The United States was the largest supplier to the main importing countries.
What this market covers
Viruses that infect and kill bacteria, used in therapy, food safety and agriculture. Hospitals, food processors and farms are the main buyers.
Typical segments
- Phage therapy
- Food safety phages
- Agricultural phages
- Research phage products
Top importing countries
Customs import value under HS 300249 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 13 countries reporting every year rose 90% from 2022 to 2024.
- EU exports of the matching CN code to the region rose 29% 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 300249 (Toxins, cultures of micro-organisms and similar products, e.g. plasmodia). 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 30024900 (Toxins, cultures of micro-organisms and similar products, e.g. plasmodia), 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 $318.2 million under HS code 300249 (Toxins, cultures of micro-organisms and similar products, e.g. plasmodia) in their latest year with data (2025 for 12 countries, 2024 for 4 and 2023 for 2). | 318.2 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| Imports under HS 300249 by the 13 countries that reported every year from 2022 to 2024 were up 90% in 2024 compared with 2022 (2022 is the first year with data for this code), from $72.4 million to $137.6 million, calculated from UN Comtrade values. | +90 % since 2022 | 2024 | UN Comtrade |
| Ethiopia was the largest importer among the countries covered, with $91.8 million in 2023, or 29% of the total. | 91.8 USD million | 2023 | UN Comtrade |
| The United Arab Emirates followed with $40.1 million in 2023. | 40.1 USD million | 2023 | UN Comtrade |
| The six GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries accounted for $129.4 million, or 41% of the total, in their latest reported years. | 129.4 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The 10 African countries with data accounted for $143.9 million, or 45% of the total. | 143.9 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 $96.0 million, or 37% of their imports under HS 300249 (partner data for each country's latest year). | 96.0 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The average import value under HS 300249 was $160.26 per kilogram across the 14 countries that reported net weight, calculated from UN Comtrade value and weight. | 160.26 USD per kg | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| EU exports of CN 30024900 (Toxins, cultures of micro-organisms and similar products, e.g. plasmodia) to the 19 Middle East and Africa countries covered were worth €210.8 million in 2025. | 210.8 EUR million | 2025 | Eurostat |
| EU exports of CN 30024900 to these countries were up 29% in 2025 compared with 2022 (the first year with data for this code), when they were €163.3 million, calculated from Eurostat values. | +29 % since 2022 | 2025 | Eurostat |
| Saudi Arabia was the largest of these destinations for EU exports of CN 30024900 in 2025, at €82.4 million. | 82.4 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=300249 flowCode=M partnerCode=0 primaryValue: ARE2023=40076884; BHR2024=552374; CIV2025=959142; EGY2025=164876; ETH2023=91800784; GHA2025=376457; ISR2025=38579000; JOR2024=6348297; KEN2025=1693719; KWT2025=25097737; MAR2025=13304437; NGA2025=643991; OMN2025=2235771; QAT2024=28804781; SAU2025=32593200; TUN2024=4430098; TZA2025=457228; ZAF2025=30047210; sum=318165987 (shown as 318.2 USD million)
- Figure 5
cmdCode 300249, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for ARE BHR KWT OMN QAT SAU = 129360748; share 41% (shown as 129.4 USD million)
- Figure 6
cmdCode 300249, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for CIV EGY ETH GHA KEN MAR NGA TUN TZA ZAF = 143877942; share 45% (shown as 143.9 USD million)
- Figure 8
cmdCode 300249, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue 249894276 / sum of netWgt 1559311 kg = 160.26 USD per kg
- Figure 1
- UN Comtrade: UN Comtrade database, annual imports by HS code (public preview API) (2026-11-06)
Quoted lines
- Figure 2
cmdCode 300249, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for BHR EGY ISR JOR KEN KWT MAR NGA OMN QAT SAU TZA ZAF: 2022 = 72445221; 2024 = 137554965; change +90%
- Figure 2
- UN Comtrade: UN Comtrade database, annual imports by HS code (public preview API) (2026-11-06)
Quoted lines
- Figure 3
reporterCode 231, period 2023, cmdCode 300249, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, primaryValue 91800784; share of 318165987 = 29%
- Figure 4
reporterCode 784, period 2023, cmdCode 300249, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, primaryValue 40076884 (shown as 40.1 USD million)
- Figure 3
- UN Comtrade: UN Comtrade database, annual imports by HS code (public preview API) (2026-11-06)
Quoted lines
- Figure 7
cmdCode 300249, flowCode M, partnerCode 842, primaryValue summed over reporters = 96004358; world 261901860; share 37%
- 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 30024900, flow export, VALUE_IN_EUROS, 2025: AE=16024554; BH=1817526; CI=1453736; DZ=12681744; EG=10195964; ET=131573; GH=50175; IL=26357360; JO=6416531; KE=1469961; KW=5476392; MA=10277010; NG=1797183; OM=1516063; QA=5268600; SA=82414539; TN=5722031; TZ=347207; ZA=21381464; sum 210799613 (shown as 210.8 EUR million)
- Figure 10
DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 30024900, flow export, VALUE_IN_EUROS, sum over the same partners: 2022 = 163311783; 2025 = 210799613; change +29%
- Figure 11
DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 30024900, partner SA, flow export, 2025, VALUE_IN_EUROS 82414539
- Figure 9
Buyers and suppliers
Who buys
- Hospitals and clinics
- Food processors
- Farms
Large suppliers to the countries covered
EU exports to the largest destinations in the region, 2025
Eurostat Comext, CN 30024900, 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 bacteriophage market?
There is no single official market total. Customs data reported to UN Comtrade shows imports of $318.2 million under HS code 300249 by 18 countries in the region, using the latest year each one reported.
Which Middle East and Africa countries import the most bacteriophage?
Ethiopia was the largest importer, followed by the United Arab Emirates and Israel.
Where does the Middle East and Africa import bacteriophage from?
The United States was the largest supplier to the largest importing countries in the region. Other large suppliers included Belgium, France and China.
How do GCC and African imports of bacteriophage compare?
The GCC countries with data took $129.4 million, or 41% of the total, and the African countries with data took $143.9 million, or 45%, each in its latest reported year.
How much bacteriophage does the EU export to the Middle East and Africa?
Eurostat shows EU exports of CN 30024900 to the countries covered of €210.8 million in 2025. Saudi Arabia was the largest destination.
What is the average import price of bacteriophage in the Middle East and Africa?
Dividing UN Comtrade import value by net weight gives about $160.26 per kilogram for HS 300249, across the countries that reported weight.
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