Food exports in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income): Food exports was 10.4% in 2017. ▼ Falling

Latest (2017)
10.4%
Change on year
up 19.1%
Rank
30th
of 46 groups
All-time high
25.3%
in 1972
All-time low
5.8%
in 2004
Years of data
33
1963–2017

Food exports in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), 1963–2017

5101520251963199020171963: 14 % of merchandise exports1966: 20 % of merchandise exports1968: 17.6 % of merchandise exports1969: 18.7 % of merchandise exports1970: 17.9 % of merchandise exports1971: 16.3 % of merchandise exports1972: 25.3 % of merchandise exports1973: 24.8 % of merchandise exports1974: 17.3 % of merchandise exports1975: 16.5 % of merchandise exports1976: 16.7 % of merchandise exports1977: 11.6 % of merchandise exports1997: 9.1 % of merchandise exports1998: 9.4 % of merchandise exports1999: 8.2 % of merchandise exports2000: 5.8 % of merchandise exports2001: 6.2 % of merchandise exports2002: 6.1 % of merchandise exports2003: 7.6 % of merchandise exports2004: 5.8 % of merchandise exports2005: 8.1 % of merchandise exports2006: 5.9 % of merchandise exports2007: 6.4 % of merchandise exports2008: 7.1 % of merchandise exports2009: 8.3 % of merchandise exports2010: 7.3 % of merchandise exports2011: 6.9 % of merchandise exports2012: 7.7 % of merchandise exports2013: 7.8 % of merchandise exports2014: 8.5 % of merchandise exports2015: 10.6 % of merchandise exports2016: 8.7 % of merchandise exports2017: 10.4 % of merchandise exports

Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.

Analysis

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) recorded 10.4% for food exports in 2017.

That represents a change of up 19.1% on the previous year and up 62.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, food exports in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) peaked at 25.3% in 1972 and was at its lowest, 5.8%, in 2004.

That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 30th out of 46 groups with data for 2017, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.

Food exports in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), year by year

Annual values for Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), 1963 to 2017.
Year % of merchandise exports Change
1963 14.0%
1966 20.0% +42.7%
1968 17.6% -11.9%
1969 18.7% +5.8%
1970 17.9% -4.2%
1971 16.3% -8.8%
1972 25.3% +55.1%
1973 24.8% -1.8%
1974 17.3% -30.4%
1975 16.5% -4.9%
1976 16.7% +1.3%
1977 11.6% -30.2%
1997 9.1% -21.4%
1998 9.4% +3.2%
1999 8.2% -13.0%
2000 5.8% -28.7%
2001 6.2% +5.6%
2002 6.1% -1.9%
2003 7.6% +25.5%
2004 5.8% -24.1%
2005 8.1% +40.6%
2006 5.9% -26.9%
2007 6.4% +8.0%
2008 7.1% +10.8%
2009 8.3% +17.3%
2010 7.3% -11.8%
2011 6.9% -6.1%
2012 7.7% +12.1%
2013 7.8% +1.3%
2014 8.5% +7.9%
2015 10.6% +25.1%
2016 8.7% -17.6%
2017 10.4% +19.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 17.6% 14.0% 20.0% 4
1970s 18.3% 11.6% 25.3% 8
1990s 8.9% 8.2% 9.4% 3
2000s 6.7% 5.8% 8.3% 10
2010s 8.5% 6.9% 10.6% 8

Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)

  1. 27 Fiji 64.3% compare
  2. 28 Afghanistan 63.9% compare
  3. 29 Ukraine 58.7% compare
  4. 30 Equatorial Guinea 57.9% compare
  5. 31 Moldova 56.1% compare
  6. 32 Ecuador 53.7% compare
  7. 33 Honduras 53.5% compare

See the full ranking of 242 places →

More private sector data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)

All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) →

Frequently asked questions

What is food exports in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
Food exports in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) was 10.4% in 2017, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
What is the highest food exports recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
The highest recorded value was 25.3% in 1972.
What is the lowest food exports recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
The lowest recorded value was 5.8% in 2004.
How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) rank for food exports?
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) ranks 30th out of 46 groups with data for 2017.
Is food exports rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
Over the last ten years it is up 62.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 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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Food exports in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income). Statizoid, drawing on Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://private-sector.statizoid.com/stat/food-exports-percent-of-merchandise-exports/middle-east-north-africa-afghanistan-and-pakistan-excluding-high-income/

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About this data

Indicator
Food exports (% of merchandise exports)
Unit
% of merchandise exports
Source
Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
242 places, 9,957 data points, 1962–2025
Last refreshed

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.