France was the largest supplier to the main importing countries.
What this market covers
Wood fibre separated by cooking chips with chemicals, as in kraft and sulphite processes. Paper, tissue, packaging and specialty board mills buy it.
Typical segments
- Bleached kraft pulp
- Unbleached kraft pulp
- Sulphite pulp
- Dissolving pulp
Top importing countries
Customs import value under HS 470311 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 rose 61% from 2020 to 2023.
- EU exports of the matching CN code to the region rose 1038% 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 15 countries reported to UN Comtrade for HS code 470311 (Unbleached coniferous chemical wood pulp, soda or sulphate). Each country's latest reported year is used: Cote d'Ivoire 2025, Egypt 2024, Ethiopia 2023, Ghana 2025, Israel 2024, Jordan 2020, Kenya 2025, Morocco 2025, Nigeria 2025, Oman 2025, Saudi Arabia 2025, South Africa 2025, Tanzania 2023, Tunisia 2024, United Arab Emirates 2023.
No import data for this code was available from Algeria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar.
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 47031100 (Unbleached coniferous chemical wood pulp, soda or sulphate), 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 15 Middle East and Africa countries shows imports of $41.4 million under HS code 470311 (Unbleached coniferous chemical wood pulp, soda or sulphate) in their latest year with data (2025 for 8 countries, 2024 for 3, 2023 for 3 and 2020 for 1). | 41.4 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| Imports under HS 470311 by the 9 countries that reported every year from 2020 to 2023 were up 61% in 2023 compared with 2020, from $17.9 million to $28.9 million, calculated from UN Comtrade values. | +61 % since 2020 | 2023 | UN Comtrade |
| Saudi Arabia was the largest importer among the countries covered, with $14.1 million in 2025, or 34% of the total. | 14.1 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| Nigeria followed with $9.9 million in 2025. | 9.9 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The 3 GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries with data accounted for $16.8 million, or 40% of the total, in their latest reported years. | 16.8 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The 10 African countries with data accounted for $24.6 million, or 59% of the total. | 24.6 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| France was the largest supplier to the 4 largest importing countries in the region, which took 86% of its reported imports, with $6.8 million, or 19% of their imports under HS 470311 (partner data for each country's latest year). | 6.8 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The average import value under HS 470311 was $0.76 per kilogram across the 15 countries that reported net weight, calculated from UN Comtrade value and weight. | 0.76 USD per kg | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| EU exports of CN 47031100 (Unbleached coniferous chemical wood pulp, soda or sulphate) to the 12 Middle East and Africa countries covered were worth €17.2 million in 2025. | 17.2 EUR million | 2025 | Eurostat |
| EU exports of CN 47031100 to these countries were up 1038% in 2025 compared with 2020, when they were €1.5 million, calculated from Eurostat values. | +1038 % since 2020 | 2025 | Eurostat |
| Saudi Arabia was the largest of these destinations for EU exports of CN 47031100 in 2025, at €6.0 million. | 6.0 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=470311 flowCode=M partnerCode=0 primaryValue: ARE2023=2579527; CIV2025=45385; EGY2024=1533421; ETH2023=500270; GHA2025=18696; ISR2024=86000; JOR2020=36827; KEN2025=215509; MAR2025=239191; NGA2025=9853198; OMN2025=121696; SAU2025=14062608; TUN2024=7346573; TZA2023=272020; ZAF2025=4532443; sum=41443362
- Figure 3
reporterCode 682, period 2025, cmdCode 470311, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, primaryValue 14062608; share of 41443362 = 34% (shown as 14.1 USD million)
- Figure 4
reporterCode 566, period 2025, cmdCode 470311, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, primaryValue 9853198 (shown as 9.9 USD million)
- Figure 5
cmdCode 470311, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for ARE OMN SAU = 16763830; share 40% (shown as 16.8 USD million)
- Figure 6
cmdCode 470311, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for CIV EGY ETH GHA KEN MAR NGA TUN TZA ZAF = 24556705; share 59% (shown as 24.6 USD million)
- Figure 8
cmdCode 470311, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue 41443362 / sum of netWgt 54631113 kg = 0.76 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 470311, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for ARE CIV ETH KEN MAR NGA SAU TUN ZAF: 2020 = 17915895; 2023 = 28929089; change +61%
- Figure 2
- UN Comtrade: UN Comtrade database, annual imports by HS code (public preview API) (2026-11-06)
Quoted lines
- Figure 7
cmdCode 470311, flowCode M, partnerCode 251, primaryValue summed over reporters = 6813797; world 35794821; share 19%
- 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 47031100, flow export, VALUE_IN_EUROS, 2025: AE=3712603; DZ=24553; EG=140736; ET=1373865; IL=519076; KE=67006; KW=44704; MA=255961; NG=1335721; SA=5993680; TN=2331242; ZA=1428044; sum 17227191
- Figure 10
DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 47031100, flow export, VALUE_IN_EUROS, sum over the same partners: 2020 = 1514076; 2025 = 17227191; change +1038%
- Figure 11
DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 47031100, partner SA, flow export, 2025, VALUE_IN_EUROS 5993680 (shown as 6.0 EUR million)
- Figure 9
Buyers and suppliers
Who buys
- Paper mills
- Tissue makers
- Packaging board mills
Large suppliers to the countries covered
EU exports to the largest destinations in the region, 2025
Eurostat Comext, CN 47031100, 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
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Frequently asked questions
How big is the Middle East and Africa chemical pulp market?
There is no single official market total. Customs data reported to UN Comtrade shows imports of $41.4 million under HS code 470311 by 15 countries in the region, using the latest year each one reported.
Which Middle East and Africa countries import the most chemical pulp?
Saudi Arabia was the largest importer, followed by Nigeria and Tunisia.
Where does the Middle East and Africa import chemical pulp from?
France was the largest supplier to the largest importing countries in the region. Other large suppliers included New Zealand, Finland and Sweden.
How do GCC and African imports of chemical pulp compare?
The GCC countries with data took $16.8 million, or 40% of the total, and the African countries with data took $24.6 million, or 59%, each in its latest reported year.
How much chemical pulp does the EU export to the Middle East and Africa?
Eurostat shows EU exports of CN 47031100 to the countries covered of €17.2 million in 2025. Saudi Arabia was the largest destination.
What is the average import price of chemical pulp in the Middle East and Africa?
Dividing UN Comtrade import value by net weight gives about $0.76 per kilogram for HS 470311, across the countries that reported weight.
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