Lesotho Imports 2023
Complete list of Lesotho's 104 import sources and 100+ product categories. Sourced from CEPII BACI.
$1.78B
Total imports (2023)
#168
Global import rank
104
Source countries
100+
Product categories tracked
Lesotho imported $1.78 billion of merchandise goods in 2023, making it the world's #168 largest importer. Goods came from 104 source countries, with the top ten sources providing 95.7% of total import value. The leading import was preparations n.e.c. containing by weight 70% or more of petroleum oils or oils from bituminous minerals, valued at $211.83 million — 11.9% of total imports.
The two tables below list every source country and the most-traded product categories at the HS6 (Harmonized System 6-digit) level. All values come from the CEPII BACI database, which reconciles UN Comtrade declarations to produce cleaner bilateral flows.
All import sources
104 countries and territories. Click for the full bilateral page.
| # | Source | 2023 import value | % of total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Africa | $1.40B | 78.72% |
| 2 | China | $162.34M | 9.12% |
| 3 | Other Asia, nes | $54.93M | 3.09% |
| 4 | Japan | $18.55M | 1.04% |
| 5 | India | $17.21M | 0.97% |
| 6 | Zambia | $12.49M | 0.70% |
| 7 | Viet Nam | $10.43M | 0.59% |
| 8 | Mozambique | $9.96M | 0.56% |
| 9 | China, Hong Kong SAR | $9.04M | 0.51% |
| 10 | USA | $7.44M | 0.42% |
| 11 | United Arab Emirates | $6.35M | 0.36% |
| 12 | Pakistan | $5.71M | 0.32% |
| 13 | Zimbabwe | $5.58M | 0.31% |
| 14 | Mauritius | $5.57M | 0.31% |
| 15 | Germany | $5.03M | 0.28% |
| 16 | United Kingdom | $4.99M | 0.28% |
| 17 | Belgium | $3.51M | 0.20% |
| 18 | Eswatini | $3.39M | 0.19% |
| 19 | Latvia | $2.56M | 0.14% |
| 20 | Italy | $2.50M | 0.14% |
| 21 | Malawi | $2.46M | 0.14% |
| 22 | Netherlands | $2.28M | 0.13% |
| 23 | Spain | $2.14M | 0.12% |
| 24 | Rep. of Korea | $1.90M | 0.11% |
| 25 | Uganda | $1.75M | 0.10% |
| 26 | Lithuania | $1.64M | 0.09% |
| 27 | Ghana | $1.64M | 0.09% |
| 28 | Thailand | $1.60M | 0.09% |
| 29 | France | $1.45M | 0.08% |
| 30 | Poland | $1.42M | 0.08% |
| 31 | Botswana | $1.29M | 0.07% |
| 32 | Singapore | $1.24M | 0.07% |
| 33 | Austria | $1.20M | 0.07% |
| 34 | Switzerland | $695,214 | 0.04% |
| 35 | Bahrain | $683,538 | 0.04% |
| 36 | Malaysia | $635,937 | 0.04% |
| 37 | Czechia | $624,926 | 0.04% |
| 38 | Türkiye | $566,180 | 0.03% |
| 39 | Sweden | $559,540 | 0.03% |
| 40 | Malta | $529,702 | 0.03% |
| 41 | Finland | $413,607 | 0.02% |
| 42 | Brazil | $402,426 | 0.02% |
| 43 | Djibouti | $354,178 | 0.02% |
| 44 | Denmark | $340,276 | 0.02% |
| 45 | Kenya | $319,330 | 0.02% |
| 46 | Australia | $286,834 | 0.02% |
| 47 | Sri Lanka | $239,370 | 0.01% |
| 48 | Hungary | $237,239 | 0.01% |
| 49 | Ireland | $227,530 | 0.01% |
| 50 | Bulgaria | $226,687 | 0.01% |
| 51 | Bangladesh | $217,620 | 0.01% |
| 52 | Togo | $209,448 | 0.01% |
| 53 | Namibia | $144,113 | 0.01% |
| 54 | United Rep. of Tanzania | $134,651 | 0.01% |
| 55 | Slovenia | $132,595 | 0.01% |
| 56 | Egypt | $124,391 | 0.01% |
| 57 | Oman | $94,295 | 0.01% |
| 58 | Canada | $85,702 | 0.00% |
| 59 | Jordan | $83,879 | 0.00% |
| 60 | Qatar | $62,279 | 0.00% |
| 61 | Tunisia | $58,021 | 0.00% |
| 62 | Ethiopia | $50,722 | 0.00% |
| 63 | Rep. of Moldova | $50,550 | 0.00% |
| 64 | Cambodia | $43,063 | 0.00% |
| 65 | Indonesia | $39,107 | 0.00% |
| 66 | Ukraine | $34,273 | 0.00% |
| 67 | Philippines | $24,223 | 0.00% |
| 68 | Chile | $23,390 | 0.00% |
| 69 | Nepal | $16,216 | 0.00% |
| 70 | Seychelles | $15,872 | 0.00% |
| 71 | Guatemala | $12,333 | 0.00% |
| 72 | Israel | $12,287 | 0.00% |
| 73 | Haiti | $9,447 | 0.00% |
