Food exports in Kenya
Kenya: Food exports was 49.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Food exports in Kenya, 1976–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for food exports in Kenya is 49.2%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 8.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food exports in Kenya peaked at 70.3% in 1986 and was at its lowest, 31.7%, in 2002.
That places Kenya 38th out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 44 years of available data.
Food exports in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 52.4% | — |
| 1977 | 66.2% | +26.3% |
| 1978 | 59.6% | -10.0% |
| 1979 | 56.5% | -5.1% |
| 1980 | 43.8% | -22.4% |
| 1981 | 45.9% | +4.8% |
| 1982 | 51.4% | +11.9% |
| 1983 | 59.4% | +15.6% |
| 1984 | 63.2% | +6.4% |
| 1985 | 63.6% | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 70.3% | +10.6% |
| 1987 | 63.3% | -10.0% |
| 1990 | 49.2% | -22.4% |
| 1991 | 52.2% | +6.2% |
| 1992 | 43.6% | -16.6% |
| 1993 | 52.7% | +20.9% |
| 1994 | 56.4% | +7.1% |
| 1995 | 56.1% | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 56.6% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 55.4% | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 58.4% | +5.3% |
| 1999 | 58.2% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 59.0% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 59.5% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 31.7% | -46.8% |
| 2003 | 42.4% | +34.1% |
| 2004 | 51.9% | +22.3% |
| 2005 | 37.6% | -27.4% |
| 2006 | 42.6% | +13.1% |
| 2007 | 42.8% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 44.1% | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 43.7% | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 46.9% | +7.2% |
| 2013 | 45.5% | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 43.5% | -4.4% |
| 2016 | 44.9% | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 51.3% | +14.4% |
| 2018 | 51.2% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 43.7% | -14.6% |
| 2020 | 48.2% | +10.3% |
| 2021 | 47.5% | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 48.7% | +2.5% |
| 2023 | 49.0% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 49.2% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 58.7% | 52.4% | 66.2% | 4 |
| 1980s | 57.6% | 43.8% | 70.3% | 8 |
| 1990s | 53.9% | 43.6% | 58.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 45.5% | 31.7% | 59.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.7% | 43.5% | 51.3% | 7 |
| 2020s | 48.5% | 47.5% | 49.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More private sector data for Kenya
- Merchandise trade 22.2% (2025)
- Food imports 16.3% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 56.6% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 21.61 billion current US$ (2025)
- Manufactures exports 30.7% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 8.60 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 149.5 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0633 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 4.42 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 375.68 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food exports in Kenya?
- Food exports in Kenya was 49.2% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food exports recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 70.3% in 1986.
- What is the lowest food exports recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.7% in 2002.
- How does Kenya rank for food exports?
- Kenya ranks 38th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is food exports rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya 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.
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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.