Food exports in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Food exports was 14.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Food exports in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1974–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
In 2024, food exports in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 14.7%.
That represents a change of up 8.1% on the previous year and up 12.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food exports in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 28.2% in 1975 and was at its lowest, 11.7%, in 2011.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 14th out of 46 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Food exports in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 27.9% | — |
| 1975 | 28.2% | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 27.4% | -2.5% |
| 1977 | 27.2% | -0.8% |
| 1978 | 26.4% | -3.0% |
| 1979 | 23.5% | -11.1% |
| 1981 | 18.6% | -20.8% |
| 1996 | 19.1% | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 19.6% | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 20.2% | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 20.0% | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 16.8% | -16.0% |
| 2001 | 17.2% | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 16.2% | -6.0% |
| 2003 | 17.1% | +5.6% |
| 2006 | 14.0% | -18.4% |
| 2007 | 11.7% | -16.1% |
| 2008 | 12.0% | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 14.3% | +19.1% |
| 2010 | 13.4% | -6.1% |
| 2011 | 11.7% | -12.8% |
| 2012 | 12.3% | +4.9% |
| 2013 | 13.0% | +6.3% |
| 2014 | 13.1% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 15.0% | +14.8% |
| 2016 | 15.5% | +3.6% |
| 2017 | 14.9% | -4.4% |
| 2018 | 14.8% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 13.4% | -9.4% |
| 2020 | 13.7% | +2.6% |
| 2021 | 13.4% | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 12.9% | -4.2% |
| 2023 | 13.6% | +5.3% |
| 2024 | 14.7% | +8.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 26.7% | 23.5% | 28.2% | 6 |
| 1980s | 18.6% | 18.6% | 18.6% | 1 |
| 1990s | 19.7% | 19.1% | 20.2% | 4 |
| 2000s | 14.9% | 11.7% | 17.2% | 8 |
| 2010s | 13.7% | 11.7% | 15.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.7% | 12.9% | 14.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 11 Palau 88.7% compare
- 12 Comoros 88.5% compare
- 13 Faroe Islands 88.0% compare
- 14 Cape Verde 86.4% compare
- 15 Seychelles 85.9% compare
- 16 Vanuatu 85.3% compare
- 17 Antigua and Barbuda 84.7% compare
More private sector data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Merchandise trade 44.5% (2025)
- Food imports 12.1% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 56.8% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 501.15 billion current US$ (2025)
- Manufactures exports 19.4% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 486.80 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 368.33 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2201 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 11.24 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 379.19 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food exports in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Food exports in Sub-Saharan Africa was 14.7% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food exports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 28.2% in 1975.
- What is the lowest food exports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.7% in 2011.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for food exports?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 14th out of 46 groups with data for 2024.
- Is food exports rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa 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.