| 74 | Tokelau | $8,588 | 0.00% |
| 75 | Belize | $5,747 | 0.00% |
| 76 | China, Macao SAR | $5,177 | 0.00% |
| 77 | Jamaica | $4,889 | 0.00% |
| 78 | Mexico | $4,771 | 0.00% |
| 79 | Panama | $2,780 | 0.00% |
| 80 | Niue | $2,676 | 0.00% |
| 81 | Slovakia | $2,393 | 0.00% |
| 82 | Ecuador | $2,251 | 0.00% |
| 83 | Wallis and Futuna Isds | $1,701 | 0.00% |
| 84 | Norway | $1,700 | 0.00% |
| 85 | Cyprus | $1,213 | 0.00% |
| 86 | Saudi Arabia | $812 | 0.00% |
| 87 | Nigeria | $687 | 0.00% |
| 88 | Portugal | $390 | 0.00% |
| 89 | El Salvador | $357 | 0.00% |
| 90 | Estonia | $333 | 0.00% |
| 91 | Dominican Rep. | $312 | 0.00% |
| 92 | Rwanda | $267 | 0.00% |
| 93 | Greece | $224 | 0.00% |
| 94 | Morocco | $171 | 0.00% |
| 95 | Romania | $154 | 0.00% |
| 96 | Croatia | $128 | 0.00% |
| 97 | Madagascar | $123 | 0.00% |
| 98 | Uruguay | $121 | 0.00% |
| 99 | Comoros | $104 | 0.00% |
| 100 | Montenegro | $59 | 0.00% |
| 101 | Dem. Rep. of the Congo | $37 | 0.00% |
| 102 | New Caledonia | $30 | 0.00% |
| 103 | Afghanistan | $11 | 0.00% |
| 104 | Iran | $6 | 0.00% |
Top import products (HS6)
100 product categories ranked by 2023 import value.
| # | HS6 | Product | Value | % of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 271000 | Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crude: preparations n.e.c. containing by weight 70% or more of petroleum oils or oils from bituminous minerals: these being the basic constituents of the preparations: waste oils | $211.83M | 11.91% |
| 2 | 271600 | Electrical energy | $44.06M | 2.48% |
| 3 | 110220 | Cereal flour: of maize (corn) | $38.94M | 2.19% |
| 4 | 110313 | Cereal groats and meal: of maize (corn) | $25.83M | 1.45% |
| 5 | 600330 | Fabrics: knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of heading 60.01 and 60.02, of a width not exceeding 30 cm, of synthetic fibres | $23.22M | 1.30% |
| 6 | 853890 | Electrical apparatus: parts suitable for use solely or principally with the apparatus of heading no. 8535, 8536 or 8537 | $21.65M | 1.22% |
| 7 | 520100 | Cotton: not carded or combed | $21.14M | 1.19% |
| 8 | 100590 | Cereals: maize (corn), other than seed | $20.03M | 1.13% |
| 9 | 100199 | Cereals: wheat and meslin, other than durum wheat, other than seed | $20.03M | 1.13% |
| 10 | 300490 | Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale | $19.67M | 1.11% |
| 11 | 110100 | Wheat or meslin flour | $19.11M | 1.07% |
| 12 | 870421 | Vehicles: compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel), for transport of goods, (of a gvw not exceeding 5 tonnes), n.e.c. in item no 8704.1 | $18.85M | 1.06% |
| 13 | 600490 | Fabrics: knitted or crocheted, other than those of heading 60.01, of a width exceeding 30 cm, containing by weight 5% or more of elastomeric yarn or rubber thread, | $15.88M | 0.89% |
| 14 | 842959 | Mechanical shovels, excavators and shovel loaders: n.e.c. in item no. 8429.50 | $15.74M | 0.88% |
| 15 | 870323 | Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1500 but not over 3000cc | $14.66M | 0.82% |
| 16 | 252329 | Cement: portland, other than white, whether or not artificially coloured | $14.14M | 0.80% |
| 17 | 220210 | Waters: including mineral and aerated, containing added sugar or other sweetening matter or flavoured | $12.89M | 0.72% |
| 18 | 392690 | Plastics: other articles n.e.c. in chapter 39 | $12.86M | 0.72% |
| 19 | 040110 | Dairy produce: milk and cream, not concentrated, not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter, of a fat content, by weight, not exceeding 1% | $12.80M | 0.72% |
| 20 | 621790 | Clothing: parts of garments or of clothing accessories, other than those of heading no. 6212 (not knitted or crocheted) | $11.88M | 0.67% |
