Food exports in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
South Asia (IDA & IBRD): Food exports was 11.8% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Food exports in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), 1962–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
In 2024, food exports in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) stood at 11.8%.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and down 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food exports in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 41.4% in 1963 and was at its lowest, 8.3%, in 2009.
South Asia (IDA & IBRD) ranks 22nd of 46 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Food exports in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 40.4% | — |
| 1963 | 41.4% | +2.4% |
| 1964 | 38.2% | -7.7% |
| 1965 | 35.2% | -8.0% |
| 1966 | 34.0% | -3.3% |
| 1967 | 35.4% | +4.0% |
| 1968 | 33.7% | -4.8% |
| 1969 | 29.5% | -12.4% |
| 1970 | 31.3% | +6.1% |
| 1971 | 32.2% | +2.9% |
| 1972 | 31.4% | -2.4% |
| 1973 | 33.3% | +6.0% |
| 1974 | 33.5% | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 38.7% | +15.6% |
| 1976 | 32.6% | -15.7% |
| 1977 | 31.3% | -4.0% |
| 1978 | 28.2% | -10.0% |
| 1979 | 29.7% | +5.5% |
| 1980 | 27.2% | -8.7% |
| 1981 | 29.2% | +7.6% |
| 1982 | 26.7% | -8.5% |
| 1983 | 24.2% | -9.4% |
| 1984 | 23.8% | -2.0% |
| 1985 | 25.3% | +6.7% |
| 1986 | 24.5% | -3.4% |
| 1987 | 20.2% | -17.6% |
| 1988 | 16.7% | -17.4% |
| 1989 | 16.6% | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 16.1% | -2.9% |
| 1991 | 16.8% | +4.5% |
| 1992 | 15.9% | -5.7% |
| 1993 | 16.5% | +3.8% |
| 1994 | 15.5% | -5.8% |
| 1995 | 17.8% | +15.0% |
| 1996 | 17.7% | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 16.8% | -5.0% |
| 1998 | 16.1% | -4.0% |
| 1999 | 14.8% | -8.3% |
| 2000 | 12.5% | -15.3% |
| 2001 | 12.8% | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 12.4% | -3.1% |
| 2003 | 10.9% | -12.2% |
| 2004 | 10.3% | -5.2% |
| 2005 | 9.2% | -11.0% |
| 2006 | 8.8% | -4.1% |
| 2007 | 9.5% | +7.4% |
| 2008 | 10.1% | +6.2% |
| 2009 | 8.3% | -18.0% |
| 2010 | 8.5% | +3.4% |
| 2011 | 9.1% | +6.4% |
| 2012 | 10.4% | +13.9% |
| 2013 | 11.0% | +6.1% |
| 2014 | 12.0% | +9.4% |
| 2015 | 11.0% | -8.3% |
| 2016 | 10.9% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 11.4% | +4.4% |
| 2018 | 9.8% | -13.5% |
| 2019 | 11.1% | +12.6% |
| 2020 | 13.5% | +21.5% |
| 2021 | 12.1% | -10.4% |
| 2022 | 11.8% | -2.6% |
| 2023 | 11.6% | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 11.8% | +1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 36.0% | 29.5% | 41.4% | 8 |
| 1970s | 32.2% | 28.2% | 38.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 23.4% | 16.6% | 29.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.4% | 14.8% | 17.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.5% | 8.3% | 12.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.5% | 8.5% | 12.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.2% | 11.6% | 13.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
- 19 Panama 73.6% compare
- 20 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 72.5% compare
- 21 Grenada 69.1% compare
- 22 Paraguay 69.1% compare
- 23 New Zealand 69.0% compare
- 24 Guinea-Bissau 68.5% compare
- 25 Aruba 67.3% compare
More private sector data for South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
- Merchandise trade 30.0% (2025)
- Food imports 5.6% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 47.1% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 864.53 billion current US$ (2025)
- Manufactures exports 67.0% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 510.58 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 301.72 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1115 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 1.04 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 510.88 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food exports in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- Food exports in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) was 11.8% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food exports recorded in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- The highest recorded value was 41.4% in 1963.
- What is the lowest food exports recorded in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.3% in 2009.
- How does South Asia (IDA & IBRD) rank for food exports?
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) ranks 22nd out of 46 groups with data for 2024.
- Is food exports rising or falling in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 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.