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The twenty imports Venezuela is best placed to replace.

Venezuela imported USD 9.8bn of manufactured goods in 2024 and exported USD 1.4bn. These are the twenty that sit closest to what it already makes well and where one country supplies most of them.

USD 1.7bnthe twenty, imported in 2024
100products imported at scale, not yet exported well, and close to existing strengths
95products Venezuela already exports well
204product 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 Venezuela already exports well, and how many countries make it. It does not say whether a plant in Venezuela 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 Venezuela does not publish them in a form this record can read yet.

  1. 1

    Sugars: cane sugar, raw, in solid form, other than as specified in Subheading Note 2 to this chapter, not containing...HS 170114

    Comes fromBrazil 100%, 2 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded; 1 more line in the heading, USD 86m
    Countries that export it well23

    Score 8 of 8: import bill USD 135m, top 3 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 0 per cent (3); Brazil supplies 100 per cent (2).

    USD 135mup 14% on 2022
  2. 2

    Food preparations: of flour, meal, starch, malt extract or milk products, for uses n.e.c. in heading no. 1901HS 190190

    Comes fromBrazil 94%, 19 source countries
    Nearest export strengthFood preparations: waffles and wafers, whether or not containing cocoa (exports USD 8m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 253k; 1 more line in the heading, USD 14m
    Countries that export it well39

    Score 8 of 8: import bill USD 120m, top 4 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 4 per cent (3); Brazil supplies 94 per cent (2).

    USD 120mdown 2% on 2022
  3. 3

    Food preparations: pasta, uncooked (excluding that containing eggs), not stuffed or otherwise preparedHS 190219

    Comes fromTurkey 94%, 11 source countries
    Nearest export strengthFood preparations: waffles and wafers, whether or not containing cocoa (exports USD 8m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 29k
    Countries that export it well32

    Score 8 of 8: import bill USD 77m, top 8 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 2 per cent (3); Turkey supplies 94 per cent (2).

    USD 77mdown 36% on 2022
  4. 4

    Oil-cake and other solid residues: whether or not ground or in the form of pellets, resulting from the extraction of...HS 230400

    Comes fromUnited States 100%, 2 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well18

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 297m, top 1 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 13 per cent (2); United States supplies 100 per cent (2).

    USD 297mdown 3% on 2022
  5. 5

    Footwear: n.e.c. in heading no. 6402, (other than just covering the ankle), with outer soles and uppers of rubber or...HS 640299

    Comes fromChina 97%, 16 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this lineUSD 3k
    Countries that export it well16

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 87m, top 6 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 25 per cent (2); China supplies 97 per cent (2).

    USD 87mup 42% on 2022
  6. 6

    Sugar confectionery: (excluding chewing gum, including white chocolate), not containing cocoaHS 170490

    Comes fromColombia 83%, 24 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this lineUSD 606k
    Countries that export it well37

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 85m, top 7 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 13 per cent (2); Colombia supplies 83 per cent (2).

    USD 85mup 50% on 2022
  7. 7

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

    Comes fromChina 70%, 17 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this lineUSD 31k
    Countries that export it well34

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 74m, top 9 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 15 per cent (2); China supplies 70 per cent (2).

    USD 74mdown 17% on 2022
  8. 8

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

    Comes fromChina 70%, 21 source countries
    Nearest export strengthZinc: waste and scrap
    Exports of this lineUSD 106k; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 25m
    Countries that export it well39

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 70m, top 11 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 15 per cent (2); China supplies 70 per cent (2).

    USD 70mup 21% on 2022
  9. 9

    Ethylene polymers: in primary forms, polyethylene having a specific gravity of less than 0.94HS 390110

    Comes fromUnited States 72%, 11 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 83m
    Countries that export it well28

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 52m, top 14 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 17 per cent (2); United States supplies 72 per cent (2).

    USD 52mdown 17% on 2022
  10. 10

    Soap and organic surface-active products: in the form of bars, cakes, moulded shapes, and paper, wadding, felt and...HS 340111

    Comes fromIndonesia 43%, 16 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this lineUSD 12k; 1 more line in the heading, USD 12m
    Countries that export it well39

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 47m, top 15 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 5 per cent (3); Indonesia supplies 43 per cent (1).