| 21 | 020713 | Meat and edible offal: of fowls of the species Gallus domesticus, cuts and offal, fresh or chilled | $11.71M | 0.66% |
| 22 | 020714 | Meat and edible offal: of fowls of the species Gallus domesticus, cuts and offal, frozen | $11.60M | 0.65% |
| 23 | 940690 | Buildings: prefabricated, not of wood | $11.15M | 0.63% |
| 24 | 160100 | Meat preparations: sausages and similar products, of meat, meat offal or blood, and food preparations based on these products | $10.86M | 0.61% |
| 25 | 551422 | Fabrics, woven: 3- or 4-thread twill, including cross twill, dyed, containing less than 85% by weight of polyester staple fibres, mixed mainly or solely with cotton, exceeding 170g/m2 | $10.70M | 0.60% |
| 26 | 540772 | Fabrics, woven: containing 85% or more by weight of synthetic filaments (excluding nylon or other polyamides and polyesters), dyed | $10.63M | 0.60% |
| 27 | 870423 | Vehicles: compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel), for transport of goods, (of a g.v.w. exceeding 20 tonnes), n.e.c. in item no 8704.1 | $10.46M | 0.59% |
| 28 | 870322 | Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion reciprocating piston engine, cylinder capacity over 1000 but not over 1500cc | $10.40M | 0.58% |
| 29 | 732690 | Iron or steel: articles n.e.c. in heading 7326 | $10.39M | 0.58% |
| 30 | 340290 | Washing and cleaning preparations: surface-active, whether or not containing soap (excluding those of heading no. 3401), including auxiliary washing preparations, not for retail sale | $10.30M | 0.58% |
| 31 | 847490 | Machines, for sorting, screening, separating, washing, crushing etc mineral substances, for agglomerating, shaping or moulding solid fuels, ceramic pastes etc, for forming foundry moulds of sand: parts | $9.88M | 0.56% |
| 32 | 170113 | Sugars: cane sugar, raw, in solid form, as specified in Subheading Note 2 to this chapter, not containing added flavouring or colouring matter | $9.87M | 0.55% |
| 33 | 382200 | Reagents: diagnostic or laboratory reagents on a backing and prepared diagnostic or laboratory reagents whether or not on a backing, other than those of heading no. 3002 or 3006: certified reference material | $9.36M | 0.53% |
| 34 | 520942 | Fabrics, woven: containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, of yarns of different colours, weighing more than 200g/m2, denim | $9.04M | 0.51% |
| 35 | 851712 | Telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks | $8.93M | 0.50% |
| 36 | 220600 | Beverages, fermented: (e.g. cider, perry, mead, sake) | $8.84M | 0.50% |
| 37 | 600690 | Fabrics: knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04,and other than those made of wool, fine animal hair, cotton, synthetic or artificial fibres | $8.72M | 0.49% |
| 38 | 121410 | Lucerne (alfalfa) meal and pellets | $8.56M | 0.48% |
| 39 | 151219 | Vegetable oils: sunflower seed or safflower oil and their fractions, other than crude, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified | $8.26M | 0.46% |
| 40 | 600632 | Fabrics: knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of synthetic fibres, dyed | $8.23M | 0.46% |
| 41 | 870410 | Vehicles: dumpers, designed for off-highway use, for transport of goods | $8.22M | 0.46% |
| 42 | 520949 | Fabrics, woven: containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, of yarns of different colours, of weaves n.e.c. in item no. 5209.4, weighing more than 200g/m2 | $8.20M | 0.46% |
| 43 | 540710 | Fabrics, woven: from high tenacity yarn, of nylon, other polyamides or of polyesters | $8.15M | 0.46% |
