United Kingdom Exports to South Africa

The United Kingdom's exports to South Africa fell to $1.95 billion in 2024, down from $2.11 billion in 2023, according to the UN Comtrade Database. This represents a decrease of 7.4% ($156.51 million) from the previous year. Top exports from the United Kingdom to South Africa were Machinery, mechanical appliances, reactors ($456.75 million), Vehicles other than railway or tramway ($241.66 million) and Electrical machinery and equipment ($185.75 million).

United Kingdom had a trade deficit with South Africa that widened to $10.99 billion in 2024 from $7.01 billion in 2023. This is an increase of 56.9% ($3.98 billion).

United Kingdom Exports to South Africa by Goods (2024)

The table below shows the ranking of UK exports to South Africa by goods in 2024, highlighting the top exported goods.

Export Rank Exported Goods Export Value (USD) Year
1 Machinery, mechanical appliances, reactors $456.75M 2024
2 Vehicles other than railway or tramway and parts $241.66M 2024
3 Electrical machinery and equipment; audio and video equipment $185.75M 2024
4 Pharmaceutical products $165.94M 2024
5 Optical, medical, measuring instruments $108.94M 2024
6 Mineral fuels, oils, waxes, bitumen $98.93M 2024
7 Beverages, spirits, vinegar $89.16M 2024
8 Plastics and plastic articles $79.55M 2024
9 Printed books, newspapers, printed matter $45.51M 2024
10 Miscellaneous chemical products $39.02M 2024
11 Essential oils, perfumery, cosmetics $32.04M 2024
12 Dyes, pigments, tanning extracts, paints, inks $22.12M 2024
13 Articles of iron or steel $18.58M 2024
14 Paper, paperboard and articles $17.53M 2024
15 Rubber and rubber articles $17.52M 2024
16 Cereal, flour, starch, milk preparations, bakery $17.42M 2024
17 Toys, games, sports goods $17.25M 2024
18 Miscellaneous edible preparations $16.99M 2024
19 Pearls, precious stones, metals, jewelry, coins $16.59M 2024
20 Soap, detergents, waxes, candles, dental products $16.57M 2024
21 Organic chemicals $14.92M 2024
22 Meat and edible offal $14.77M 2024
23 Food industry residues, animal feed $14.10M 2024
24 Aircraft, spacecraft, parts $12.83M 2024
25 Live animals $11.86M 2024
26 Articles of stone, cement, mica, asbestos $11.64M 2024
27 Works of art, antiques $8.66M 2024
28 Iron and steel $8.20M 2024
29 Other textile articles, worn clothing, rags $8.16M 2024
30 Aluminium and aluminium articles $8.13M 2024
31 Tools, cutlery, base metal parts $7.91M 2024
32 Furniture, bedding, lighting, prefabricated buildings $7.85M 2024
33 Salt, sulphur, stone, cement $7.82M 2024
34 Glass and glassware $7.82M 2024
35 Cocoa and cocoa preparations $7.69M 2024
36 Inorganic chemicals, precious metal compounds, isotopes $6.79M 2024
37 Milling products, malt, starch, inulin, wheat gluten $6.76M 2024
38 Dairy, eggs, honey, other animal products $6.44M 2024
39 Ships, boats, floating structures $4.80M 2024
40 Miscellaneous base metal articles $4.43M 2024
41 Non-knitted clothing $4.37M 2024
42 Copper and copper articles $3.67M 2024
43 Glues, enzymes, modified starches $3.60M 2024
44 Arms, ammunition, parts $3.53M 2024
45 Sugar and confectionery $3.18M 2024
46 Fertilizers $3.08M 2024
47 Miscellaneous manufactured goods $2.86M 2024
48 Nickel and nickel articles $2.69M 2024
49 Knitted or crocheted clothing $2.53M 2024
50 Wadding, felt, twine, ropes, cords $2.49M 2024
51 Other base metals, cermets $2.16M 2024
52 Coffee, tea, mate, spices $2.10M 2024
53 Clocks, watches, parts $2.08M 2024
54 Edible fruits and nuts, citrus or melon peel $1.84M 2024
55 Ceramic products $1.65M 2024
56 Prepared vegetables, fruits, nuts $1.61M 2024
57 Leather goods, bags, saddlery, travel goods $1.61M 2024
58 Knitted or crocheted fabrics $1.39M 2024
59 Railway locomotives, rolling stock, track equipment $1.35M 2024
60 Footwear and parts $1.26M 2024
61 Technical textile fabrics, coated fabrics $1.17M 2024
62 Man-made filaments $1.16M 2024
63 Lac, gums, resins, vegetable extracts $1.15M 2024
64 Wool and animal hair fabrics $1.09M 2024
65 Zinc and zinc articles $1.03M 2024
66 Wood and wood products, charcoal $1.01M 2024
67 Unspecified commodities $737,921.04 2024
68 Fish, crustaceans, molluscs, aquatic invertebrates $716,359.94 2024
69 Special woven fabrics, lace, embroidery $703,985.14 2024
70 Vegetable textile fibres, paper yarn $649,183.16 2024
71 Carpets and textile floor coverings $609,709.86 2024
72 Man-made staple fibres $536,001.34 2024
73 Lead and lead articles $530,707.45 2024
74 Headgear $501,318.40 2024
75 Cotton $490,683.71 2024
76 Fats and oils, edible fats, waxes $432,496.64 2024
77 Oilseeds, grains, fodder, medicinal plants $331,545.03 2024
78 Edible vegetables, roots, tubers $315,413.53 2024
79 Cork and cork products $313,268.83 2024
80 Explosives, pyrotechnics, matches $285,381.45 2024
81 Musical instruments, parts $249,661.05 2024
82 Photographic and cinematographic goods $165,339.39 2024
83 Animal products $165,180.86 2024
84 Umbrellas, canes, whips, riding crops $135,741.08 2024
85 Tobacco, nicotine products and substitutes $99,871.01 2024
86 Ores, slag, ash $93,581.52 2024
87 Pulp, recovered paper, paperboard $92,870.00 2024
88 Feathers, down, artificial flowers, human hair goods $70,343.72 2024
89 Silk $56,869.30 2024
90 Prepared meat, fish, crustaceans, insects $35,946.16 2024
91 Cereals $21,290.95 2024
92 Raw hides, skins, leather $14,137.74 2024
93 Tin and tin articles $10,143.86 2024
94 Furskins and artificial fur $2,917.09 2024
95 Basketware, wickerwork, straw goods $1,991.23 2024