The twenty imports Oman is best placed to replace.
Oman imported USD 16bn of manufactured goods in 2024 and exported USD 8.0bn. These are the twenty that sit closest to what it already makes well, with how concentrated the supply of each is.
Demand, capability, exposure. Nothing else is claimed.
Each line shows the import bill, where it comes from, the nearest thing Oman already exports well, and how many countries make it. It does not say whether a plant in Oman 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 Oman does not publish them in a form this record can read yet.
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1
Iron or steel (excluding cast iron or stainless steel): seamless, casing and tubing, of a kind used in drilling for...HS 730429
Comes fromChina 78%, 9 source countriesNearest export strengthSteel, alloy (not stainless steel): (excluding cold-drawn or... (exports USD 36m)Exports of this lineUSD 23k; 3 more lines in the heading, USD 188mCountries that export it well18Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 349m, top 1 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 24 per cent (2); China supplies 78 per cent (2).
USD 349mdown 8% on 2022 -
2
Cosmetic and toilet preparations: n.e.c. in heading no. 3304, for the care of the skin (excluding medicaments...HS 330499
Comes fromIndia 83%, 53 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this lineUSD 373kCountries that export it well30Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 153m, top 4 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 22 per cent (2); India supplies 83 per cent (2).
USD 153mup 100% on 2022 -
3
Juices: mixtures of fruits or vegetables (but not nut juice), unfermented, not containing added spirit, whether or not...HS 200990
Comes fromSaudi Arabia 94%, 22 source countriesNearest export strengthSauces: tomato ketchup and other tomato sauces (exports USD 13m)Exports of this linenone recordedCountries that export it well40Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 47m, top 21 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 5 per cent (3); Saudi Arabia supplies 94 per cent (2).
USD 47mup 148% on 2022 -
4
Waters: including mineral and aerated, containing added sugar or other sweetening matter or flavouredHS 220210
Comes fromSaudi Arabia 85%, 32 source countriesNearest export strengthSauces: tomato ketchup and other tomato sauces (exports USD 13m)Exports of this lineUSD 3mCountries that export it well60Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 43m, top 22 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 10 per cent (3); Saudi Arabia supplies 85 per cent (2).
USD 43mup 50% on 2022 -
5
Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine, for transport of goods, (of a g.v.w. not...HS 870431
Comes fromJapan 47%, 15 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this linenone recorded; 3 more lines in the heading, USD 225mCountries that export it well7Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 133m, top 5 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 17 per cent (2); Japan supplies 47 per cent (1).
USD 133mdown 54% on 2022 -
6
Iron or non-alloy steel: in coils, without patterns in relief, flat-rolled, of a width 600mm or more, hot-rolled, of a...HS 720839
Comes fromChina 95%, 4 source countriesNearest export strengthIron or non-alloy steel: semi-finished products of iron or non-alloy... (exports USD 612m)Exports of this linenone recorded; 3 more lines in the heading, USD 147mCountries that export it well13Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 106m, top 6 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 49 per cent (1); China supplies 95 per cent (2).
USD 106mup 134% on 2022 -
7
Vehicles: with only compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel), cylinder capacity...HS 870333
Comes fromJapan 73%, 9 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this lineUSD 12k; 9 more lines in the heading, USD 2.0bnCountries that export it well16Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 90m, top 9 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 45 per cent (1); Japan supplies 73 per cent (2).
USD 90mdown 31% on 2022 -
8
Iron or steel: structures and parts thereof, n.e.c. in heading 7308HS 730890
Comes fromChina 80%, 30 source countriesNearest export strengthReservoirs, tanks, vats and similar containers: for any material... (exports USD 16m)Exports of this lineUSD 11m; 3 more lines in the heading, USD 49mCountries that export it well33Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 75m, top 12 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 13 per cent (2); China supplies 80 per cent (2).
USD 75mdown 30% on 2022 -
9
Ceramic tiles: flags and paving, hearth or wall tiles other than those of subheadings 6907.30 and 6907.40, of a water...HS 690721
Comes fromIndia 75%, 13 source countriesNearest export strengthCeramic tiles: flags and paving, hearth or wall tiles other than... (exports USD 8m)Exports of this lineUSD 1mCountries that export it well16Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 55m, top 17 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 24 per cent (2); India supplies 75 per cent (2).
USD 55mup 4% on 2022 -
10
Ethyl alcohol and other spirits: denatured, of any strengthHS 220720
Comes fromUnited States 100%, 6 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this linenone recordedCountries that export it well14Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 54m, top 18 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 24 per cent (2); United States supplies 100 per cent (2).
USD 54mup 113% on 2022 -
11
Washing and cleaning preparations: powders, flakes and granules, surface-active, whether or not containing soap...HS 340250
Comes fromSaudi Arabia 74%, 29 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this lineUSD 22m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 11mCountries that export it well39Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 53m, top 18 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 11 per cent (2); Saudi Arabia supplies 74 per cent (2).
