— MARKET PROFILE
Doing Business in South Africa
Latvia–South Africa trade data, Latvian company presence, and market entry insights.
Total Trade
€869.8M
Exports
€829.9M
Imports
€39.9M
YoY Growth
-66.8%
Monthly Trade Volume
Latvian exports to and imports from South Africa, by month
— LATVIAN PRESENCE
Latvian Companies in South Africa
Networking
MikroTik
Distributors Across Africa • €130M in Telecom Equipment to SA (Eurostat)
Latvian networking equipment company used by ISPs worldwide. Distributors across Southern Africa including MiRO, Switchcom, and Even Flow Distribution in South Africa. Core infrastructure for ISPs across the continent.
mikrotik.com→Telecom
SAF Tehnika
130+ Countries • Nasdaq Riga Listed • Africa Sales Team
Riga-based manufacturer of microwave data transmission equipment. Used by telecom operators and ISPs across Africa for wireless backhaul and last-mile connectivity.
saftehnika.com→Wood Products
Latvijas Finieris
50+ Export Countries • €22M in Wood Products to SADC (Eurostat)
Europe's largest birch plywood manufacturer, exporting under the Riga Wood brand to South Africa and beyond. 309K m³ plywood sold in 2024, a company record.
finieris.com→Agriculture
LATRAPS
€254M Turnover • Nasdaq Baltic Bonds • Africa as Main Market
Latvia's largest farmer-owned cooperative. Exports wheat, rapeseed, peas, and beans by Panamax vessel from Riga port to South Africa, Mozambique, and Madagascar. Listed bonds on Nasdaq Baltic in March 2025.
latraps.lv→Food Export
Dobeles Dzirnavnieks
Largest Pasta Producer in Northern Europe • Exports to South Africa
Major flour and pasta exporter. So much product flows to South Africa that ITAC (International Trade Administration Commission) launched an anti-dumping investigation in 2020, with SARS imposing provisional duties in 2021.
dzirnavnieks.lv→Horticulture
Laflora
90–95% Production Exported • Supplies Mozambique & SA Growing Industry
Latvian peat substrate manufacturer. 90–95% of production goes to export. Supplies growing media to Mozambique and South Africa's horticultural sectors.
laflora.lv→Construction
Primekss (PrimX)
Licensee in SA Since 2014 • 27 Countries • 70% CO₂ Reduction
Latvian industrial concrete flooring technology. Has had a licensee partner in South Africa since 2014, delivering jointless steel-fibre-reinforced floors. Operates in 27 countries with up to 70% CO₂ reduction vs traditional methods.
primekss.com→iGaming
Evolution
SA National Manufacturer Licence • Western Cape Gambling Board
World's largest live casino provider, headquartered in Riga. Holds a South African National Manufacturer licence from the Western Cape Gambling Board. Riga studios serve the regulated SA online gaming market.
evolution.com→Software
flex.bi
BI Platform • SA Client: Digicape (Apple Premium Reseller)
Riga-based business intelligence platform. Has a documented South African client — Digicape, an Apple Premium Reseller — and an expanding partner network across Africa.
flex.bi→Fintech
CreamFinance / Capitec
Capitec Bank (SA) Invested €21M for 40% Stake in Latvian Fintech
South Africa's Capitec Bank made its first-ever foreign acquisition in 2017, investing €21M for a 40% stake in Latvian online lender CreamFinance (now AvaFin). A sign that capital flows both ways in the Latvia–SADC corridor.
avafin.eu→Product Breakdown
Latvian exports and imports by product category
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