South Africa (ZAF) and Ireland (IRL) Trade

2022

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Exports $348MRnk 49 / 214

2022

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About

South Africa-Ireland Trade: In 2022, South Africa exported $348M to Ireland. The main products that South Africa exported to Ireland were Platinum ($164M), Coal Briquettes ($31.6M), and Interchangeable Tool Parts ($21.5M). Over the past 5 years the exports of South Africa to Ireland have increased at an annualized rate of 22.3%, from $127M in 2017 to $348M in 2022.

In 2022, South Africa did not export any services to Ireland.

Ireland-South Africa Trade: In 2022, Ireland exported $456M to South Africa. The main products that Ireland exported to South Africa were Packaged Medicaments ($70.2M), Vaccines, blood, antisera, toxins and cultures ($49.5M), and Planes, Helicopters, and/or Spacecraft ($45.4M). Over the past 5 years the exports of Ireland to South Africa have increased at an annualized rate of 0.74%, from $433M in 2017 to $456M in 2022.

In 2020, Ireland exported services to South Africa worth $387M, with Financial services ($179M), Other business services ($171M), and Insurance services ($33.1M) being the largest in terms of value.

Comparison: In 2022, South Africa ranked 59 in the Economic Complexity Index (ECI 0.076), and 34 in total exports ($147B). That same year, Ireland ranked 18 in the Economic Complexity Index (ECI 1.27), and 31 in total exports ($236B).

Latest Trends

August, 2024

About

Overview In August 2024, South Africa exported ZAR265M and imported ZAR801M from Ireland, resulting in a negative trade balance of ZAR537M. Between August 2023 and August 2024 the exports of South Africa have increased by ZAR36.4M (15.9%) from ZAR228M to ZAR265M, while imports increased by ZAR171M (27.1%) from ZAR630M to ZAR801M.

Trade In August 2024, the top exports of South Africa to Ireland were Raw Nickel (ZAR101M), Grapes (ZAR30M), Interchangeable Tool Parts (ZAR20.1M), Dissolving Grades Chemical Woodpulp (ZAR15.5M), and Hydrides and other anions (ZAR6.18M). In August 2024 the top imports of South Africa from Ireland were Vaccines, blood, antisera, toxins and cultures (ZAR142M), Packaged Medicaments (ZAR104M), Hard Liquor (ZAR52.2M), Medical Instruments (ZAR34.3M), and Computers (ZAR24.6M).

Origins In August 2024 the exports of South Africa were mainly from Durban (ZAR120M), O.R. Tambo Int Airport (ZAR73.6M), Cape Town (ZAR59.3M), Port Elizabeth (ZAR7.19M), and Cape Town Int Airport (ZAR3.29M), while imports destinations were mainly O.R. Tambo Int Airport (ZAR452M), Durban (ZAR215M), Johannesburg (ZAR46.2M), Port Elizabeth (ZAR41.7M), and Cape Town (ZAR32.5M).

Growth In August 2024, the increase in South Africa's year-by-year exports to Ireland was explained primarily by an increase in product exports in Dissolving Grades Chemical Woodpulp (ZAR4.25M or 37.8%), Hydrides and other anions (ZAR4.11M or 198%), and Iron Wire (ZAR2.45M or 7.82k%). In August 2024, the increase in South Africa's year-by-year imports from Ireland was explained primarily by an increase in product imports in Vaccines, blood, antisera, toxins and cultures (ZAR115M or 431%), Refrigerators (ZAR21.3M or 10.8k%), and Hard Liquor (ZAR19.7M or 60.6%).

Latest Trade

Time Scale

Year

Quarter

Month

Flow

Exports

Imports

Value

Trade Value

Growth

Growth (%)

Depth

HS2

HS4

HS6

EXPORT GROWTH (August 2023 - August 2024)ZAR36.4M(15.9%)

IMPORT GROWTH (August 2023 - August 2024)ZAR171M(27.1%)

MAIN EXPORTER (August 2024)DurbanZAR120M

This section shows exports and imports data at subnational level for South Africa. Click any date in the line plot, any subnational region in the geomap or any product to explore the exports or imports behavior of South Africa over time.

To check Ireland and South Africa trade dynamics, check the bilateral page.

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Historical Data

Bilateral Trade by Products

Depth

HS2

HS4

HS6

Value

Trade

Growth

Growth (%)

Year

In 2022, South Africa exported $348M to Ireland. The main products exported from South Africa to Ireland were Platinum ($164M), Coal Briquettes ($31.6M), and Interchangeable Tool Parts ($21.5M). During the last 5 years the exports of South Africa to Ireland have increased at an annualized rate of 22.3%, from $127M in 2017 to $348M in 2022.

In 2017, Ireland exported $456M to South Africa. The main products exported from Ireland to South Africa were Packaged Medicaments ($70.2M), Vaccines, blood, antisera, toxins and cultures ($49.5M), and Planes, Helicopters, and/or Spacecraft ($45.4M). During the last 5 years the exports of Ireland to South Africa have increased at an annualized rate of 0.74%, from $433M in 2022 to $456M in 2017.

Exports from South Africa () to Ireland () (2022)

Exports from Ireland () to South Africa () (2022)

Market Competitiveness

Color

Exports

Export Growth

Section

Year

South Africa
Top DestinationChina$23.4B

Ireland
Top DestinationUnited States$70.7B

This map shows whether countries import more from South Africa or Ireland. Each country is colored based on the difference in imports they receive from South Africa and Ireland or the difference in the growth in imports.

In 2022, countries that imported more from South Africa than Ireland included India ($9.14B), China ($23.4B), and Mozambique ($5.43B).

In 2022, countries that imported more from Ireland than South Africa included United States ($70.7B), Germany ($28.6B), and Belgium ($17B).

Difference in imports from Ireland () and South Africa () (2022)

Comparative Advantage South Africa - Ireland

Flow

Section

HS2

HS4

Scale

Log

Linear

Year

This chart compares trade between South Africa and Ireland by product, considering products traded by both, South Africa and Ireland.

During 2022, South Africa had a large net trade with Ireland in the exports of Precious Metals ($166M), Vegetable Products ($34.8M), and Mineral Products ($32.1M).

During 2017, Ireland had a large net trade with South Africa in the exports of Chemical Products ($171M), Machines ($77.1M), and Foodstuffs ($58.1M).

Potential Exports

Depth

Section

HS2

HS4

View

Top 20

Top 15

Top 10

Sort By

Highest Potential

Most Saturated

Section

Top Product Potential South Africa Ireland+$18.2MPlatinum

Top Product Potential Ireland South Africa+$44.2MPackaged Medicaments

We estimate the export potential of an economy for each product and destination using an extension of the bilateral relatedness model of Jun et al. (2019).This extended gravity model considers similarities among products and geographies and explains more than 50% of the variance in future trade flows.

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Bilateral Service Trade

Irl Year

In 2020, Ireland exported services to South Africa worth $387M, with Financial services ($179M), Other business services ($171M), and Insurance services ($33.1M) being the largest in terms of value.

Service trade data is presented based on availability.

Services Exports from Ireland () to South Africa () (2020)

Service Trade

Economic Complexity

Competitive Landscape

Year

This visualization shows the product space at the HS4 level with the flags of South Africa and Ireland. This means that a dot/product with the flag of South Africa indicates it has a comparative advantage over Ireland. Similarly, a dot/product with the flag of Ireland indicates it has a comparative advantage over South Africa.

Product Space of South Africa () and Ireland () (2022)

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