Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Food exports (% of merchandise exports) was 15.7% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Food exports in Least developed countries, 1978–2023
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
In 2023, food exports in Least developed countries stood at 15.7%.
That represents a change of up 5.0% on the previous year and up 25.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food exports in Least developed countries peaked at 26.4% in 1978 and was at its lowest, 10.4%, in 2008.
Least developed countries ranks 11th of 46 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 18 years of available data.
Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 26.4% | — |
| 2007 | 11.1% | -57.9% |
| 2008 | 10.4% | -6.3% |
| 2009 | 11.1% | +6.9% |
| 2010 | 11.6% | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 12.0% | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 12.6% | +5.5% |
| 2013 | 12.5% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 17.1% | +36.0% |
| 2015 | 15.4% | -9.9% |
| 2016 | 15.5% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 15.1% | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 15.3% | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 16.6% | +8.2% |
| 2020 | 15.4% | -7.0% |
| 2021 | 15.7% | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 14.9% | -4.6% |
| 2023 | 15.7% | +5.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in Least developed countries 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | -57.9% | 26.4% | 11.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 26.4% | 26.4% | 26.4% | 1 |
| 2000s | 10.9% | 10.4% | 11.1% | 3 |
| 2010s | 14.4% | 11.6% | 17.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.4% | 14.9% | 15.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
- 8 Greenland 92.3% compare
- 9 Faroe Islands 91.9% compare
- 10 Gambia 90.7% compare
- 11 Palau 88.7% compare
- 12 Comoros 88.5% compare
- 13 Cape Verde 86.4% compare
- 14 Seychelles 85.9% compare
More private sector data for Least developed countries
- Merchandise trade 41.4% (2025)
- Food imports 15.6% (2019)
- Manufactures imports 62.6% (2019)
- Merchandise imports 376.94 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 83.48 billion current US$ (2024)
- Manufactures exports 19.9% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 311.48 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 54.31 billion current US$ (2024)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 256.54 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1884 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food exports in Least developed countries?
- Food exports in Least developed countries was 15.7% in 2023, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food exports recorded in Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 26.4% in 1978.
- What is the lowest food exports recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.4% in 2008.
- How does Least developed countries rank for food exports?
- Least developed countries ranks 11th out of 46 groups with data for 2023.
- Is food exports rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Least developed countries 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.