Food exports in Arab World
Arab World: Food exports was 3.6% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Food exports in Arab World, 1978–2023
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
In 2023, food exports in Arab World stood at 3.6%.
The figure is up 12.0% on the previous year and up 59.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food exports in Arab World peaked at 4.8% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 1991.
Arab World ranks 46th of 46 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.
Food exports in Arab World, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 2.9% | — |
| 1979 | 3.1% | +7.5% |
| 1991 | 1.7% | -45.6% |
| 1992 | 2.4% | +45.1% |
| 1993 | 4.8% | +99.1% |
| 1999 | 2.4% | -49.7% |
| 2000 | 1.8% | -25.4% |
| 2001 | 2.0% | +11.8% |
| 2002 | 2.0% | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 2.0% | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 2.0% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 2.7% | +40.6% |
| 2006 | 1.7% | -37.1% |
| 2007 | 1.8% | +4.5% |
| 2008 | 1.8% | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 2.5% | +38.2% |
| 2010 | 2.3% | -6.7% |
| 2011 | 2.1% | -6.9% |
| 2012 | 2.4% | +11.0% |
| 2013 | 2.3% | -3.3% |
| 2014 | 2.5% | +10.7% |
| 2015 | 3.4% | +35.4% |
| 2016 | 3.4% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 3.3% | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 4.4% | +30.3% |
| 2019 | 3.7% | -14.9% |
| 2020 | 4.1% | +11.8% |
| 2021 | 3.5% | -15.1% |
| 2022 | 3.2% | -7.9% |
| 2023 | 3.6% | +12.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.0% | 2.9% | 3.1% | 2 |
| 1990s | 2.9% | 1.7% | 4.8% | 4 |
| 2000s | 2.0% | 1.7% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.0% | 2.1% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.6% | 3.2% | 4.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
More private sector data for Arab World
- Merchandise trade 53.7% (2025)
- Food imports 11.7% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 60.2% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 1.48 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Manufactures exports 16.3% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 1.59 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 3,163 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4193 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 6.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 2,937 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food exports in Arab World?
- Food exports in Arab World was 3.6% in 2023, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food exports recorded in Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 4.8% in 1993.
- What is the lowest food exports recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 1991.
- How does Arab World rank for food exports?
- Arab World ranks 46th out of 46 groups with data for 2023.
- Is food exports rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 59.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Arab World data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Food exports (% of merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 30 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.