Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Food exports (% of merchandise exports) was 2.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Food exports in Saudi Arabia, 1968–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 2.2% for food exports in 2025. That is the highest value across all 46 years on record.
That represents a change of up 15.5% on the previous year and up 22.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food exports in Saudi Arabia peaked at 2.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1977.
Saudi Arabia ranks 173rd 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 (% of merchandise 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% |
| 2025 | 2.2% | +15.5% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 2.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 11.3%, 20% of the median. (71 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 2.2% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 9.9%, 23% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
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 | 1.7% | 1.1% | 2.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More private sector data for Saudi Arabia
- Merchandise trade 44.2% (2025)
- Food imports 12.3% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 72.1% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 254.06 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 122.08 billion current US$ (2025)
- Manufactures exports 16.7% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 310.67 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 66.92 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food exports in Saudi Arabia?
- Food exports in Saudi Arabia was 2.2% in 2025, 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 2.2% in 2025.
- 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 173rd out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is food exports rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.2%. 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.