data; this allows you to compete on specialized value instead of low-margin, high-volume generics in the Botswana Medicinal Products Import market.
• Monitor shipment frequency data from key origins like South Africa to forecast stock cycles and optimize inventory levels; this prevents overstocking and ensures consistent supply for Botswana's Medicinal Products Import operations.
• Track regulatory updates from BURS and other authorities using trade alerts; this prepares your Medicinal Products supply chain for potential tariff changes that could impact sourcing costs from dominant partners like India.
• Use geographic trade data to proactively develop new supplier relationships in less dominant regions like Europe; this builds a more resilient and cost-effective sourcing strategy for Botswana Medicinal Products Import.

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 Q2?

The 9% sequential decline in Q2 imports was driven by a sharp April contraction linked to a 37% U.S. tariff hike on Botswana-bound goods, followed by a May rebound as importers adapted to the new trade reality.

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

India (34.07% value share) and South Africa (28.39% value share) dominate imports, with India supplying higher-value finished products and South Africa leading in bulk shipments.

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

Price gaps stem from India’s focus on premium therapeutic products (e.g., insulin at $75+/unit) versus South Africa’s high-volume generics ($7.78/unit), as per HS Code 3004 grade analysis.

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

Importers should diversify beyond dominant suppliers like Haleon and AbbVie to mitigate supply chain risks, while prioritizing niche therapeutic classes to avoid volume-driven competition.

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

Suppliers of specialized medicines (e.g., antibiotics, hormones) hold pricing power, while bulk generic producers must compete on volume due to Botswana’s reliance on frequent, low-margin shipments.

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

Imports are entirely finished, packaged retail goods—80% general medicaments for mass consumption, with the remainder being therapeutic-class products like insulin or corticosteroids.

Detailed Monthly Report

Botswana HS3004 Import Snapshot 2025 APR

Botswana HS3004 Import Snapshot 2025 MAY

Botswana HS3004 Import Snapshot 2025 JUN