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The twenty imports Montenegro is best placed to replace.

Montenegro imported USD 4.2bn of manufactured goods in 2024 and exported USD 523m. These are the twenty that sit closest to what it already makes well and where one country supplies most of them.

USD 441mthe twenty, imported in 2024
21products imported at scale, not yet exported well, and close to existing strengths
257products Montenegro already exports well
77product lines imported at USD 10m or more
The twenty

Demand, capability, exposure. Nothing else is claimed.

Each line shows the import bill, where it comes from, the nearest thing Montenegro already exports well, and how many countries make it. It does not say whether a plant in Montenegro would pay. That reason is not in any trade record, and it is the maker's question.

This edition is trade and capability only, scored out of 8. The UK edition adds which public bodies buy each product and which region holds the capability; those layers are built only where a country publishes contract awards and regional trade, and Montenegro does not publish them in a form this record can read yet.

  1. 1

    Cement: portland, other than white, whether or not artificially colouredHS 252329

    Comes fromCroatia 41%, 9 source countries
    Nearest export strengthEcaussine and other calcareous monumental or building stone... (exports USD 577k)
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well54

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 54m, top 9 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Montenegro's export strengths in the top 6 per cent (3); Croatia supplies 41 per cent (1).

    USD 54mup 103% on 2022
  2. 2

    Waters: including mineral and aerated, containing added sugar or other sweetening matter or flavouredHS 220210

    Comes fromSerbia 70%, 37 source countries
    Nearest export strengthVodka (exports USD 40m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 392k; 1 more line in the heading, USD 24m
    Countries that export it well60

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 38m, top 10 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Montenegro's export strengths in the top 14 per cent (2); Serbia supplies 70 per cent (2).

    USD 38mup 55% on 2022
  3. 3

    Cigarettes: containing tobaccoHS 240220

    Comes fromSerbia 74%, 12 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this lineUSD 262k
    Countries that export it well41

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 32m, top 19 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Montenegro's export strengths in the top 40 per cent (1); Serbia supplies 74 per cent (2).

    USD 32mup 8% on 2022
  4. 4

    Food preparations: n.e.c. in item no. 2106.10HS 210690

    Comes fromSerbia 36%, 65 source countries
    Nearest export strengthPaper or paperboard: waste and scrap, of paper or paperboard n.e.c....
    Exports of this lineUSD 384k
    Countries that export it well51

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 57m, top 8 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Montenegro's export strengths in the top 32 per cent (1).

    USD 57mup 28% on 2022
  5. 5

    Food preparations: sweet biscuits, whether or not containing cocoaHS 190531

    Comes fromSerbia 68%, 33 source countries
    Nearest export strengthDog or cat food: (not put up for retail sale), used in animal feeding
    Exports of this lineUSD 36k; 1 more line in the heading, USD 25m
    Countries that export it well52

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 21m, top 44 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Montenegro's export strengths in the top 29 per cent (1); Serbia supplies 68 per cent (2).

    USD 21mup 26% on 2022
  6. 6

    Mastics: n.e.c. in heading no. 3214HS 321490

    Comes fromSerbia 67%, 31 source countries
    Nearest export strengthWood: pallets, box pallets and other load boards: pallet collars
    Exports of this lineUSD 50k; 1 more line in the heading, USD 14m
    Countries that export it well39

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 18m, top 49 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Montenegro's export strengths in the top 29 per cent (1); Serbia supplies 67 per cent (2).

    USD 18mup 38% on 2022
  7. 7

    Iron or steel: structures and parts thereof, n.e.c. in heading 7308HS 730890

    Comes fromBosnia and Herzegovina 34%, 36 source countries
    Nearest export strengthTanks, casks, drums, boxes and similar containers for any material... (exports USD 3m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 970k
    Countries that export it well33

    Score 3 of 8: import bill USD 32m, top 21 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Montenegro's export strengths in the top 32 per cent (1).

