South Africa Trade Data

Q1: What is South Africa customs data?

South Africa customs data covers the export trade records published by South Africa Customs. Each record is one complete customs declaration line and contains the parties, the product, the shipment route and the declared values.

Sample record: Mattresses of other materials fitted with springs (HS 9404291000, 202112) shipped from S. Africa (ZA) to Nigeria (NG), 40 Kg net weight, USD 0.64 declared value.

Q2: What are the unique advantages of South Africa data?

Core features of this data set:
   1. local-currency price fields (ZAR): amount, weight-unit price and quantity-unit price (e.g. 10.15)
   2. duty and valuation fields: Customs duty ZAR 100.54
   3. contract value fields: 264.57 R beside the customs value

Q3: How frequently is the data updated?

The data is refreshed monthly and supports historical backtracking. The sample record is for month 202112 with a clearance date of 2021/12/31.

Q4: How are the product description fields structured?

Product text is recorded in English and is split into two levels:
   - Code product description (the wording attached to the HS code): Mattresses, fitted with springs or stuffed or internally filled with any material (excl. cellular rubber or pl
   - Detailed product name (the specific item): Mattresses of other materials fitted with springs
   - Use: filter by HS code first, then keyword-search the detailed product name to find the exact SKU family

Q5: Which currencies and value fields does South Africa data provide?

Multiple value systems are provided:
   USD: amount 0.64, weight-unit price 0.016, quantity-unit price -
   CNY: total amount 4, weight-unit price 0.1
   Rand (ZAR): amount 10.15, weight-unit price 0.25375, quantity-unit price -
   contract value: 264.57 R, unit price 6.61425

Q6: What is HS code 9404291000 in this data set?

HS code 9404291000 corresponds to Mattresses, fitted with springs or stuffed or internally filled with any materia:
   - Code product description: Mattresses, fitted with springs or stuffed or internally filled with any material (excl. cellular rubber or pl
   - Detailed product name: Mattresses of other materials fitted with springs
   - Sub-industry: Furniture
   - Industry: Others

   In this sample the goods were declared by Foreign importer: BRAVO GROUP SLEEP PRODUCTS.

Q7: What do the weight and quantity fields mean?

Weight and quantity fields are recorded separately, and unit prices are derived from each basis:
   - Gross weight: 40 Kg
   - Net weight: 40 Kg (= 0.04 metric ton)
   - Quantity: not published
   - Take care: compare unit prices only on the same basis - weight-unit prices and quantity-unit prices are not interchangeable

Q8: How do I use South Africa data to develop buyers?

Steps:
   1. Filter records where the foreign importer is in Nigeria (NG) and the HS code matches your product line
   2. De-duplicate buyers by importer company code
   3. Grade each buyer by purchase frequency and value (month, USD amount)
   4. Look at which exporter they currently buy from, then pitch the same category

   Sample application: BRAVO GROUP SLEEP PRODUCTS (-) imported Mattresses of other materials fitted with springs from S. Africa (ZA), so similar products can be pitched to the same buyer profile.

Q9: How do I build a pricing or cost model with this data?

Steps:
   1. Extract the value fields: USD amount 0.64 and USD weight-unit price 0.016; local-currency amount 10.15 ZAR; CNY amount 4; contract value 264.57 R
   2. Note the Incoterms (sample: not stated) to know which cost elements are inside the declared value
   3. Add duty and tax from the tax fields (Customs duty ZAR 100.54) to move from customs value to landed cost
   4. Recalculate margin in the currency you actually settle in

   Sample application: "Mattresses of other materials fitted with springs" declared under HS 9404291000, 40 Kg, origin S. Africa (ZA).

Q10: How do I screen clearance channels and logistics routes?

Steps:
   1. Read the transport mode and entry point of each record (sample: - via port of durban)
   2. Group by origin country to see which corridor your competitors use
   3. Compare declared unit prices between corridors

   Sample application: goods entered from S. Africa (ZA) at port of durban.

Q11: How do I analyse import trends with South Africa data?

Analysis dimensions:
   1. Time: aggregate month, USD amount, net weight and record count using the month and clearance date fields
   2. Origin: compare country of origin and exporter country shares
   3. Product: rank HS codes, sub-industry and industry by value
   4. Supplier: profile the main exporters and their declared unit prices

   Sample application: the sample is a 202112 record (export), HS 9404291000, which can be used as one data point in a monthly trend line.

Q12: How do I screen price anomalies and audit declared value?

Screening method:
   1. Compare the line-level unit price (USD weight-unit price 0.016) with the same-indicator distribution on the same HS code
   2. Check weight consistency (net weight 40 Kg against the declaration-level weight where available)
   3. Flag records whose values are reported as 0 or whose duty is fully exempted, and exclude them from price averages
   4. Manually review outliers that deviate far from the category median

   Sample: Customs duty ZAR 100.54.

Q13: What makes the South Africa data set different from the import sets?

The South Africa sample is an export declaration, so the roles of the parties are reversed:
   - Foreign importer: BRAVO GROUP SLEEP PRODUCTS in Nigeria (NG)
   - South Africa exporter: LEWIS STORES (LESOTHO) (PTY) LTD, goods loaded at port of Durban
   - Value basis: USD amount 0.64, ZAR amount 10.15 and a contract foreign-currency amount of 264.57 (currency R), so the USD line alone is not a usable price signal here
   - Use: export records identify what South Africa ships out to other African markets, useful for competitor profiling and for buyer discovery on the African side