Botswana Petroleum Oils Import Market -- HS Code 2710 Trade Data & Price Trend (Q3 2025)

Botswana Petroleum Oils Import (HS 2710) Key Takeaways

Botswana's petroleum oils imports (HS Code 2710) in Q3 2025 are dominated by bulk light oils, with over 90% of value concentrated in two commodity-grade products priced at $0.86/kg, while a niche high-value preparation commands $3.12/kg. The market shows high supplier concentration, with just a few key players like PUMA ENERGY and SASOL handling 94% of imports, creating supply chain vulnerability. South Africa supplies over 50% of Botswana’s petroleum oils, reflecting heavy reliance on a single regional hub. Unit prices declined from $1.02/kg in July to $0.84/kg by September amid global volatility, though import volumes remained steady. This analysis is based on cleanly processed customs data from the yTrade database for Q3 2025.

Botswana Petroleum Oils Import (HS 2710) Background

What is HS Code 2710?

HS Code 2710 covers Petroleum oils (other than crude); preparations thereof, including refined fuels and lubricants. These products are critical for transportation, manufacturing, and energy sectors, driving stable global demand due to their essential role in industrial and consumer applications. Botswana's petroleum oils import under this code reflects its reliance on refined products to meet domestic energy needs.

Current Context and Strategic Position

The U.S. increased additional duties on all imports from Botswana to 37% in April 2025 [Global Trade Alert], potentially reshaping trade dynamics for Botswana's petroleum oils import. As a landlocked country, Botswana depends on refined petroleum imports to sustain its economy, making HS Code 2710 trade data a key indicator of supply chain resilience. Market participants must monitor tariff impacts and diversify sourcing to mitigate disruptions in this strategically vital flow.

Botswana Petroleum Oils Import (HS 2710) Price Trend

Key Observations

In Q3 2025, the Botswana Petroleum oils Import trend (HS code 2710) showed mixed performance, with total values ranging from $76.44 million USD in September to $87.80 million USD in August, while unit prices declined from $1.02/kg in July to $0.84/kg by September.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The hs code 2710 value trend exhibited volatility leading into Q3, with unit prices peaking in July amid global oil market fluctuations before declining sequentially. This instability may reflect broader trade adjustments following the US duty increase on imports from Botswana in April 2025 [Global Trade Alert], which could have influenced import costs and economic conditions. Despite this, import volumes remained robust, indicating sustained demand within seasonal energy cycles.

Botswana Petroleum Oils Import (HS 2710) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

According to yTrade data, Botswana's HS Code 2710 imports in Q3 2025 are overwhelmingly concentrated in a single product type: light petroleum oils and preparations, which account for over 90% of the total import value. The market is dominated by two nearly identical bulk commodity codes, 27101230 and 27101202, which together represent over 92% of the import value and share a common price of $0.86 per kilogram. A notable high-value anomaly is present in code 27101252, a specialized light oil preparation priced at $3.12 per kg, which has been isolated from the main analysis due to its distinct price point and market role.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The import structure for HS Code 2710 reveals a market heavily geared towards fungible bulk commodities, with the two dominant codes representing standard, low-value light oils. The remaining non-anomalous import codes are all light oil preparations, but they form a secondary tier with slightly higher unit prices ranging from $0.58 to $4.31 per kg, suggesting minor variations in formulation or specific use cases rather than a fundamental shift in the value-add stage. This structure confirms that Botswana's import activities for this product are primarily linked to bulk commodity pricing indices rather than trade in highly differentiated manufactured goods.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

Analysis of HS Code 2710 trade data indicates that buyers in Botswana hold significant pricing power for the bulk of their imports, given the commodity nature and high concentration of supply. For the dominant product types, sourcing strategy should focus on securing favorable terms tied to global oil indices. Suppliers of the higher-priced, specialized preparations operate in a niche segment and must clearly justify their premium through performance or specification advantages to compete effectively within Botswana's import market for petroleum oils.

Table: Botswana HS Code 2710) Breakdown Details (Source: yTrade)

Check Detailed HS Code 2710 Breakdown

Botswana Petroleum Oils Import (HS 2710) Origin Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

In Q3 2025, South Africa is the dominant supplier of Petroleum oils to Botswana, holding over 50% of the import value and weight. The value share of 50.21% slightly exceeds the weight share of 48.13%, indicating that Botswana imports slightly higher-grade petroleum from South Africa. The high frequency share of 58.15% suggests very regular shipments, which is typical for energy imports to maintain a steady supply chain. This pattern for HS Code 2710 trade data shows Botswana's heavy reliance on South Africa for its Petroleum oils needs.

