The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Saudi Arabia’s import purchases during 2017. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Saudi Arabia.

At the more granular four-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level, Saudi Arabia’s most in-demand imported goods are cars followed by phone system devices including smartphones, medications, gold, refined petroleum oils then aircraft parts.

1. Machinery including computers: US$16.5 billion (13% of total imports)
2. Electrical machinery, equipment: $14.2 billion (11.2%)
3. Vehicles: $12.9 billion (10.2%)
4. Pharmaceuticals: $5.2 billion (4.1%)
5. Articles of iron or steel: $4.1 billion (3.2%)
6. Gems, precious metals: $3.5 billion (2.7%)
7. Plastics, plastic articles: $2.9 billion (2.3%)
8. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $2.9 billion (2.3%)
9. Mineral fuels including oil: $2.7 billion (2.2%)
10. Cereals: $2.6 billion (2%)

Saudi Arabia’s top 10 imports accounted for 53.2% of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

Mineral fuels including oil had the fastest-growing increase in value among the top 10 import categories up by 267.2% from 2016 to 2017.

In second place for higher purchases were cereals up 25.1%. The cereals category was led by rice, barley, corn and wheat. Saudi imports of gems and precious metals delivered the third-fastest gain up by 17.7%.

Vehicles endured the most severe drop among the top 10 Saudi imports, falling -27.2% year over year.

Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Information presented under other virtual folder tabs is at the more granular 4-digit level.

In 2017, Saudi importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers:

1. Taps, valves, similar appliances: US$1.7 billion (up 3.5% from 2016)
2. Computers, optical readers: $1.4 billion (down -4%)
3. Air conditioners: $1.1 billion (down -10.1%)
4. Machinery parts: $1 billion (down -4.9%)
5. Liquid pumps and elevators: $908.3 million (down -3.9%)
6. Air or vacuum pumps: $863.8 million (up 4.6%)
7. Piston engines: $794.7 million (down -14.4%)
8. Turbo-jets: $749.4 million (down -3.8%)
9. Temperature-change machines: $729.4 million (up 21.4%)
10. Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $674.3 million (down -2.2%)

Among these import subcategories, Saudi Arabia’s purchases of temperature-change machines (up 21.4%), air or vacuum pumps (up 4.6%) and taps, valves and similar appliances (up 3.5%) were the only top categories to grow from 2016 to 2017.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Saudi businesses and consumers.

In 2017, Saudi importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronic products:

1. Phone system devices including smartphones: US$6.6 billion (up 29.5% from 2016)
2. Electrical converters/power units: $743.4 million (down -26.4%)
3. Insulated wire/cable: $679 million (down -31.5%)
4. TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $630.1 million (down -1.4%)
5. Unrecorded sound media: $628 million (up 94.1%)
6. High-voltage switches, fuses: $480.4 million (down -38.4%)
7. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $449.6 million (down -17.4%)
8. Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $439.8 million (down -28.2%)
9. Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $365.9 million (up 1.9%)
10. Electric storage batteries: $307.8 million (down -6.7%)

Among these import subcategories, Saudi Arabia’s purchases of unrecorded sound media (up 94.1%), phone system devices including smartphones (up 29.5%) and electric water heaters and hair dryers (up 1.9%) were the only top categories to grow from 2016 to 2017.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among Saudi businesses and consumers.

In 2017, Saudi importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles:

1. Cars: US$9.5 billion (down -26.2% from 2016)
2. Trucks: $1.3 billion (down -41.5%)
3. Automobile parts/accessories: $1.2 billion (down -18.2%)
4. Public-transport vehicles: $415.2 million (up 0.1%)
5. Special purpose vehicles: $164.5 million (down -49.5%)
6. Trailers: $147 million (down -33.3%)
7. Work trucks: $56.3 million (up 16.1%)
8. Tractors: $35.5 million (down -43.4%)
9. Bicycles, other non-motorized cycles: $26.8 million (down -7.7%)
10. Motorcycles: $25.6 million (down -35.1%)

Among these import subcategories, Saudi Arabia’s purchases of work trucks (up 16.1%) and public-transport vehicles (up 0.1%) were the only top categories to grow from 2016 to 2017.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported vehicles among Saudi businesses and consumers.

In 2017, Saudi importers spent the most on the following 6 subcategories of pharmaceuticals:

1. Medication mixes in dosage: US$3.8 billion (up 7.6% from 2016)
2. Blood fractions (including antisera): $713.2 million (up 22.1%)
3. Medication mixes not in dosage: $412.4 million (down -9.5%)
4. Sutures, special pharmaceutical goods: $143.7 million (down -1.5%)
5. Packaged dressings: $106.5 million (up 22.8%)
6. Dried organs, heparin: $6.7 million (up 21.7%)

Among these import subcategories, Saudi Arabia’s purchases of packaged dressings (up 22.8%), blood fractions including antisera (up 22.1%) and dried organs and heparin (up 21.7%) grew at the fastest pace from 2016 to 2017.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported pharmaceuticals among Saudi businesses and consumers.