Food imports in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Food imports was 26.9% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Food imports in Afghanistan, 1962–2019
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2019, food imports in Afghanistan stood at 26.9%.
The figure is down 20.9% on the previous year and up 47.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Afghanistan peaked at 36.8% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 4.3%, in 2012.
Afghanistan ranks 23rd of 196 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.
Food imports in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 7.8% | — |
| 1963 | 13.1% | +67.4% |
| 1964 | 17.3% | +32.1% |
| 1965 | 17.1% | -1.4% |
| 1966 | 20.8% | +21.6% |
| 1967 | 20.9% | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 16.0% | -23.3% |
| 1969 | 20.6% | +28.6% |
| 1970 | 20.5% | -0.2% |
| 1971 | 25.4% | +23.8% |
| 1972 | 28.5% | +11.9% |
| 1973 | 23.9% | -16.2% |
| 1974 | 22.9% | -4.1% |
| 1975 | 24.4% | +6.7% |
| 1976 | 16.3% | -33.2% |
| 1977 | 15.4% | -6.0% |
| 2008 | 18.9% | +22.8% |
| 2009 | 18.3% | -3.0% |
| 2010 | 13.7% | -25.2% |
| 2011 | 14.0% | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 4.3% | -69.5% |
| 2013 | 7.5% | +76.5% |
| 2014 | 9.5% | +26.1% |
| 2015 | 19.2% | +102.1% |
| 2016 | 23.6% | +22.5% |
| 2017 | 36.8% | +56.2% |
| 2018 | 34.0% | -7.5% |
| 2019 | 26.9% | -20.9% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 26.9% is above the median for low income countries, which is 21.5%, 1.3× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 26.9% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 17.5%, 1.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 16.7% | 7.8% | 20.9% | 8 |
| 1970s | 22.2% | 15.4% | 28.5% | 8 |
| 2000s | 18.6% | 18.3% | 18.9% | 2 |
| 2010s | 19.0% | 4.3% | 36.8% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
- 20 Antigua and Barbuda 27.7% compare
- 21 Saint Lucia 27.6% compare
- 22 Tonga 27.5% compare
- 24 Guinea 26.6% compare
- 25 Tajikistan 26.5% compare
- 26 Seychelles 26.1% compare
More private sector data for Afghanistan
- Merchandise trade 22.2% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 41.1% (2019)
- Merchandise imports 3.61 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 63.9% (2019)
- Manufactures exports 4.8% (2019)
- Merchandise exports 926.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 21.12 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0517 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 0.7617 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 82.25 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Afghanistan?
- Food imports in Afghanistan was 26.9% in 2019, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 36.8% in 2017.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.3% in 2012.
- How does Afghanistan rank for food imports?
- Afghanistan ranks 23rd out of 196 countries with data for 2019.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Food imports (% of merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 28 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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 imports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a non-resident and a 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.