| 44 | 853530 | Electrical apparatus: isolating and make-and-break switches, for a voltage exceeding 1000 volts | $7.25M | 0.41% |
| 45 | 220300 | Beer: made from malt | $7.10M | 0.40% |
| 46 | 870899 | Vehicle parts and accessories: n.e.c. in heading no. 8708 | $6.52M | 0.37% |
| 47 | 961900 | Sanitary towels (pads) and tampons, napkins and napkin liners for babies and similar articles, of any material | $6.41M | 0.36% |
| 48 | 252310 | Cement clinkers (whether or not coloured) | $6.23M | 0.35% |
| 49 | 842951 | Front-end shovel loaders | $6.17M | 0.35% |
| 50 | 870422 | Vehicles: compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel), for transport of goods, (of a g.v.w. exceeding 5 tonnes but not exceeding 20 tonnes), n.e.c. in item no 8704.1 | $6.11M | 0.34% |
| 51 | 271500 | Bituminous mixtures based on natural asphalt, on natural bitumen, on petroleum bitumen, on mineral tar or on mineral tar pitch (e.g. bituminous mastics, cut-backs) | $6.04M | 0.34% |
| 52 | 340211 | Organic surface-active agents: anionic (other than soap), whether or not put up for retail sale | $6.01M | 0.34% |
| 53 | 600192 | Fabrics: pile fabrics (excluding long pile and loop pile), of man-made fibres, knitted or crocheted | $5.91M | 0.33% |
| 54 | 870490 | Vehicles: for transport of goods, n.e.c. in heading no. 8704 | $5.90M | 0.33% |
| 55 | 843149 | Machinery: parts of machines handling earth, minerals or ores and n.e.c. in heading no. 8431 | $5.89M | 0.33% |
| 56 | 230990 | Dog or cat food: (not put up for retail sale), used in animal feeding | $5.80M | 0.33% |
| 57 | 600622 | Fabrics: knitted or crocheted fabrics, other than those of headings 60.01 to 60.04, of cotton, dyed | $5.62M | 0.32% |
| 58 | 100630 | Cereals: rice, semi-milled or wholly milled, whether or not polished or glazed | $5.45M | 0.31% |
| 59 | 091099 | Spices: n.e.c. in heading no. 0910 | $5.36M | 0.30% |
| 60 | 720990 | Iron or non-alloy steel: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, cold-rolled, n.e.c. in heading no. 7209 | $5.31M | 0.30% |
| 61 | 240319 | Tobacco: smoking, other than water pipe tobacco, whether or not containing tobacco substitutes in any proportion | $5.21M | 0.29% |
| 62 | 271320 | Petroleum bitumen: obtained from bituminous minerals | $5.06M | 0.28% |
| 63 | 590320 | Textile fabrics: impregnated, coated, covered or laminated with polyurethane | $5.05M | 0.28% |
| 64 | 210690 | Food preparations: n.e.c. in item no. 2106.10 | $5.00M | 0.28% |
| 65 | 730890 | Iron or steel: structures and parts thereof, n.e.c. in heading 7308 | $4.83M | 0.27% |
| 66 | 847130 | Automatic data processing machines: portable, weighing not more than 10kg, consisting of at least a central processing unit, a keyboard and a display | $4.80M | 0.27% |
| 67 | 200990 | Juices: mixtures of fruits or vegetables, unfermented, not containing added spirit, whether or not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter | $4.66M | 0.26% |
| 68 | 401110 | Rubber: new pneumatic tyres, of a kind used on motor cars (including station wagons and racing cars) | $4.60M | 0.26% |
| 69 | 340130 | Organic surface-active products and preparations for washing the skin, in the form of liquid or cream and put up for retail sale, whether or not containing soap | $4.52M | 0.25% |
| 70 | 340120 | Soap: in forms n.e.c. in item no. 3401.11 | $4.47M | 0.25% |
| 71 | 870590 | Vehicles: break-down lorries, road-sweepers, spraying lorries, mobile workshops, mobile radiological units, and other special purpose vehicles n.e.c. in heading no. 8705 | $4.45M | 0.25% |
| 72 | 110720 | Malt: roasted | $4.39M | 0.25% |
| 73 | 411510 | Leather: composition leather with a basis of leather or leather fibre, in slabs, sheets or strip, whether or not in rolls | $4.29M | 0.24% |
