United States Exports to South Africa

The United States' exports to South Africa fell to $5.82 billion in 2024, down from $7.16 billion in 2023, according to the UN Comtrade Database. This represents a decrease of 18.7% ($1.34 billion) from the previous year. Top exports from the United States to South Africa were Machinery, mechanical appliances, reactors ($1.09 billion), Vehicles other than railway or tramway ($943.77 million), Mineral fuels, oils, waxes and bitumen ($817.88 million).

United States had a trade deficit with South Africa that widened to $9 billion in 2024 from $7.01 billion in 2023. This is an increase of 28.3% ($1.99 billion).

United States Exports to South Africa by Goods (2024)

The table below shows the ranking of US 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 $1.09B 2024
2 Vehicles other than railway or tramway and parts $943.77M 2024
3 Mineral fuels, oils, waxes, bitumen $817.88M 2024
4 Electrical machinery and equipment; audio and video equipment $467.40M 2024
5 Optical, medical, measuring instruments $278.28M 2024
6 Aircraft, spacecraft, parts $272.64M 2024
7 Unspecified commodities $260.51M 2024
8 Miscellaneous chemical products $218.55M 2024
9 Plastics and plastic articles $200.86M 2024
10 Pharmaceutical products $191.20M 2024
11 Pearls, precious stones, metals, jewelry, coins $95.22M 2024
12 Rubber and rubber articles $88.47M 2024
13 Inorganic chemicals, precious metal compounds, isotopes $69.72M 2024
14 Articles of iron or steel $63.55M 2024
15 Oilseeds, grains, fodder, medicinal plants $53.26M 2024
16 Essential oils, perfumery, cosmetics $50.14M 2024
17 Pulp, recovered paper, paperboard $48.87M 2024
18 Organic chemicals $44.46M 2024
19 Paper, paperboard and articles $37.79M 2024
20 Man-made staple fibres $33.48M 2024
21 Miscellaneous base metal articles $29.77M 2024
22 Soap, detergents, waxes, candles, dental products $29.32M 2024
23 Miscellaneous edible preparations $27.90M 2024
24 Glues, enzymes, modified starches $27.20M 2024
25 Toys, games, sports goods $25.51M 2024
26 Meat and edible offal $24.96M 2024
27 Tools, cutlery, base metal parts $24.90M 2024
28 Glass and glassware $22.29M 2024
29 Beverages, spirits, vinegar $21.59M 2024
30 Cereals $20.31M 2024
31 Arms, ammunition, parts $19.00M 2024
32 Dyes, pigments, tanning extracts, paints, inks $17.58M 2024
33 Edible fruits and nuts, citrus or melon peel $17.22M 2024
34 Wood and wood products, charcoal $16.93M 2024
35 Food industry residues, animal feed $15.54M 2024
36 Prepared vegetables, fruits, nuts $11.46M 2024
37 Printed books, newspapers, printed matter $10.52M 2024
38 Railway locomotives, rolling stock, track equipment $9.80M 2024
39 Salt, sulphur, stone, cement $9.18M 2024
40 Furniture, bedding, lighting, prefabricated buildings $8.16M 2024
41 Works of art, antiques $7.66M 2024
42 Articles of stone, cement, mica, asbestos $7.18M 2024
43 Aluminium and aluminium articles $6.44M 2024
44 Other base metals, cermets $5.66M 2024
45 Ceramic products $5.51M 2024
46 Fertilizers $4.83M 2024
47 Sugar and confectionery $4.70M 2024
48 Iron and steel $4.23M 2024
49 Edible vegetables, roots, tubers $4.20M 2024
50 Ores, slag, ash $4.19M 2024
51 Fats and oils, edible fats, waxes $4.19M 2024
52 Lac, gums, resins, vegetable extracts $3.78M 2024
53 Wool and animal hair fabrics $3.22M 2024
54 Ships, boats, floating structures $3.22M 2024
55 Copper and copper articles $2.98M 2024
56 Animal products $2.84M 2024
57 Other textile articles, worn clothing, rags $2.41M 2024
58 Cocoa and cocoa preparations $2.24M 2024
59 Wadding, felt, twine, ropes, cords $2.07M 2024
60 Non-knitted clothing $2.06M 2024
61 Cereal, flour, starch, milk preparations, bakery $1.95M 2024
62 Technical textile fabrics, coated fabrics $1.94M 2024
63 Miscellaneous manufactured goods $1.88M 2024
64 Man-made filaments $1.87M 2024
65 Fish, crustaceans, molluscs, aquatic invertebrates $1.78M 2024
66 Knitted or crocheted clothing $1.66M 2024
67 Explosives, pyrotechnics, matches $1.25M 2024
68 Musical instruments, parts $1.22M 2024
69 Live animals $1.21M 2024
70 Clocks, watches, parts $1.20M 2024
71 Photographic and cinematographic goods $1.12M 2024
72 Nickel and nickel articles $1.06M 2024
73 Leather goods, bags, saddlery, travel goods $1.05M 2024
74 Footwear and parts $946,575 2024
75 Headgear $765,324 2024
76 Tobacco, nicotine products and substitutes $551,551 2024
77 Dairy, eggs, honey, other animal products $467,379 2024
78 Cotton $449,358 2024
79 Milling products, malt, starch, inulin, wheat gluten $440,751 2024
80 Prepared meat, fish, crustaceans, insects $374,407 2024
81 Special woven fabrics, lace, embroidery $172,008 2024
82 Feathers, down, artificial flowers, human hair goods $170,181 2024
83 Carpets and textile floor coverings $151,201 2024
84 Coffee, tea, mate, spices $140,344 2024
85 Lead and lead articles $70,465 2024
86 Vegetable plaiting materials, other vegetable products $50,401 2024
87 Live plants, bulbs, roots, cut flowers, foliage $46,244 2024
88 Cork and cork products $43,421 2024
89 Knitted or crocheted fabrics $38,311 2024
90 Raw hides, skins, leather $36,116 2024
91 Tin and tin articles $23,342 2024
92 Umbrellas, canes, whips, riding crops $21,984 2024
93 Zinc and zinc articles $19,800 2024
94 Vegetable textile fibres, paper yarn $13,875 2024
95 Furskins and artificial fur $9,809 2024
96 Silk $4,500 2024