{"id":83717,"date":"2026-08-04T18:11:52","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T18:11:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/botswana\/all-news\/botswana-posts-p3-2-billion-trade-deficit"},"modified":"2026-08-10T23:49:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T23:49:44","slug":"botswana-posts-p3-2-billion-trade-deficit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/botswana\/all-news\/botswana-posts-p3-2-billion-trade-deficit","title":{"rendered":"Botswana Posts P3.2 Billion Trade Deficit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Botswana. <\/strong> <\/span>Botswana recorded a trade deficit of P3.2 billion in May 2026, the country\u2019s second-largest deficit of the year, according to Statistics Botswana. The largest deficit in 2026 was P4.4 billion in February.<\/b><\/p>\n

The agency\u2019s International Merchandise Trade Statistics Monthly Digest \u2013 May 2026 shows that export earnings fell 22.4 percent, declining by P1.4 billion from the revised P6.2 billion recorded in April to P4.8 billion in May.<\/p>\n

Statistics Botswana attributed the decline mainly to lower diamond and copper exports.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fall was mainly driven by Diamonds and Copper exports, which fell by 23.1 percent (P856.0 million) and 27.9 percent (P477.9 million) correspondingly,\u201d the report says.<\/p>\n

Diamonds remained Botswana\u2019s leading export commodity, contributing 59.0 percent of total exports, followed by copper at 25.6 percent. Machinery and Electrical Equipment ranked third, accounting for 5.6 percent or P270.6 million.<\/p>\n

Key Markets<\/p>\n

Asia remained Botswana\u2019s largest export destination, receiving 58.5 percent of total exports during the month under review. Diamonds and copper dominated exports to the region, accounting for 75.6 percent and 24.0 percent, respectively.<\/p>\n

\u201cTop export destinations within Asia were the UAE and China which received 27.8 percent and 14.0 percent of total exports, respectively,\u201d the report states.<\/p>\n

India followed with 12.9 percent or P623.5 million of total exports.<\/p>\n

Exports to the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) accounted for 15.0 percent or P724.6 million. Machinery and Electrical Equipment and Diamonds contributed 32.4 percent and 32.1 percent of exports to the customs union, while Salt and Soda Ash accounted for 7.1 percent.<\/p>\n

South Africa remained the largest destination within SACU, receiving 11.0 percent or P529.6 million of Botswana\u2019s total exports.<\/p>\n

Imports Ease<\/p>\n

The report also shows that total imports declined 4.1 percent to P8 billion in May from the revised P8.4 billion recorded in April.<\/p>\n

Statistics Botswana said the contraction was mainly driven by lower imports of Vehicles and Transport Equipment, which fell 67.2 percent or P915.2 million, and Machinery and Electrical Equipment, which declined 15.8 percent or P227.8 million.<\/p>\n

Fuel was the largest imported commodity group, accounting for 24.5 percent of total imports, followed by Diamonds at 19.1 percent. Machinery and Electrical Equipment contributed 15.0 percent, while Food, Beverages and Tobacco accounted for 13.9 percent.<\/p>\n

The SACU region remained Botswana\u2019s largest source of imports, supplying 69.6 percent of total imports. South Africa accounted for 57.4 percent of all imports, while Namibia contributed 11.8 percent or P954.6 million.<\/p>\n

Imports from Asia totalled P954.0 million, representing 11.8 percent of total imports. China was the region\u2019s largest supplier, contributing 4.9 percent or P396.1 million, followed by India at 3.0 percent and Japan at 1.2 percent.<\/p>\n

Find more news and analyses on Botswana<\/span> on the Africa Press<\/span> website<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Botswana. Botswana recorded a trade deficit of P3.2 billion in May 2026, the country\u2019s second-largest deficit of the year, according to Statistics Botswana. The largest deficit in 2026 was P4.4 billion in February. The agency\u2019s International Merchandise Trade Statistics Monthly Digest \u2013 May 2026 shows that export earnings fell 22.4 percent, declining by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":83716,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,5,7],"tags":[234],"class_list":["post-83717","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-economy","category-head-lines","tag-botswana"],"yoast_head":"\nBotswana Posts P3.2 Billion Trade Deficit - Botswana<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"-article-header-tag"> Africa-Press - Botswana. 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