China vs Saudi Arabia: Food exports (% of merchandise exports)
Food exports (% of merchandise exports) over time
- China
- Saudi Arabia
How they compare
China currently reports 2.3% against 2.2% in Saudi Arabia, a difference of 0.1%.
Across all 34 years both countries report, China has been ahead every year.
China ranks 171st and Saudi Arabia ranks 173rd of 196 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Saudi Arabia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 12.6% | 0.3% | 12.3% | China |
| 1990s | 8.8% | 0.9% | 7.8% | China |
| 2000s | 3.8% | 0.8% | 3.0% | China |
| 2010s | 2.9% | 1.3% | 1.6% | China |
| 2020s | 2.4% | 1.7% | 0.7% | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher food exports, China or Saudi Arabia?
- China, at 2.3% against 2.2% in Saudi Arabia as of 2025.
- What is the difference in food exports between China and Saudi Arabia?
- 0.1%, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Saudi Arabia?
- 34 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2025.
- How do China and Saudi Arabia rank globally for food exports?
- China ranks 171st and Saudi Arabia ranks 173rd of 196 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as Food exports (% of merchandise exports). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
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About this data
Food comprises the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 0 (food and live animals), 1 (beverages and tobacco), and 4 (animal and vegetable oils and fats) and division 22 (oil seeds, oil nuts, and oil kernels). This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise exports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a resident and a non-resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.