Rwanda, located within Central and East Africa, is a small but rapidly growing market for imported goods required to cater to the needs of its 12.2 million people. The top 10 imports for Rwanda include medicaments, petroleum products, and construction materials, among others.
Below are some of the import statistics for Rwanda.
- Rwanda is the 167th largest importer in the world
- Imports in 2017 stood at $1.11 billion.
- Over the last five years, imports have decreased at an annual rate of -10.5% from US$ 1.79 billion in 2012 to $ 1.11 billion in 2017.
Here is the list of top 10 imports for Rwanda.
10. Soap
- The demand for soap in Rwanda is quite high. In 2017, soap imports were valued at US $20.3 million, making up 1.8% of the total imports.
9. Delivery Trucks
- Imports of delivery trucks in 2017 stood at 1.9% of Rwanda’s total imports, with an import value of US$20.8 million.
8. Coated Flat-rolled Iron
- Coated Flat-rolled iron, used in the construction industry, constituted 2.0% of Rwanda’s total imports. Imports of this commodity were valued at US $22.2 million.
7. Corn
- Corn, another of the top imports for Rwanda, constituted 2.0% of the country’s imports. Imports of this product were worth US$22.8 million.
6. Human or Animal Blood
- Imports of this product were valued at US$25.5 million, making up 2.3% of the total imports.
5. Wheat
- Wheat imports to Rwanda were valued at US$29.6 million, thus making up 2.7% of the country’s total imports.
4. Raw Sugar
- Raw sugar is one of Rwanda’s more crucial imports, as the country does not produce any sugar of its own. Sugar imports constituted 2.9% of total imports and were valued at US$ 31.9 million.
3. Broadcasting Equipment
- Rwanda imported broadcasting equipment valued at US$ 53.9 million, 4.8% of the total imports.
2. Packaged Medicaments
- Packaged medicaments worth US$ 68.9 million are imported into Rwanda yearly. These imports constitute 6.2% of the country’s total imports.
1. Refined Petroleum
- Refined petroleum is the top import into Rwanda, valued at US$ 72.7 million. In 2017, petroleum imports made up 6.5% of Rwanda’s yearly imports.
Next, have a look at the countries from which the top 10 imports for Rwanda originate.
- Uganda is the top importer into Rwanda, bringing in items worth US$ 171 million, or 15% of total imports. Items imported from Uganda include soap, cement, corn, raw sugar, and vegetable oils.
- Next on the list of importers is Kenya. Rwanda imports confectionary sugar, packaged medicaments, salt and refined petroleum from Kenya, valued at US$ 165 million.
- China is the next biggest importer into Rwanda, bringing in rubber tires, frozen fish, buses and delivery trucks worth US$ 128 million.
- India is another major importer into Rwanda. From this country, Rwanda receives packaged medicaments, motorcycles, coated flat-rolled iron, and insulated wire worth US$ 89 million.
- South Korea also provides Rwanda with US% 71.4 million worth of imported refined petroleum, 6.4% of the country’s total imports.
The list above of the top 10 imports for Rwanda is of great help to anyone who intends to start an import business, and for those individuals who are looking to diversify their interests in the import business.