Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in Laos
Laos: Food exports (% of merchandise exports) was 23.2% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Food exports in Laos, 1962–2023
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
In 2023, food exports in Laos stood at 23.2%.
The figure is up 18.3% on the previous year and up 64.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food exports in Laos peaked at 29.3% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0.8%, in 1973.
Laos ranks 75th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in Laos, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 25.5% | — |
| 1963 | 18.0% | -29.4% |
| 1964 | 8.9% | -50.5% |
| 1965 | 11.9% | +33.8% |
| 1966 | 21.1% | +77.0% |
| 1967 | 16.2% | -23.4% |
| 1968 | 7.8% | -51.5% |
| 1969 | 7.9% | +1.0% |
| 1970 | 5.5% | -30.4% |
| 1971 | 1.5% | -72.3% |
| 1972 | 1.1% | -30.6% |
| 1973 | 0.8% | -23.2% |
| 1974 | 2.6% | +215.5% |
| 2010 | 24.3% | +849.6% |
| 2011 | 12.3% | -49.5% |
| 2012 | 14.8% | +20.8% |
| 2013 | 14.2% | -4.5% |
| 2014 | 17.3% | +22.5% |
| 2015 | 21.1% | +21.4% |
| 2016 | 29.3% | +39.3% |
| 2017 | 20.8% | -29.0% |
| 2018 | 17.2% | -17.5% |
| 2019 | 13.5% | -21.6% |
| 2020 | 28.1% | +108.4% |
| 2021 | 14.5% | -48.2% |
| 2022 | 19.6% | +35.1% |
| 2023 | 23.2% | +18.3% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 23.2% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 21.6%, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Laos's 23.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 13.7%, 1.7× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in Laos changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | +849.6% | 2.6% | 24.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 14.7% | 7.8% | 25.5% | 8 |
| 1970s | 2.3% | 0.8% | 5.5% | 5 |
| 2010s | 18.5% | 12.3% | 29.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.4% | 14.5% | 28.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Laos
More private sector data for Laos
- Merchandise trade 124.1% (2025)
- Food imports 12.7% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 61.7% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 10.34 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 1.65 billion current US$ (2025)
- Manufactures exports 32.8% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 12.38 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 1.83 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 1,572 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.6762 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food exports in Laos?
- Food exports in Laos was 23.2% in 2023, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food exports recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 29.3% in 2016.
- What is the lowest food exports recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8% in 1973.
- How does Laos rank for food exports?
- Laos ranks 75th out of 196 countries with data for 2023.
- Is food exports rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 64.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos 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 — 27 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.