    USD 32mup 50% on 2022
  8. 8

    Furniture: wooden, other than for office, kitchen or bedroom useHS 940360

    Comes fromSerbia 46%, 56 source countries
    Nearest export strengthBuildings: modular building units, of steel (exports USD 290k)
    Exports of this lineUSD 1m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 12m
    Countries that export it well30

    Score 3 of 8: import bill USD 27m, top 27 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Montenegro's export strengths in the top 43 per cent (1); Serbia supplies 46 per cent (1).

    USD 27mup 37% on 2022
  9. 9

    Insulated electric conductors: for a voltage not exceeding 1000 volts, not fitted with connectorsHS 854449

    Comes fromSerbia 45%, 45 source countries
    Nearest export strengthElectrical parts of machinery or apparatus: not specified or... (exports USD 2m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 47k
    Countries that export it well35

    Score 3 of 8: import bill USD 22m, top 40 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Montenegro's export strengths in the top 39 per cent (1); Serbia supplies 45 per cent (1).

    USD 22mup 14% on 2022
  10. 10

    Iron or non-alloy steel: bars and rods, hot-rolled, hot-drawn or hot-extruded, containing indentations, ribs, grooves...HS 721420

    Comes fromBosnia and Herzegovina 42%, 15 source countries
    Nearest export strengthFerrous waste and scrap: n.e.c. in heading no. 7204 (exports USD 20m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 115k
    Countries that export it well45

    Score 3 of 8: import bill USD 18m, top 56 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Montenegro's export strengths in the top 22 per cent (2); Bosnia and Herzegovina supplies 42 per cent (1).

    USD 18mup 6% on 2022
  11. 11

    Iron or steel wire: grill, netting and fencing, welded at intersections, of wire with a maximum cross-sectional...HS 731420

    Comes fromBosnia and Herzegovina 78%, 12 source countries
    Nearest export strengthTanks, casks, drums, boxes and similar containers for any material... (exports USD 3m)
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well31

    Score 3 of 8: import bill USD 16m, top 65 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Montenegro's export strengths in the top 36 per cent (1); Bosnia and Herzegovina supplies 78 per cent (2).

    USD 16mup 25% on 2022
  12. 12

    Paper articles: toilet paperHS 481810

    Comes fromSerbia 45%, 26 source countries
    Nearest export strengthPaper and paperboard: labels or all kinds, printed (exports USD 3m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 46k
    Countries that export it well40

    Score 3 of 8: import bill USD 10m, top 97 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Montenegro's export strengths in the top 17 per cent (2); Serbia supplies 45 per cent (1).

    USD 10mup 2% on 2022
  13. 13

    Washing and cleaning preparations: powders, flakes and granules, surface-active, whether or not containing soap...HS 340250

    Comes fromSerbia 25%, 46 source countries
    Nearest export strengthMeat preparations: sausages and similar products, of meat, meat...
    Exports of this lineUSD 191k
    Countries that export it well39

    Score 2 of 8: import bill USD 26m, top 32 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Montenegro's export strengths in the top 35 per cent (1).

    USD 26mup 56% on 2022
  14. 14

    Seats: with wooden frames, upholstered, (excluding medical, surgical, dental, veterinary or barber furniture)HS 940161

    Comes fromSerbia 41%, 43 source countries
    Nearest export strengthBuildings: modular building units, of steel (exports USD 290k)
    Exports of this lineUSD 95k
    Countries that export it well24

    Score 2 of 8: import bill USD 18m, top 52 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Montenegro's export strengths in the top 47 per cent (1); Serbia supplies 41 per cent (1).

    USD 18mup 12% on 2022
  15. 15

    Ice cream and other edible ice: whether or not containing cocoaHS 210500

    Comes fromSerbia 52%, 22 source countries
    Nearest export strengthMeat preparations: sausages and similar products, of meat, meat...
    Exports of this lineUSD 253k
    Countries that export it well37

    Score 2 of 8: import bill USD 12m, top 83 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Montenegro's export strengths in the top 34 per cent (1); Serbia supplies 52 per cent (1).