Origin Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The import partners for Botswana's Petroleum oils can be grouped into two main clusters. First, South Africa and Oman form a high-volume, high-frequency cluster, providing the bulk of imports with reliable, frequent shipments due to geopolitical proximity and established trade routes. Second, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, India, Malaysia, and Italy make up a bulk supplier cluster, where weight shares exceed value shares, pointing to imports of lower-cost or less refined petroleum oils. This clustering helps Botswana diversify its sources while managing costs and supply risks for HS 2710 products.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

Botswana's import strategy for Petroleum oils shows a strong dependency on South Africa, which offers efficiency but poses risks from potential supply disruptions. To enhance stability, Botswana should consider diversifying its sourcing to include more partners from the bulk cluster or explore new suppliers. Analyzing trade data for HS Code 2710 reveals that maintaining multiple sources could buffer against price volatility and geopolitical issues, ensuring a resilient supply chain for Botswana's energy imports.

Table: Botswana Petroleum Oils (HS 2710) Top Origin Countries (Source: yTrade)

Get Complete Origin Countries Profile

Botswana Petroleum Oils (HS 2710) Suppliers Analysis

Supplier Concentration and Dominance

In the 2025 Q3 period, the Botswana petroleum oils import market shows high concentration. According to yTrade data, suppliers with high value and high frequency transactions dominate, holding 94.19% of the total import value. This means most trade involves large, regular shipments from a few key players, defining the typical import flow for Botswana.

Strategic Supplier Clusters and Trade Role

Other supplier groups have minor roles, with low value or low frequency trades. The profile of hs code 2710 suppliers in the dominant cluster, including names like PUMA ENERGY SUPPLY TRADING and SASOL OIL, points to an intermediated market. Trading companies handle the bulk of transactions, while smaller clusters involve occasional or niche participants with limited impact.

Sourcing Strategy and Vulnerability

For Botswana importers, this setup requires focusing on relationships with dominant suppliers to ensure steady supply. The high dependence on a few sources increases vulnerability to disruptions, such as price swings or supply chain issues. Diversifying suppliers could reduce risks and add flexibility to the sourcing model.

Table: Botswana Petroleum Oils (HS 2710) Top Suppliers List (Source: yTrade)

Check Full Petroleum oils Supplier lists

Action Plan for Petroleum Oils Market Operation and Expansion

• Use hs code 2710 trade data to negotiate long-term contracts with dominant, high-frequency suppliers like PUMA and SASOL to lock in stable pricing and secure the core of Botswana's Petroleum oils supply chain, mitigating vulnerability to spot market volatility.
• Diversify the import portfolio by strategically sourcing a portion of bulk volume from lower-cost suppliers in the bulk cluster (e.g., Saudi Arabia, Bahrain) identified in the trade data, to reduce overall cost and decrease over-reliance on any single origin.
• Analyze the specialized, high-value product segment (e.g., code 27101252) within the hs code 2710 trade data to identify niche domestic needs and assess the business case for importing these premium grades, ensuring any premium paid is justified by specific performance requirements.
• Develop a supply chain risk monitoring system that tracks geopolitical and logistical disruptions affecting South Africa, the dominant supplier for Botswana's Petroleum oils Import, to enable proactive contingency planning and maintain supply security.

Take Action Now —— Explore Botswana Petroleum oils Import Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Botswana Petroleum oils Import 2025 Q3?

The import value fluctuated between $76.44M and $87.80M, with unit prices dropping from $1.02/kg to $0.84/kg, reflecting global oil market volatility and potential ripple effects from US trade policy changes in April 2025.

Q2. Who are the main origin countries of Botswana Petroleum oils (HS Code 2710) 2025 Q3?

South Africa dominates with 50.21% of import value, followed by Oman and a bulk-supplier cluster (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, India, Malaysia, Italy) providing lower-cost alternatives.

Q3. Why does the unit price differ across origin countries of Botswana Petroleum oils Import?

Prices vary due to product grade: South Africa supplies slightly higher-grade oil ($0.86/kg for bulk codes), while niche preparations (e.g., HS 27101252 at $3.12/kg) and bulk-cluster imports trade at lower margins.

Q4. What should importers in Botswana focus on when buying Petroleum oils?

Prioritize relationships with dominant suppliers like PUMA ENERGY and SASOL OIL for stability, while diversifying into bulk-cluster partners to mitigate supply chain risks tied to South Africa’s 50% market share.

Q5. What does this Botswana Petroleum oils import pattern mean for overseas suppliers?

Suppliers of bulk commodities must compete on price indices, while niche players (e.g., high-grade preparations) need clear performance advantages to justify premiums in Botswana’s concentrated market.

Q6. How is Petroleum oils typically used in this trade flow?

Botswana primarily imports light petroleum oils for energy and industrial use, with bulk commodities (90% of volume) supporting routine demand and specialized preparations serving niche applications.

Detailed Monthly Report

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