Botswana recorded a trade deficit of BWP 3027.5 million in February of 2019 compared to a BWP 1611.2 million gap in the same month a year ago. It is the largest trade shortfall since November 2015. Imports climbed 20.6 percent to BWP 6206.2 million, fuelled by purchases of diamonds (54.8 percent); vehicles & transport equipment (36.6 percent) and metal & metal products (18 percent). Main import partners were South Africa (47.6 percent of total purchases), Canada (18.5 percent), Namibia (5.8 percent) and India (5.8 percent). In contrast, exports tumbled 10.1 percent to BWP 3178.7 million, mainly dragged down by lower shipments of diamonds (-5.6 percent). Major export partners were India (18.6 percent of total shipments), Belgium (17.8 percent), the UAE (12.5 percent), South Africa (11.7 percent) and Namibia (11.5 percent). Balance of Trade in Botswana averaged -99.97 BWP Million from 2005 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 4102.21 BWP Million in March of 2007 and a record low of -6683 BWP Million in July of 2012.
Balance of Trade in Botswana is expected to be -356.82 BWP Million by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Balance of Trade in Botswana to stand at -91.10 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the Botswana Balance of Trade is projected to trend around 255.19 BWP Million in 2020, according to our econometric models.