In January 2025, Botswana’s total imports reached P6,653.2 million, with food and beverages accounting for P1,092.9 million, or 16.4% of the total. The latest data from Statistics Botswana reveals notable trends in the country’s import patterns, particularly in the beverages and cereals sectors.

Beverages, spirits, and vinegar (Chapter 22) emerged as the most imported commodity, contributing 20.2% to the food and beverages category. Within this segment, beer made from malt dominated with a 37.0% share, followed by other fermented beverages like cider and mead at 24.3%. Non-alcoholic beverages, including flavored and mineral waters, accounted for 16.2%. Cereals (Chapter 10) followed closely, making up 17.1% of food and beverage imports, with other maize (corn) and grain sorghum being the primary contributors at 44.9% and 23.9%, respectively.

A month-on-month comparison shows a decline in food and beverage imports, which dropped by 17.5% from December 2024 to January 2025. Key categories such as cereals and preparations of vegetables, fruit, and nuts saw significant decreases of 19.5% and 43.4%, respectively. However, cocoa and cocoa preparations bucked the trend with a sharp 69.0% increase.

The data also highlights a year-on-year perspective, with January 2025 imports totaling P1,092.9 million, slightly lower than the P1,101.6 million recorded in January 2024. Beverages and cereals remained the top imported items, though their values fluctuated over the year.