Trade in a Bottle: Identifying Import Bottlenecks in International Trade

Country Matrix

For 2025, the matrix below shows Saudi Arabia's number of import bottlenecks for different combinations of minimum import share (%) and minimum import value (USD). Red parentheses show bottlenecks from Danger Zone countries, and lime square brackets show bottlenecks involving Critical Goods.

Saudi Arabia

Year: 2025(66 in Danger Zone)[2 Critical Goods]
6-digit HS codes4-digit HS codes2-digit HS codes
Value \ Share>= 30%>= 40%>= 50%>= 60%>= 70%>= 80%>= 90%
>= 10 mln USD1136(66)[2]850(40)611(24)451(13)319(9)190(5)91(2)
>= 50 mln USD337(18)[2]258(14)198(9)150(4)112(3)68(3)34(1)
>= 100 mln USD183(9)[2]144(7)113(6)89(2)65(2)39(2)21
>= 200 mln USD89(7)[2]75(6)58(5)45(2)32(2)23(2)12
>= 500 mln USD32(1)[1]26(1)22(1)1817137
Danger ZoneCritical GoodsCritical and in Danger

Danger Zone Bottlenecks (66 records, >= 30% share, >= 10 mln USD)

#Partner HS Code HS DescriptionYearShare (%) Value (USD)
1United Arab Emirates710813Metals; gold, semi-manufactured202596.28%80,419,810
2Bahrain760521Aluminium; alloys, wire, maximum cross-sectional dimension exceeding 7mm202595.36%35,617,268
3Bahrain760120Aluminium; unwrought, alloys202589.16%485,850,915
4Bahrain391723Plastics; tubes, pipes and hoses thereof, rigid, of polymers of vinyl chloride202582.33%34,804,915
5Bahrain730810Iron or steel; structures and parts thereof, bridges and bridge-sections202580.25%331,179,828
6United Arab Emirates681019Cement, concrete or artificial stone; tiles, flagstones and similar, (excluding building blocks and bricks) whether or not reinforced202578.79%44,390,049
7United Arab Emirates210410Soups and broths and preparations therefor202577.10%49,535,572
8Syria080420Fruit, edible; figs, fresh or dried202573.56%10,815,081
9United Arab Emirates690723Ceramic tiles; flags and paving, hearth or wall tiles other than those of subheadings 6907.30 and 6907.40, of a water absorption coefficient by weight over 10%202570.86%19,654,513
10Kuwait300339Medicaments; containing hormones (excluding insulin), (but not containing antibiotics), for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, not packaged for retail sale202562.44%20,378,708
11Bahrain760612Aluminium; plates, sheets and strip, thickness exceeding 0.2mm, alloys, rectangular (including square)202561.95%96,733,505
12United Arab Emirates392113Plastics; plates, sheets, film, foil and strip, of polyurethanes, cellular202561.15%23,328,128
13Kuwait110100Wheat or meslin flour202560.46%23,573,618
14United Arab Emirates890110Cruise ships, excursion boats and similar vessels, principally designed for the transport of persons, ferry boats of all kinds202559.88%10,604,595
15United Arab Emirates071390Vegetables, leguminous; n.e.c. in heading no. 0713, shelled, whether or not skinned or split, dried202559.49%12,826,999
16United Arab Emirates392590Plastics; builders' ware, n.e.c. or included in heading no. 3925202558.40%214,211,699
17Russian Federation230320Beet-pulp, bagasse and other waste of sugar manufacture; whether or not in the form of pellets202556.48%13,685,997
18United Arab Emirates760110Aluminium; unwrought, (not alloyed)202555.61%31,009,163
19United Arab Emirates160290Meat preparations; of meat, meat offal or the blood of any animal, n.e.c. in heading no. 1602202555.03%27,122,270
20Russian Federation720720Iron or non-alloy steel; semi-finished products of iron or non-alloy steel, containing by weight 0.25% or more of carbon202553.06%60,612,603
21Bahrain040630Dairy produce; cheese, processed (not grated or powdered)202552.99%219,740,408
22United Arab Emirates710812Metals; gold, non-monetary, unwrought (but not powder)202551.86%5,115,078,984
23Russian Federation270111Coal; anthracite, whether or not pulverised, but not agglomerated202551.60%15,263,153
24Ukraine151211Vegetable oils; sunflower seed or safflower oil and their fractions, crude, not chemically modified202551.01%111,613,496
25United Arab Emirates091091Spices; mixtures of 2 or more products of different headings202548.94%21,162,262
26Bahrain760511Aluminium; (not alloyed), wire, maximum cross-sectional dimension exceeds 7mm202548.93%75,235,572
27United Arab Emirates071340Vegetables, leguminous; lentils, shelled, whether or not skinned or split, dried202548.74%34,070,682
28United Arab Emirates730431Iron or non-alloy steel (excluding cast iron); seamless, cold-drawn or cold-rolled, tubes, pipes and hollow profiles of circular cross-section202548.32%41,702,435
29Bahrain760429Aluminium; alloys, bars, rods and profiles, other than hollow202548.00%15,470,725
30United Arab Emirates940610Buildings; prefabricated, of wood202547.93%13,890,279
31United Arab Emirates090230Tea, black; (fermented) and partly fermented tea, in immediate packings of a content not exceeding 3kg202547.61%61,138,254
32United Arab Emirates940620Buildings; modular building units, of steel202545.80%62,902,742
33Russian Federation720230Ferro-alloys; ferro-silico-manganese202545.67%12,646,741
34United Arab Emirates700510Glass; float glass and surface ground or polished glass, in sheets, non-wired, having an absorbent reflecting or non-reflecting layer202542.36%16,640,960
