Botswana Plastic Packaging Import Market -- HS Code 3923 Trade Data & Price Trend (Jan 2025)

Botswana Plastic Packaging Import (HS 3923) Key Takeaways

Botswana's plastic packaging imports (HS Code 3923) in January 2025 were dominated by low-value bulk items like bottles and sacks, with limited pricing power, though niche opportunities exist in higher-value boxes. The supplier market is highly concentrated, with key distributors handling most shipments through stable, recurring relationships. South Africa supplied 68% of import value, highlighting geographic reliance, while Germany and China offered premium alternatives. Trade trends showed steady demand, aligned with seasonal cycles. This analysis is based on cleanly processed customs data from the yTrade database for January 2025.

Botswana Plastic Packaging Import (HS 3923) Background

What is HS Code 3923?

HS Code 3923 covers plastics articles for the conveyance or packing of goods, including stoppers, lids, caps, and other closures. These products are essential for industries like logistics, agriculture, and manufacturing, where durable and lightweight packaging solutions are critical. Global demand remains stable due to their versatility and cost-effectiveness in supply chains.

Current Context and Strategic Position

The U.S. has imposed a 37% additional duty on all imports from Botswana, effective April 2025 [Global Trade Alert], which could disrupt Botswana's plastic packaging import trade. Botswana's reliance on these imports for domestic industries, coupled with its regulatory framework for controlled goods [Botswana Laws], underscores the need for market vigilance. Monitoring HS Code 3923 trade data is crucial to assess the impact of these tariffs and adapt supply chain strategies.

Botswana Plastic Packaging Import (HS 3923) Price Trend

Key Observations

Botswana's plastic packaging import trend for January 2025 commenced with a value of 2.53 million USD, based on an initial data point, reflecting a unit price of 2.84 USD per kilogram. This early snapshot indicates a steady start for HS code 3923 trade flows at the beginning of the year.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The hs code 3923 value trend in January suggests stability, building on typical post-year-end inventory adjustments common in the packaging industry. Plastic packaging demand often aligns with seasonal agricultural output or manufacturing cycles in Botswana, implying that this level could represent routine import patterns before potential shifts later in the year.

External Context and Outlook

Without major policy disruptions in January, the Botswana plastic packaging import trend may be swayed by factors like global plastic raw material costs and regional economic conditions. Continued attention to trade dynamics and local industrial activity will shape the outlook for subsequent months.

Botswana Plastic Packaging Import (HS 3923) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

According to yTrade data for January 2025, Botswana's import of HS Code 3923 is heavily concentrated on plastic boxes and cases, which account for nearly 23% of the total import value. This sub-code has a unit price of $3.89 per unit, significantly higher than most others, indicating a focus on higher-value packaging solutions. An extreme price anomaly exists for ethylene polymer sacks with a unit price of $41.05, which is isolated from the main analysis due to its outlier nature.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The remaining imports fall into two main groups: low-value bulk items like plastic bottles and carboys with unit prices under $0.50, and various sacks and bags priced between $0.01 and $3.70. This structure shows a mix of basic, fungible commodities and slightly more differentiated products, but overall, the trade is dominated by standardized, low-cost packaging materials rather than high-value manufactured goods.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

For businesses involved in HS Code 3923 trade data, the prevalence of low-unit-price items suggests limited pricing power and a highly competitive market. Strategic focus should be on cost efficiency and volume handling for bulk imports, while opportunities may exist in niche, higher-value segments like specialized boxes to capture better margins.

Check Detailed HS Code 3923 Breakdown

Botswana Plastic Packaging Import (HS 3923) Origin Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

SOUTH AFRICA is the dominant origin for Botswana's Plastic Packaging imports in January 2025, holding 68.13% of the value share and 83.78% of the quantity share. The higher quantity share compared to value share suggests that imports from South Africa are primarily bulk or lower-end variants of Plastic Packaging, such as raw materials or standard packaging solutions. Frequency is also high at 85.23%, indicating consistent, large-volume shipments. Notably, BOTSWANA appears in the data with an 8.12% quantity share but only 3.80% value share, which represents re-importation or returned goods, likely due to reverse logistics or quality issues rather than external sourcing.

