Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in Zambia
Zambia: Food exports (% of merchandise exports) was 8.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Food exports in Zambia, 1966–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 8.7% for food exports in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 17.6% on the previous year and down 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food exports in Zambia peaked at 15.7% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1979.
Zambia ranks 140th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 1.6% | — |
| 1967 | 2.9% | +84.3% |
| 1970 | 0.6% | -79.3% |
| 1971 | 1.0% | +63.6% |
| 1972 | 0.8% | -21.7% |
| 1973 | 1.2% | +57.0% |
| 1974 | 1.6% | +33.4% |
| 1975 | 1.4% | -11.5% |
| 1976 | 0.9% | -35.2% |
| 1977 | 1.5% | +66.7% |
| 1978 | 1.8% | +18.3% |
| 1979 | 0.4% | -80.3% |
| 1993 | 3.9% | +998.0% |
| 1995 | 2.7% | -31.5% |
| 1996 | 6.4% | +138.0% |
| 1997 | 4.8% | -25.4% |
| 1998 | 7.1% | +50.0% |
| 1999 | 8.0% | +12.2% |
| 2000 | 9.4% | +17.0% |
| 2001 | 9.6% | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 9.7% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 10.6% | +8.9% |
| 2004 | 15.7% | +48.4% |
| 2005 | 11.5% | -26.6% |
| 2006 | 5.8% | -49.2% |
| 2007 | 7.3% | +25.7% |
| 2008 | 6.1% | -17.6% |
| 2009 | 8.4% | +39.3% |
| 2010 | 6.8% | -18.9% |
| 2011 | 7.9% | +16.0% |
| 2012 | 12.2% | +53.3% |
| 2013 | 9.2% | -24.2% |
| 2014 | 8.8% | -4.5% |
| 2015 | 10.0% | +13.1% |
| 2016 | 9.3% | -6.7% |
| 2017 | 7.3% | -21.7% |
| 2018 | 6.2% | -14.7% |
| 2019 | 7.3% | +17.7% |
| 2020 | 7.5% | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 7.7% | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 9.5% | +22.4% |
| 2023 | 10.6% | +12.1% |
| 2024 | 8.7% | -17.6% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 8.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 21.6%, 41% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 8.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 27.6%, 32% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in Zambia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +998.0% | 0.4% | 3.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.2% | 1.6% | 2.9% | 2 |
| 1970s | 1.1% | 0.4% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.5% | 2.7% | 8.0% | 6 |
| 2000s | 9.4% | 5.8% | 15.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.5% | 6.2% | 12.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.8% | 7.5% | 10.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More private sector data for Zambia
- Merchandise trade 91.7% (2025)
- Food imports 7.8% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 64.4% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 13.17 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 2.17 billion current US$ (2025)
- Manufactures exports 14.1% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 13.31 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 1.39 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 607.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.461 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food exports in Zambia?
- Food exports in Zambia was 8.7% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food exports recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 15.7% in 2004.
- What is the lowest food exports recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1979.
- How does Zambia rank for food exports?
- Zambia ranks 140th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is food exports rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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.