    USD 47mup 71% on 2022
  11. 11

    Fish preparations: tunas, skipjack tuna and bonito (Sarda spp.), prepared or preserved, whole or in pieces (but not...HS 160414

    Comes fromChina 41%, 11 source countries
    Nearest export strengthCrustacean preparations: crab, prepared or preserved (exports USD 61m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 111k; 1 more line in the heading, USD 21m
    Countries that export it well21

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 42m, top 17 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 2 per cent (3); China supplies 41 per cent (1).

    USD 42mup 274% on 2022
  12. 12

    Dog or cat food: (not put up for retail sale), used in animal feedingHS 230990

    Comes fromColombia 46%, 21 source countries
    Nearest export strengthMargarine: excluding liquid margarine
    Exports of this lineUSD 427k; 1 more line in the heading, USD 16m
    Countries that export it well48

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 38m, top 20 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 5 per cent (3); Colombia supplies 46 per cent (1).

    USD 38mup 56% on 2022
  13. 13

    Copper: wire, of refined copper, of which the maximum cross-sectional dimension exceeds 6mmHS 740811

    Comes fromPeru 100%, 1 source country
    Nearest export strengthCopper: waste and scrap (exports USD 124m)
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well25

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 34m, top 23 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 19 per cent (2); Peru supplies 100 per cent (2).

    USD 34mup 44% on 2022
  14. 14

    Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses...HS 300490

    Comes fromIndia 48%, 37 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this lineUSD 4m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 17m
    Countries that export it well32

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 164m, top 2 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 35 per cent (1); India supplies 48 per cent (1).

    USD 164mup 22% on 2022
  15. 15

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

    Comes fromBrazil 39%, 34 source countries
    Nearest export strengthExtracts, essences and concentrates: of tea or mate, and... (exports USD 2m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 4m
    Countries that export it well51

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 124m, top 3 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 13 per cent (2).

    USD 124mup 16% on 2022
  16. 16

    Rubber: new pneumatic tyres, of a kind used on motor cars (including station wagons and racing cars)HS 401110

    Comes fromChina 87%, 16 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 101m
    Countries that export it well28

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 56m, top 13 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 42 per cent (1); China supplies 87 per cent (2).

    USD 56mup 11% on 2022
  17. 17

    Propylene, other olefin polymers: polypropylene in primary formsHS 390210

    Comes fromColombia 47%, 10 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well26

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 42m, top 16 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 11 per cent (2); Colombia supplies 47 per cent (1).

    USD 42mdown 23% on 2022
  18. 18

    Freezers: of the chest type, not exceeding 800l capacityHS 841830

    Comes fromChina 99%, 6 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone in the same chapter
    Exports of this linenone recorded; 3 more lines in the heading, USD 75m
    Countries that export it well14

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 42m, top 17 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 47 per cent (1); China supplies 99 per cent (2).

    USD 42mfrom USD 6m in 2022
  19. 19

    Boards, panels, consoles, desks and other bases: for electric control or the distribution of electricity, (other than...HS 853710

    Comes fromChina 71%, 38 source countries
    Nearest export strengthElectric accumulators: lead-acid, of a kind used for starting piston... (exports USD 18m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 22k
    Countries that export it well29

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 38m, top 21 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 44 per cent (1); China supplies 71 per cent (2).

    USD 38mup 441% on 2022
  20. 20

    Food preparations: bakers' wares n.e.c. in heading no. 1605, whether or not containing cocoa: communion wafers, empty...HS 190590

    Comes fromColombia 59%, 18 source countries
    Nearest export strengthFood preparations: waffles and wafers, whether or not containing cocoa (exports USD 8m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 1m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 23m
    Countries that export it well47

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 32m, top 23 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Venezuela's export strengths in the top 18 per cent (2); Colombia supplies 59 per cent (1).

    USD 32mup 56% on 2022

One line per customs heading. Products Venezuela 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.

  • Electric accumulators: lead-acid, of a kind used for starting piston engines... imports USD 27m, exports USD 18m, top source Colombia 51%
How the twenty were chosen

Three scores, each from a field the record carries.

Import bill, 0 to 3, by percentile among the 204 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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