Lower imports aid trade surplus surplus

The figures show that within both imports and exports, lower diamond inflows and outflows were behind trends in May.During the month, diamond imports fell 37 percent to P1.4 billion, while exports were down 28 percent to P4.09 billion.Under the De Beers' arrangement, Botswana imports rough diamonds from mines in Namibia, South Africa and Canada for sorting and valuing locally, before the stones are exported.As a result, Statistics Botswana records diamonds as both imports and exports.

According to data, for May imports, diamonds contributed 27.1 percent (P1,360.1 million) to total imports (P5,024.8 million) during the month, followed by Fuel with 15.3 percent (P768.6 million). Machinery & Electrical Equipment contributed 12.4 percent (P623.0 million) followed by Vehicles & Transport Equipment and Food, Beverages & Tobacco with 10.8 percent (P543.1 million) and 10.1 percent (P505.9 million) respectively. Chemicals & Rubber Products contributed 9.0 percent (P451.4 million).