Food exports in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Food exports was 1.9% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Food exports in Saudi Arabia, 1968–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 1.9% for food exports in 2024.
That represents a change of up 23.5% on the previous year and up 84.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food exports in Saudi Arabia peaked at 2.1% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1977.
Saudi Arabia ranks 175th of 196 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Food exports in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 0.1% | — |
| 1969 | 0.1% | +40.2% |
| 1974 | 0.1% | -11.9% |
| 1975 | 0.1% | -22.0% |
| 1976 | 0.1% | -27.7% |
| 1977 | 0.0% | -33.2% |
| 1978 | 0.1% | +47.5% |
| 1979 | 0.1% | +17.9% |
| 1980 | 0.1% | +34.3% |
| 1981 | 0.1% | -2.4% |
| 1982 | 0.1% | +36.6% |
| 1985 | 0.3% | +102.2% |
| 1991 | 0.5% | +102.6% |
| 1992 | 1.1% | +114.8% |
| 1993 | 1.0% | -7.9% |
| 1994 | 0.7% | -30.3% |
| 1995 | 0.9% | +18.3% |
| 1996 | 0.6% | -26.4% |
| 1998 | 1.1% | +76.3% |
| 1999 | 0.9% | -16.4% |
| 2000 | 0.5% | -42.2% |
| 2001 | 0.6% | +3.6% |
| 2002 | 0.6% | +12.9% |
| 2003 | 0.8% | +32.6% |
| 2004 | 0.7% | -11.5% |
| 2005 | 0.6% | -16.0% |
| 2006 | 0.6% | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 0.8% | +30.9% |
| 2008 | 0.7% | -11.2% |
| 2009 | 1.4% | +90.1% |
| 2010 | 1.2% | -17.4% |
| 2011 | 0.9% | -21.4% |
| 2012 | 0.9% | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 0.9% | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 1.1% | +17.0% |
| 2015 | 1.8% | +74.5% |
| 2016 | 2.0% | +10.4% |
| 2017 | 1.7% | -18.4% |
| 2018 | 1.2% | -27.2% |
| 2019 | 1.4% | +15.1% |
| 2020 | 2.1% | +48.4% |
| 2021 | 1.5% | -28.7% |
| 2022 | 1.1% | -22.4% |
| 2023 | 1.6% | +38.1% |
| 2024 | 1.9% | +23.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 6 |
| 1980s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 4 |
| 1990s | 0.9% | 0.5% | 1.1% | 8 |
| 2000s | 0.8% | 0.5% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.3% | 0.9% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.6% | 1.1% | 2.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More private sector data for Saudi Arabia
- Merchandise trade 44.2% (2025)
- Food imports 13.0% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 70.5% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 254.06 billion current US$ (2025)
- Manufactures exports 15.9% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 310.67 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 8,403 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2433 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 1.69 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 6,871 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food exports in Saudi Arabia?
- Food exports in Saudi Arabia was 1.9% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food exports recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.1% in 2020.
- What is the lowest food exports recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1977.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for food exports?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 175th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is food exports rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 84.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.