35Syria150920Vegetable oils; olive oil and its fractions, extra virgin olive oil, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified202540.86%24,007,748
36United Arab Emirates390120Ethylene polymers; in primary forms, polyethylene having a specific gravity of 0.94 or more202540.85%60,812,725
37Russian Federation100119Cereals; wheat and meslin, durum wheat, other than seed202540.65%399,244,813
38Bahrain441510Wood; cases, boxes, crates, drums, similar packings and cable-drums202540.54%11,150,605
39United Arab Emirates151790Edible mixtures or preparations of animal, vegetable or microbial fats or oils or of fractions of different fats or oils of this Chapter, n.e.c. in heading 1517, other than edible fats and oils or their fractions of heading 15.16202540.43%12,408,290
40United Arab Emirates900150Lenses, spectacle; unmounted, of materials other than glass202540.05%12,663,107
41United Arab Emirates401610Rubber; vulcanised (other than hard rubber), moulded rubber mats and mats of non-rectangular shape made by cutting from the piece, of cellular rubber202539.79%16,396,421
42United Arab Emirates160232Meat preparations; of the poultry of heading no. 0105, (i.e. of fowls of the species Gallus domesticus)202538.59%46,062,632
43United Arab Emirates320649Colouring matter; other preparations n.e.c. in item no. 3206.4202538.43%13,186,556
44United Arab Emirates390210Propylene, other olefin polymers; polypropylene in primary forms202537.92%25,503,725
45Kuwait160290Meat preparations; of meat, meat offal or the blood of any animal, n.e.c. in heading no. 1602202537.86%18,659,294
46United Arab Emirates390422Vinyl chloride, other halogenated olefin polymers; plasticised poly(vinyl chloride), in primary forms, mixed with other substances202537.85%11,830,493
47United Arab Emirates890790Floating structures; tanks, coffer-dams, landing stages, buoys and beacons202537.46%20,395,820
48United Arab Emirates831000Sign plates, name-plates, address-plates and similar plates, numbers, letters and other symbols; of base metal, excluding those of heading no. 9405202535.35%11,267,061
49Bahrain260112Iron ores and concentrates; agglomerated (excluding roasted iron pyrites)202535.13%100,114,162
50United Arab Emirates321490Mastics; n.e.c. in heading no. 3214202535.02%16,758,101
51Bahrain720711Iron or non-alloy steel; semi-finished products of iron or non-alloy steel; containing by weight less than 0.25% of carbon, of rectangular (including square) cross-section, width less than twice thickness202534.24%226,195,596
52Russian Federation480421Kraft paper and paperboard; sack kraft paper, uncoated, unbleached, in rolls or sheets, other than that of heading no. 4802 or 4803202533.96%15,582,517
53Bahrain730120Iron or steel; angles, shapes and sections, welded202532.06%41,499,477
54United Arab Emirates721070Iron or non-alloy steel; flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, painted, varnished or coated with plastics202531.95%20,438,334
55United Arab Emirates940690Buildings; prefabricated, not of wood202531.92%62,293,167
56Bahrain480300Tissue, towel, napkin stock or similar; for household or sanitary use, cellulose, wadding webs of cellulose fibres, in rolls exceeding 36cm in width or rectangular sheets with one side more than 36cm in unfolded state202531.75%25,807,846
57United Arab Emirates170199Sugars; sucrose, chemically pure, in solid form, not containing added flavouring or colouring matter202531.57%11,982,712
58United Arab Emirates392190Plastics; plates, sheets, film, foil and strip, other than cellular202531.50%47,676,757
59United Arab Emirates300339Medicaments; containing hormones (excluding insulin), (but not containing antibiotics), for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, not packaged for retail sale202531.34%10,229,335
60Syria150930Vegetable oils; olive oil and its fractions, virgin olive oil, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified202531.30%12,374,471
61Kuwait701990Glass fibres; n.e.c. in heading no. 7019202531.18%22,753,741
62United Arab Emirates480300Tissue, towel, napkin stock or similar; for household or sanitary use, cellulose, wadding webs of cellulose fibres, in rolls exceeding 36cm in width or rectangular sheets with one side more than 36cm in unfolded state202531.15%25,320,646
63United Arab Emirates330510Hair preparations; shampoos202531.08%39,112,467
64Russian Federation151211Vegetable oils; sunflower seed or safflower oil and their fractions, crude, not chemically modified202530.49%66,725,975
65United Arab Emirates190120Food preparations; mixes and doughs for the preparation of bread, pastry, cakes, biscuits and other bakers' wares202530.21%31,447,289
66Bahrain381220Plasticisers, compound; for rubber or plastics202530.19%18,720,981

Partner frequency summary:

United Arab Emirates: 37 occurrences

Bahrain: 14 occurrences

Russian Federation: 7 occurrences

Kuwait: 4 occurrences

Syria: 3 occurrences

Ukraine: 1 occurrence

Legend:

(n)

The number in red parentheses indicates bottlenecks from countries flagged in the Danger Zone.

[n]

The number in lime square brackets indicates bottlenecks involving HS codes flagged in Critical Goods.