| 74 | 640299 | Footwear: n.e.c. in heading no. 6402, (other than just covering the ankle), with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics | $4.17M | 0.23% |
| 75 | 847989 | Machines and mechanical appliances: having individual functions, n.e.c. or included in this chapter | $4.06M | 0.23% |
| 76 | 842940 | Tamping machines and road rollers: self-propelled | $3.99M | 0.22% |
| 77 | 170490 | Sugar confectionery: (excluding chewing gum, including white chocolate), not containing cocoa | $3.97M | 0.22% |
| 78 | 853690 | Electrical apparatus: n.e.c. in heading no. 8536, for switching or protecting electrical circuits, for a voltage not exceeding 1000 volts | $3.96M | 0.22% |
| 79 | 870390 | Vehicles: for transport of persons (other than those of heading no. 8702) n.e.c. in heading no. 8703 | $3.91M | 0.22% |
| 80 | 020712 | Meat and edible offal: of fowls of the species Gallus domesticus, not cut in pieces, frozen | $3.84M | 0.22% |
| 81 | 210390 | Sauces and preparations therefor: mixed condiments and mixed seasonings | $3.79M | 0.21% |
| 82 | 190420 | Food preparations: obtained from unroasted cereal flakes or from mixtures of unroasted cereal flakes and roasted cereal flakes or swelled cereals | $3.75M | 0.21% |
| 83 | 271119 | Petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons: liquefied, n.e.c. in heading no. 2711 | $3.73M | 0.21% |
| 84 | 870510 | Vehicles: crane lorries | $3.68M | 0.21% |
| 85 | 160413 | Fish preparations: sardines, sardinella and brisling or sprats, prepared or preserved, whole or in pieces (but not minced) | $3.65M | 0.21% |
| 86 | 190490 | Food preparations: cereal or cereal products (excluding maize), in grain form, pre-cooked or otherwise prepared | $3.59M | 0.20% |
| 87 | 520832 | Fabrics, woven: containing 85% or more by weight of cotton, dyed, plain weave, weighing more than 100g/m2 but not more than 200g/m2 | $3.56M | 0.20% |
| 88 | 540761 | Fabrics, woven: containing 85% or more by weight of non-textured polyester filaments | $3.48M | 0.20% |
| 89 | 121490 | Forage products including swedes, mangolds, fodder roots, hay, sainfoin, clover, forage kale, lupines, vetches etc., pelletised or otherwise | $3.39M | 0.19% |
| 90 | 330499 | Cosmetic and toilet preparations: n.e.c. in heading no. 3304, for the care of the skin (excluding medicaments, including sunscreen or sun tan preparations) | $3.39M | 0.19% |
| 91 | 851762 | Communication apparatus (excluding telephone sets or base stations): machines for the reception, conversion and transmission or regeneration of voice, images or other data, including switching and routing apparatus | $3.38M | 0.19% |
| 92 | 481810 | Paper articles: toilet paper | $3.35M | 0.19% |
| 93 | 190410 | Food preparations: obtained by the swelling or roasting of cereals or cereal products | $3.34M | 0.19% |
| 94 | 580710 | Labels, badges and similar articles: woven, of textile materials, in the piece, in strips or cut to shape or size, not embroidered | $3.31M | 0.19% |
| 95 | 854449 | Insulated electric conductors: for a voltage not exceeding 1000 volts, not fitted with connectors | $3.31M | 0.19% |
| 96 | 190531 | Food preparations: sweet biscuits, whether or not containing cocoa | $3.23M | 0.18% |
| 97 | 842919 | Bulldozers and angledozers: self-propelled, other than track laying | $3.17M | 0.18% |
| 98 | 401120 | Rubber: new pneumatic tyres, of a kind used on buses or lorries | $3.15M | 0.18% |
| 99 | 382499 | Chemical products, mixtures and preparations: n.e.c. heading 3824 | $3.08M | 0.17% |
| 100 | 240220 | Cigarettes: containing tobacco | $3.05M | 0.17% |