Romania was the largest supplier to the main importing countries.
What this market covers
Dense pressed pellets made from sawdust, wood waste or crop residue and burned for heat or power. Utilities, heating firms and households buy them.
Typical segments
- Wood pellets
- Agricultural pellets
- Industrial grade pellets
- Premium heating pellets
Top importing countries
Customs import value under HS 440131 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 9 countries reporting every year fell 16% from 2020 to 2024.
- EU exports of the matching CN code to the region fell 14% from 2020 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 440131 (Wood pellets). Each country's latest reported year is used: Bahrain 2024, Cote d'Ivoire 2025, Egypt 2024, 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 2024, Tunisia 2022, 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 44013100 (Wood pellets), 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 $2.7 million under HS code 440131 (Wood pellets) in their latest year with data (2025 for 10 countries, 2024 for 5, 2023 for 2 and 2022 for 1). | 2.7 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| Imports under HS 440131 by the 9 countries that reported every year from 2020 to 2024 were down 16% in 2024 compared with 2020, from $2.2 million to $1.9 million, calculated from UN Comtrade values. | -16 % since 2020 | 2024 | UN Comtrade |
| Israel was the largest importer among the countries covered, with $1.3 million in 2025, or 50% of the total. | 1.3 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The United Arab Emirates followed with $776 thousand in 2023. | 776 USD thousand | 2023 | UN Comtrade |
| The six GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries accounted for $1.2 million, or 45% of the total, in their latest reported years. | 1.2 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The 10 African countries with data accounted for $147 thousand, or 6% of the total. | 147 USD thousand | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| Romania was the largest supplier to the 3 largest importing countries in the region, which took 85% of its reported imports, with $563 thousand, or 25% of their imports under HS 440131 (partner data for each country's latest year). | 563 USD thousand | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The average import value under HS 440131 was $0.27 per kilogram across the 14 countries that reported net weight, calculated from UN Comtrade value and weight. | 0.27 USD per kg | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| EU exports of CN 44013100 (Wood pellets) to the 9 Middle East and Africa countries covered were worth €1.3 million in 2025. | 1.3 EUR million | 2025 | Eurostat |
| EU exports of CN 44013100 to these countries were down 14% in 2025 compared with 2020, when they were €1.5 million, calculated from Eurostat values. | -14 % since 2020 | 2025 | Eurostat |
| Israel was the largest of these destinations for EU exports of CN 44013100 in 2025, at €1.2 million. | 1.2 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=440131 flowCode=M partnerCode=0 primaryValue: ARE2023=775844; BHR2024=130920; CIV2025=295; EGY2024=501; ETH2023=3785; GHA2025=9043; ISR2025=1323000; JOR2024=1248; KEN2025=43; KWT2025=42131; MAR2025=25072; NGA2025=66; OMN2025=18733; QAT2024=149108; SAU2025=64825; TUN2022=557; TZA2024=1; ZAF2025=107674; sum=2652844 (shown as 2.7 USD million)
- Figure 3
reporterCode 376, period 2025, cmdCode 440131, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, primaryValue 1323000; share of 2652844 = 50%
- Figure 5
cmdCode 440131, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for ARE BHR KWT OMN QAT SAU = 1181560; share 45% (shown as 1.2 USD million)
- Figure 6
cmdCode 440131, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for CIV EGY ETH GHA KEN MAR NGA TUN TZA ZAF = 147036; share 6%
- Figure 8
cmdCode 440131, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue 1808325 / sum of netWgt 6697397 kg = 0.27 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 440131, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for BHR ISR JOR KEN KWT MAR OMN SAU ZAF: 2020 = 2218102; 2024 = 1870163; change -16%
- Figure 2
- UN Comtrade: UN Comtrade database, annual imports by HS code (public preview API) (2026-11-06)
Quoted lines
- Figure 4
reporterCode 784, period 2023, cmdCode 440131, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, primaryValue 775844 (shown as 776 USD thousand)
- Figure 4
- UN Comtrade: UN Comtrade database, annual imports by HS code (public preview API) (2026-11-06)
Quoted lines
- Figure 7
cmdCode 440131, flowCode M, partnerCode 642, primaryValue summed over reporters = 563000; world 2247951; share 25%
- 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 44013100, flow export, VALUE_IN_EUROS, 2025: AE=42190; CI=1257; IL=1150663; KW=45996; MA=334; OM=861; QA=2820; SA=60; ZA=78713; sum 1322894
- Figure 10
DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 44013100, flow export, VALUE_IN_EUROS, sum over the same partners: 2020 = 1535694; 2025 = 1322894; change -14%
- Figure 11
DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 44013100, partner IL, flow export, 2025, VALUE_IN_EUROS 1150663 (shown as 1.2 EUR million)
- Figure 9
Buyers and suppliers
Who buys
- Power utilities
- Heating suppliers
- Households
Large suppliers to the countries covered
EU exports to the largest destinations in the region, 2025
Eurostat Comext, CN 44013100, 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 biomass pellets market?
There is no single official market total. Customs data reported to UN Comtrade shows imports of $2.7 million under HS code 440131 by 18 countries in the region, using the latest year each one reported.
Which Middle East and Africa countries import the most biomass pellets?
Israel was the largest importer, followed by the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
Where does the Middle East and Africa import biomass pellets from?
Romania was the largest supplier to the largest importing countries in the region. Other large suppliers included Indonesia, Germany and Austria.
How do GCC and African imports of biomass pellets compare?
The GCC countries with data took $1.2 million, or 45% of the total, and the African countries with data took $147 thousand, or 6%, each in its latest reported year.
How much biomass pellets does the EU export to the Middle East and Africa?
Eurostat shows EU exports of CN 44013100 to the countries covered of €1.3 million in 2025. Israel was the largest destination.
What is the average import price of biomass pellets in the Middle East and Africa?
Dividing UN Comtrade import value by net weight gives about $0.27 per kilogram for HS 440131, across the countries that reported weight.
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