The United States was the largest supplier to the main importing countries.
What this market covers
Reference materials of known purity and composition used to calibrate instruments and check test results. Laboratories in pharma, food, environmental and clinical testing buy them.
Typical segments
- Pharmaceutical standards
- Food and beverage standards
- Environmental standards
- Clinical standards
- Organic and inorganic standards
Top importing countries
Customs import value under HS 382290 in each country's latest reported year (in brackets), USD million.
GCC and Africa
Import value by country group, latest reported year per country, USD million.
Source: UN Comtrade
Why this market is moving now
- Import value for the 10 countries reporting every year fell 23% from 2022 to 2025.
- EU exports of the matching CN code to the region fell 32% from 2022 to 2025.
- Demand is concentrated: one country took a large share of the region's reported imports.
About the data
Figures are customs import values (CIF, US dollars) that 18 countries reported to UN Comtrade for HS code 382290 (Certified reference materials). Each country's latest reported year is used: Bahrain 2024, Cote d'Ivoire 2025, Egypt 2025, Ethiopia 2023, Ghana 2025, Israel 2025, Jordan 2024, Kenya 2025, Kuwait 2025, Morocco 2025, Nigeria 2025, Oman 2025, Qatar 2024, Saudi Arabia 2025, South Africa 2025, Tanzania 2025, Tunisia 2024, United Arab Emirates 2023.
No import data for this code was available from Algeria.
South Africa reports import values FOB (free on board) rather than CIF.
Supplier figures add up the partner breakdown that the largest importing countries reported for their latest year. Partner areas that the reporters did not specify are left out of the list.
EU export figures are Eurostat Comext values in euros for CN code 38229000 (Certified reference materials), the code used on the EU page for this market. Shares, changes and per-kilogram values are calculated from these figures. No figure on this page is a forecast.
Key figures
Each figure names the source it came from. Open the source list below to read the quoted line.
| Figure | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customs data from 18 Middle East and Africa countries shows imports of $308.5 million under HS code 382290 (Certified reference materials) in their latest year with data (2025 for 12 countries, 2024 for 4 and 2023 for 2). | 308.5 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| Imports under HS 382290 by the 10 countries that reported every year from 2022 to 2025 were down 23% in 2025 compared with 2022 (2022 is the first year with data for this code), from $294.8 million to $226.3 million, calculated from UN Comtrade values. | -23 % since 2022 | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| Saudi Arabia was the largest importer among the countries covered, with $94.8 million in 2025, or 31% of the total. | 94.8 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| South Africa followed with $47.2 million in 2025. | 47.2 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The six GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries accounted for $127.5 million, or 41% of the total, in their latest reported years. | 127.5 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The 10 African countries with data accounted for $168.7 million, or 55% of the total. | 168.7 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The United States was the largest supplier to the 6 largest importing countries in the region, which took 82% of its reported imports, with $65.0 million, or 26% of their imports under HS 382290 (partner data for each country's latest year). | 65.0 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The average import value under HS 382290 was $50.90 per kilogram across the 17 countries that reported net weight, calculated from UN Comtrade value and weight. | 50.90 USD per kg | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| EU exports of CN 38229000 (Certified reference materials) to the 19 Middle East and Africa countries covered were worth €86.6 million in 2025. | 86.6 EUR million | 2025 | Eurostat |
| EU exports of CN 38229000 to these countries were down 32% in 2025 compared with 2022 (the first year with data for this code), when they were €127.8 million, calculated from Eurostat values. | -32 % since 2022 | 2025 | Eurostat |
| Saudi Arabia was the largest of these destinations for EU exports of CN 38229000 in 2025, at €15.9 million. | 15.9 EUR million | 2025 | Eurostat |
Sources and method
The figures on this page come from the public sources listed below. Read how we work.