Origin Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The import origins for HS Code 3923 can be grouped into three clusters. The Volume Cluster is led by SOUTH AFRICA, supplying bulk Plastic Packaging to meet Botswana's high-demand logistics. The High-Yield Cluster includes GERMANY and CHINA MAINLAND, where value shares (11.75% and 12.96%) exceed quantity shares (1.60% and 6.35%), indicating imports of premium or specialized packaging, such as high-quality or custom-designed solutions. The Transactional Cluster consists of countries like INDIA and THAILAND, with higher frequency shares (0.66% and 0.46%) but low volume and value, pointing to small, frequent orders possibly for retail or niche applications.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

Botswana's heavy reliance on South Africa for Plastic Packaging imports poses a supply chain risk, emphasizing the need to diversify sources to ensure stability. The high-yield cluster from Germany and China offers alternatives for premium products, but exploring regional or global hubs could reduce dependency. For re-imports from Botswana itself, addressing reverse logistics inefficiencies may improve overall trade performance for HS 3923.

Table: Botswana Plastic Packaging (HS 3923) Top Origin Countries (Source: yTrade)

Get Complete Origin Countries Profile

Action Plan for Plastic Packaging Market Operation and Expansion

Strategic Supply Chain Overview

The Botswana Plastic Packaging Import market is commodity-driven. Prices are dictated by bulk volume handling and low product differentiation. The hs code 3923 trade data reveals a market split between low-cost, high-volume items and a small segment of premium goods.

Core price drivers are volume-based competition and reliance on South Africa for bulk supply. This creates significant supply chain vulnerability. The Plastic Packaging supply chain is efficient but fragile, built on a few key partnerships. This structure prioritizes cost over resilience.

Action Plan: Data-Driven Steps for Plastic Packaging Market Execution and Expansion

• Analyze hs code 3923 unit price data to shift your product mix. Focus on importing more high-value items like specialized boxes. This directly targets the market's premium segment to improve profit margins beyond low-cost bulk.
• Use supplier frequency data to negotiate better terms with dominant high-volume partners. Consolidate your orders with these core suppliers. This action leverages your import volume to secure discounts and strengthen reliable supply lines.
• Diversify your import origins using trade flow data. Develop new supplier relationships in the high-yield clusters from Germany and China. This reduces over-dependence on South Africa and mitigates major supply chain disruption risk.
• Monitor Botswana's own re-import data for reverse logistics issues. Identify why goods are returning and work to fix those quality or process failures. This cuts losses from inefficient cycles and improves overall trade performance.

Take Action Now —— Explore Botswana Plastic Packaging Import Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Botswana Plastic Packaging Import 2025 January?

The import trend shows stability in January 2025, with a steady start of 2.53 million USD in value, likely due to post-year-end inventory adjustments. The market remains influenced by global plastic raw material costs and regional economic conditions.

Q2. Who are the main origin countries of Botswana Plastic Packaging (HS Code 3923) 2025 January?

South Africa dominates with 68.13% of the import value share, followed by Germany (11.75%) and China (12.96%). These three countries account for the majority of Botswana’s plastic packaging imports.

Q3. Why does the unit price differ across origin countries of Botswana Plastic Packaging Import?

The price difference stems from product specialization—South Africa supplies bulk, low-cost packaging, while Germany and China provide higher-value, premium solutions. Plastic boxes and cases (sub-code 3923) also contribute to higher unit prices.

Q4. What should importers in Botswana focus on when buying Plastic Packaging?

Importers should prioritize cost efficiency for bulk purchases from South Africa while exploring niche, higher-value segments like specialized boxes from Germany and China. Strengthening relationships with dominant suppliers ensures stable supply.

Q5. What does this Botswana Plastic Packaging import pattern mean for overseas suppliers?

Suppliers from South Africa benefit from consistent, high-volume demand, while German and Chinese exporters can capitalize on premium product opportunities. Diversifying supply sources could reduce Botswana’s dependency on South Africa.

Q6. How is Plastic Packaging typically used in this trade flow?

Plastic packaging is primarily used for standardized, low-cost solutions like bottles and sacks, with some demand for higher-value cases and boxes. The trade serves retail, beverage distribution, and industrial packaging needs.