BERLIN: Latest figures from Statistics Botswana (SB) show that diamonds contributed the highest total imports with 19.3 percent, which represents P44.4 billion.
This was followed by fuel which contributed P728.7 million, machinery and electrical equipment, food, beverages and tobacco which each contributed 13.5 percent to total imports with P601.1 million and P600.7 million respectively.
Total imports recorded 0.4 percent increase by January this year compared to December last year when imports were valued at P44.2 billion. Revision data also indicate that months of August, September and October last year recorded a small increase of 0.1 percent with P45 million.
Discussions on imports are based on cost, insurance and freight value.
Regionally, South Africa has been indicated to be the major trading partner with Botswana at about 75 percent of imports valued at P33.5 billion coming from it.
In the second place is Namibia with P42.8 million which is equivalent to one percent.
During the period under review, imports from Asia were valued at P323 million representing 7.3 percent of total imports.
China and Israel contributed 1.9 percent and 1.4 percent respectively to total imports recorded during January 2015.
The European Union (EU) supplied imports valued at P306million representing 6.9 percent of total imports during January 2015. Belgium and Germany respectively contributed 5.6 percent or P160.1 million and 1.6 percent or P70.6 million total imports during the same period.
Imports from Canada, the United States of America (USA) and Switzerland were valued at P208 million, P101.2 million and P72.6 million in January 2015 representing 4.7 percent and 2.3 percent respectively of total imports during the month.
However, currently government has been working on a strategy to reduce the import bill and build a sustainable economy.
Recently all central government departments, local authorities and parastatal organizations were directed to procure all their goods and services from locally based manufacturers, service providers and agricultural producers.
This initiative is also expected to promote both domestic and foreign investment into the country.
As part of promoting domestic industries, government has also, effective this month, banned the importation of less than 100 kilogrammes of packaged salt in a move aimed at stimulating domestic production and in turn creating employment.
The decision was taken in consideration of the fact that the raw material is available locally and the need to develop the value chain of the specific sector. Early this year, Minister of Trade and Industry, Vincent Seretse, said EDD had injected P15 billion into local businesses since its inception five years ago.