    USD 12mup 20% on 2022
  16. 16

    Aluminium: alloys, bars, rods and profiles, other than hollowHS 760429

    Comes fromBosnia and Herzegovina 36%, 36 source countries
    Nearest export strengthAluminium: unwrought, alloys (exports USD 101m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 306k
    Countries that export it well31

    Score 1 of 8: import bill USD 13m, top 79 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Montenegro's export strengths in the top 42 per cent (1).

    USD 13mdown 16% on 2022
  17. 17

    Sanitary towels (pads) and tampons, napkins (diapers), napkin liners and similar articles, of any materialHS 961900

    Comes fromPoland 36%, 32 source countries
    Nearest export strengthVegetable preparations: potatoes, prepared or preserved otherwise...
    Exports of this lineUSD 2k
    Countries that export it well34

    Score 1 of 8: import bill USD 13m, top 81 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Montenegro's export strengths in the top 48 per cent (1).

    USD 13mup 38% on 2022
  18. 18

    Iron or steel: articles n.e.c. in heading 7326HS 732690

    Comes fromSerbia 32%, 63 source countries
    Nearest export strengthTanks, casks, drums, boxes and similar containers for any material... (exports USD 3m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 2m
    Countries that export it well28

    Score 1 of 8: import bill USD 11m, top 94 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Montenegro's export strengths in the top 49 per cent (1).

    USD 11mup 41% on 2022

One line per customs heading. Products Montenegro already exports well and still imports are below, because they are a different conversation. No employment figures appear on this page, by decision.

Made here already, still imported

Scale conversations, not capability ones.

  • Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no.... imports USD 135m, exports USD 48m, top source Serbia 24%
  • Motorboats: (other than outboard motorboats), for pleasure or sports, other... imports USD 36m, exports USD 3m, top source Croatia 56%
  • Beer: made from malt imports USD 27m, exports USD 3m, top source Serbia 78%
  • Dresses: women's or girls', of synthetic fibres (not knitted or crocheted) imports USD 30m, exports USD 8m, top source China 75%
  • Particle board of wood, whether or not agglomerated with resins or other... imports USD 23m, exports USD 2m, top source Turkey 55%
  • Dog or cat food: (not put up for retail sale), used in animal feeding imports USD 19m, exports USD 1m, top source Serbia 88%
  • Meat preparations: sausages and similar products, of meat, meat offal, blood... imports USD 22m, exports USD 5m, top source Serbia 44%
  • Aeroplanes and other aircraft, except unmanned: of an unladen weight exceeding... imports USD 38m, exports USD 22m, top source Poland 99%
  • Waters: mineral and aerated, including natural or artificial, (not containing... imports USD 16m, exports USD 364k, top source Serbia 91%
  • Chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa: n.e.c. in chapter 18 imports USD 16m, exports USD 2m, top source Serbia 28%
How the twenty were chosen

Three scores, each from a field the record carries.

Import bill, 0 to 3, by percentile among the 77 lines imported at USD 10m or more: above the median one point, top quarter two, top tenth three.

Proximity to export strengths, 0 to 3, on the same percentiles: the product-space method (Hidalgo, Klinger, Barabasi and Hausmann, Science 2007) on CEPII's BACI file of every bilateral trade flow for 2024, 157 countries and 5,388 products. Two products are close when the countries that export one well tend to export the other well. Only products in the upper half for proximity can enter the list at all: best placed is a proximity claim.

Supply concentration, 0 to 2: one point when a single country supplies 40 per cent or more, two at 60 per cent.

Scope. Manufactured goods, customs chapters 16 to 96, excluding ores, fuels and precious metals. Primary agriculture is out of scope for a page about manufacture.

What it cannot tell you

A map of where to look.

Trade data says what crossed the border, not why. Cost, scale, patents, tariffs and the plain fact that a supplier is good at it are all invisible here. The world file reconciles what each pair of countries reports, so a national customs file would differ in detail. Nothing on this page is a forecast or a promise.

Source: CEPII BACI, HS22, version 202601, years 2022 to 2024. Edition of 2026-11-02. The UK edition with its procurement and regional layers is at /made-here/.

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