USD 53mdown 53% on 2022 -
12
Sanitary towels (pads) and tampons, napkins (diapers), napkin liners and similar articles, of any materialHS 961900
Comes fromSaudi Arabia 54%, 27 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this lineUSD 59kCountries that export it well34Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 50m, top 19 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 10 per cent (3); Saudi Arabia supplies 54 per cent (1).
USD 50mdown 51% on 2022 -
13
Vegetable preparations: tomatoes, (other than whole or in pieces), prepared or preserved otherwise than by vinegar or...HS 200290
Comes fromChina 68%, 11 source countriesNearest export strengthSauces: tomato ketchup and other tomato sauces (exports USD 13m)Exports of this lineUSD 9mCountries that export it well24Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 42m, top 23 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 12 per cent (2); China supplies 68 per cent (2).
USD 42mup 1% on 2022 -
14
Furniture: wooden, for bedroom useHS 940350
Comes fromChina 65%, 21 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this lineUSD 131k; 4 more lines in the heading, USD 83mCountries that export it well27Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 41m, top 24 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 23 per cent (2); China supplies 65 per cent (2).
USD 41mup 24% on 2022 -
15
Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses...HS 300490
Comes fromIndia 20%, 54 source countriesNearest export strengthPaints and varnishes: based on polyesters, dispersed or dissolved in... (exports USD 11m)Exports of this lineUSD 68m; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 28mCountries that export it well32Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 209m, top 3 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 20 per cent (2).
USD 209mdown 29% on 2022 -
16
Rubber: new pneumatic tyres, of a kind used on buses or lorriesHS 401120
Comes fromChina 70%, 24 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this linenone recorded; 1 more line in the heading, USD 84mCountries that export it well18Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 77m, top 11 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 48 per cent (1); China supplies 70 per cent (2).
USD 77mdown 11% on 2022 -
17
Iron or non-alloy steel: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, painted, varnished or coated with plasticsHS 721070
Comes fromChina 100%, 5 source countriesNearest export strengthIron or non-alloy steel: flat-rolled, hot-rolled, of a width less... (exports USD 5m)Exports of this lineUSD 200k; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 48mCountries that export it well25Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 68m, top 12 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 34 per cent (1); China supplies 100 per cent (2).
USD 68mup 179% on 2022 -
18
Food preparations: of flour, meal, starch, malt extract or milk products, for uses n.e.c. in heading no. 1901HS 190190
Comes fromGermany 34%, 23 source countriesNearest export strengthSauces and preparations therefor: mixed condiments and mixed... (exports USD 77m)Exports of this lineUSD 4m; 1 more line in the heading, USD 14mCountries that export it well39Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 64m, top 14 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 7 per cent (3).
USD 64mup 144% on 2022 -
19
Boards, panels, consoles, desks and other bases: for electric control or the distribution of electricity, (other than...HS 853720
Comes fromChina 65%, 21 source countriesNearest export strengthInsulated electric conductors: for a voltage exceeding 1000 volts (exports USD 126m)Exports of this lineUSD 174k; 1 more line in the heading, USD 89mCountries that export it well20Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 62m, top 15 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 34 per cent (1); China supplies 65 per cent (2).
USD 62mup 21% on 2022 -
20
Vehicles: public transport type (carries 10 or more persons, including driver), with only compression-ignition...HS 870210
Comes fromJapan 49%, 9 source countriesNearest export strengthnone namedExports of this linenone recorded; 1 more line in the heading, USD 20mCountries that export it well30Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 49m, top 20 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Oman's export strengths in the top 17 per cent (2); Japan supplies 49 per cent (1).
USD 49mup 45% on 2022
One line per customs heading. Products Oman already exports well and still imports are below, because they are a different conversation. No employment figures appear on this page, by decision.
Scale conversations, not capability ones.
- Aluminium: (not alloyed), bars, rods and profiles imports USD 23m, exports USD 10m, top source Saudi Arabia 97%
- Boring or sinking machinery: parts for boring or sinking machinery of... imports USD 113m, exports USD 107m, top source China 32%
- Reservoirs, tanks, vats and similar containers: for any material (excluding... imports USD 22m, exports USD 16m, top source China 65%
- Poly(ethylene terephthalate): in primary forms, having a viscosity of less... imports USD 26m, exports USD 21m, top source India 54%
- Ceramic tiles: flags and paving, hearth or wall tiles other than those of... imports USD 13m, exports USD 8m, top source India 90%
Three scores, each from a field the record carries.
Import bill, 0 to 3, by percentile among the 290 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.
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 2026-11-03. The UK edition with its procurement and regional layers is at /made-here/.
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What Oman buys, and from whom: the trade lanes into Oman.
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