Botswana Tobacco Products Import Market -- HS Code 2402 Trade Data & Price Trend (Oct 2025)

Botswana Tobacco Products Import (HS 2402) Key Takeaways

Botswana's Tobacco Products Import under HS Code 2402 in October 2025 reveals a market dominated by low-cost cigarettes (99% of trade) with minimal premium cigar imports, reflecting a high-volume, low-margin structure. The market is stabilizing after April’s price volatility, with October imports up 24% month-over-month to $684.35K. Supplier concentration is extreme, with 99.5% of value controlled by a few key players like British American Tobacco, creating supply chain risks. South Africa accounts for 99% of imports, highlighting heavy regional dependency. This analysis is based on cleanly processed Customs data from the yTrade database for October 2025.

Botswana Tobacco Products Import (HS 2402) Background

What is HS Code 2402?

HS Code 2402 covers cigars, cigarettes, and tobacco substitutes, including products made from tobacco or its alternatives. These items are widely consumed globally, driven by consistent demand from both retail consumers and specialized industries like hospitality. The stability of this market makes it a significant segment in international trade, particularly for countries with established tobacco production or import needs.

Current Context and Strategic Position

The United States recently imposed a 37% additional duty on all imports from Botswana, effective April 2025 [Global Trade Alert]. This policy shift could disrupt Botswana's tobacco products import trade, particularly under HS Code 2402, which accounted for a notable share of its February 2025 imports [Stats Botswana]. Botswana's strategic role in this trade flow stems from its reliance on imported tobacco products to meet domestic demand. Market participants must monitor these developments closely, as the new tariffs could reshape trade dynamics for hs code 2402 trade data in the region.

Botswana Tobacco Products Import (HS 2402) Price Trend

Key Observations

In October 2025, Botswana's imports of tobacco products under HS code 2402 totaled $684.35K USD, with an average unit price of $54.79 per kg. This represents a steady performance following recent fluctuations, reflecting the ongoing adjustments in trade dynamics.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The Botswana Tobacco Products Import trend showed a sequential recovery in the latter half of 2025, with October's value rising 24% month-over-month from September's $553.05K USD. This uptick follows a period of volatility earlier in the year, particularly in April when unit prices spiked to $77.62 per kg amid low volume, likely influenced by the U.S. tariff increase on all imports from Botswana effective April 9, 2025 [Global Trade Alert]. Post-April, the hs code 2402 value trend stabilized, with unit prices moderating to around $50-55 per kg, indicating market adaptation to the new trade barriers and consistent demand cycles in tobacco imports.

Botswana Tobacco Products Import (HS 2402) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

In October 2025, Botswana's import of HS Code 2402 is overwhelmingly dominated by cigarettes, which make up almost all the trade value and quantity. According to yTrade data, cigarettes (sub-code 24022090) have a unit price of just $0.08, highlighting a specialization in low-cost, high-volume products. Cigars (sub-code 24021090) are a minor segment with a much higher unit price of $86.15, isolated as a high-value anomaly in the market.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The import structure under HS Code 2402 divides into two groups: mass-market cigarettes and premium cigars. Cigarettes function as a standardized, commodity-like product due to their low price and high volume, indicating trade in fungible goods. Cigars represent a value-added, differentiated category with higher quality, suggesting a niche market for finished, branded items.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

For importers, the focus should be on efficient sourcing of cigarettes to benefit from economies of scale, though the low unit price implies weak pricing power and high competition. The cigar segment offers potential for higher margins but requires targeted strategies due to its small size. Analyzing HS Code 2402 trade data shows that success depends on balancing volume-driven approaches with niche opportunities.

Table: Botswana HS Code 2402) Breakdown Details (Source: yTrade)

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Botswana Tobacco Products Import (HS 2402) Origin Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

South Africa is the dominant origin for Botswana's Tobacco Products imports in October 2025, holding a 98.81% quantity share. The value share of 99.20% slightly exceeds the quantity share, indicating a preference for higher-grade or finished tobacco items from South Africa. The frequency share is 75.00%, lower than the value share, which points to fewer but larger shipments, typical for bulk trade in manufactured goods like cigarettes.