- UN Comtrade: UN Comtrade database, annual imports by HS code (public preview API) (2026-11-06)
Quoted lines
- Figure 1
cmdCode=382290 flowCode=M partnerCode=0 primaryValue: ARE2023=16097811; BHR2024=2032046; CIV2025=1433951; EGY2025=3575261; ETH2023=46431860; GHA2025=5708222; ISR2025=8043000; JOR2024=4305327; KEN2025=6866725; KWT2025=6892843; MAR2025=7372497; NGA2025=33907223; OMN2025=1516356; QAT2024=6073019; SAU2025=94840226; TUN2024=203846; TZA2025=15990475; ZAF2025=47248185; sum=308538871
- Figure 2
cmdCode 382290, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for EGY ISR KEN KWT MAR NGA OMN SAU TZA ZAF: 2022 = 294760810; 2025 = 226252789; change -23%
- Figure 3
reporterCode 682, period 2025, cmdCode 382290, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, primaryValue 94840226; share of 308538871 = 31%
- Figure 4
reporterCode 710, period 2025, cmdCode 382290, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, primaryValue 47248185
- Figure 5
cmdCode 382290, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for ARE BHR KWT OMN QAT SAU = 127452300; share 41% (shown as 127.5 USD million)
- Figure 6
cmdCode 382290, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for CIV EGY ETH GHA KEN MAR NGA TUN TZA ZAF = 168738244; share 55%
- Figure 8
cmdCode 382290, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue 301166374 / sum of netWgt 5916948 kg = 50.90 USD per kg
- Figure 1
- UN Comtrade: UN Comtrade database, annual imports by HS code (public preview API) (2026-11-06)
Quoted lines
- Figure 7
cmdCode 382290, flowCode M, partnerCode 842, primaryValue summed over reporters = 64952227; world 254515779; share 26% (shown as 65.0 USD million)
- Figure 7
- Eurostat: EU trade since 1988 by HS2-4-6 and CN8 (DS-045409) (2026-11-06)
Quoted lines
- Figure 9
DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 38229000, flow export, VALUE_IN_EUROS, 2025: AE=11214202; BH=652136; CI=1051475; DZ=8682988; EG=5499970; ET=274122; GH=567432; IL=9026736; JO=2137434; KE=971652; KW=3741977; MA=9159384; NG=1234194; OM=1186696; QA=3492643; SA=15929021; TN=3089511; TZ=389603; ZA=8273477; sum 86574653
- Figure 10
DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 38229000, flow export, VALUE_IN_EUROS, sum over the same partners: 2022 = 127765929; 2025 = 86574653; change -32%
- Figure 11
DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 38229000, partner SA, flow export, 2025, VALUE_IN_EUROS 15929021
- Figure 9
Buyers and suppliers
Who buys
- Pharmaceutical labs
- Environmental testing labs
- Food safety labs
Large suppliers to the countries covered
EU exports to the largest destinations in the region, 2025
Eurostat Comext, CN 38229000, EUR million.
What the full report covers
- 01Executive summary
The answer in one page: size, direction and what moves it - 02Market definition and scope
What is in and out of the Middle East and Africa market - 03Market size, 2021 to 2025
Historical series and growth rates - 04Outlook to 2031
Base, low and high scenarios with stated assumptions - 05Rules, policy and deadlines
Regulation and programmes that change demand - 06Drivers and barriers
What accelerates or slows adoption, by customer segment - 07Prices, costs and margins
Unit economics where public data allows - 08Competitive landscape
8 to 12 company profiles with recent moves - 09Opportunities and risks
For new entrants, suppliers and investors - 10Method and sources
Every assumption and source, listed
Included with the full report
- PDF report, 40 to 60 pages
- Excel data pack
- Ready-to-use charts
- Method note and assumptions
- Written to order in 5 working days
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Middle East and Africa analytical standards market?
There is no single official market total. Customs data reported to UN Comtrade shows imports of $308.5 million under HS code 382290 by 18 countries in the region, using the latest year each one reported.
Which Middle East and Africa countries import the most analytical standards?
Saudi Arabia was the largest importer, followed by South Africa and Ethiopia.
Where does the Middle East and Africa import analytical standards from?
The United States was the largest supplier to the largest importing countries in the region. Other large suppliers included China, Japan and Germany.
How do GCC and African imports of analytical standards compare?
The GCC countries with data took $127.5 million, or 41% of the total, and the African countries with data took $168.7 million, or 55%, each in its latest reported year.
How much analytical standards does the EU export to the Middle East and Africa?
Eurostat shows EU exports of CN 38229000 to the countries covered of €86.6 million in 2025. Saudi Arabia was the largest destination.
What is the average import price of analytical standards in the Middle East and Africa?
Dividing UN Comtrade import value by net weight gives about $50.90 per kilogram for HS 382290, across the countries that reported weight.
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