Origin Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The import origins form three clusters based on share profiles. South Africa represents the Volume/Hub Cluster, with high quantity and value shares, serving as the main source for bulk tobacco products. Switzerland and the United States form a High-Yield Cluster, with value shares of 0.29% and 0.26% respectively but very high unit prices (e.g., around 670 USD per unit for Switzerland), suggesting niche, premium tobacco imports. Botswana itself appears as a Re-import Cluster, with a 100.00K quantity share but low value, indicating returned goods or reverse logistics, possibly due to quality returns or unsold inventory from exports.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

Botswana's heavy reliance on South Africa for Tobacco Products imports requires focus on supply chain stability, such as securing long-term contracts to avoid disruptions. Diversifying sources could reduce dependency, but the low shares from other countries like the US and Switzerland limit immediate options. The US duty increase on imports from Botswana [Global Trade Alert] effective April 2025 may impact Botswana's export economy but does not directly affect import sourcing patterns for HS Code 2402, as US imports into Botswana are minimal.

Table: Botswana Tobacco Products (HS 2402) Top Origin Countries (Source: yTrade)

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Botswana Tobacco Products (HS 2402) Suppliers Analysis

Supplier Concentration and Dominance

The Botswana Tobacco Products import market in October 2025 shows high supplier concentration. According to yTrade data, a small group of high-value, high-frequency suppliers dominates, accounting for 99.5% of the import value. This indicates that most imports come from a few key players, making the market reliant on these sources for the bulk of trade volume and value.

Strategic Supplier Clusters and Trade Role

The remaining supplier clusters contribute minimally, with low-value groups handling less than 1% of import value combined. The profile of HS code 2402 suppliers in the dominant cluster, such as British American Tobacco, points to a direct-to-factory sourcing model. This suggests that imports are primarily from large manufacturers rather than intermediaries, streamlining the supply chain but limiting diversity.

Sourcing Strategy and Vulnerability

For Botswana importers, the heavy reliance on a few suppliers requires focused relationship management to ensure stability. However, this concentration poses a risk if disruptions occur in key supply lines. External factors, like the US increase in duties on imports from Botswana [Global Trade Alert], could indirectly raise costs or affect trade flows, emphasizing the need for diversified sourcing strategies to mitigate vulnerabilities.

Table: Botswana Tobacco Products (HS 2402) Top Suppliers List (Source: yTrade)

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Action Plan for Tobacco Products Market Operation and Expansion

• Diversify sourcing beyond South Africa using hs code 2402 trade data to identify new suppliers in neighboring countries. This reduces risk from over-reliance on a single origin and strengthens the Botswana Tobacco Products Import supply chain.
• Develop a dual-tier sourcing strategy to separate high-volume cigarette and premium cigar imports. This allows you to negotiate better bulk rates for commodities while pursuing higher margins on niche products, optimizing the overall import structure.
• Strengthen relationships with dominant, high-frequency suppliers by leveraging trade data for contract negotiations. This ensures priority access and stability for the core of the Botswana Tobacco Products Import supply chain, mitigating disruption risks.
• Monitor US trade policy changes and their potential indirect impact on regional trade costs. This proactive approach helps anticipate and hedge against possible cost increases or supply shifts for the Tobacco Products supply chain.

Take Action Now —— Explore Botswana Tobacco Products Import Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Botswana Tobacco Products Import 2025 October?

The October 2025 import value rose 24% month-over-month to $684.35K USD, reflecting market stabilization after April's volatility caused by U.S. tariff hikes. The rebound is driven by steady demand for low-cost cigarettes (sub-code 24022090) and niche premium cigars (sub-code 24021090).

Q2. Who are the main origin countries of Botswana Tobacco Products (HS Code 2402) 2025 October?

South Africa dominates with 98.81% of import quantity and 99.20% of value, while Switzerland and the U.S. supply high-value cigars at minimal shares (0.29% and 0.26% respectively).

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

Price gaps stem from product specialization: South Africa supplies bulk cigarettes at $0.08/unit, while Switzerland and the U.S. export premium cigars priced at ~$670/unit (sub-code 24021090).

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

Prioritize relationship management with dominant suppliers like British American Tobacco for stability, while exploring niche cigar imports for higher margins despite limited volume.

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

South African suppliers benefit from bulk demand, but premium cigar producers (e.g., Swiss/U.S.) face constrained opportunities due to Botswana's heavy reliance on low-cost cigarettes.

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

Imports under HS Code 2402 are primarily consumed as finished goods, with cigarettes serving as mass-market commodities and cigars catering to a niche luxury segment.