Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Africa Eastern and Southern
Africa Eastern and Southern: Food imports (% of merchandise imports) was 10.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Food imports in Africa Eastern and Southern, 1976–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2025, food imports in Africa Eastern and Southern stood at 10.4%.
That represents a change of down 5.2% on the previous year and up 2.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Africa Eastern and Southern peaked at 13.0% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 7.8%, in 1978.
Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 23rd of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Africa Eastern and Southern, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 7.9% | — |
| 1977 | 8.3% | +4.6% |
| 1978 | 7.8% | -6.6% |
| 1985 | 11.0% | +41.5% |
| 1995 | 10.3% | -6.5% |
| 1996 | 10.0% | -2.7% |
| 1997 | 9.4% | -5.9% |
| 1998 | 9.0% | -3.8% |
| 1999 | 8.8% | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 9.3% | +5.2% |
| 2001 | 9.5% | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 9.8% | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 11.1% | +13.2% |
| 2004 | 9.9% | -11.2% |
| 2005 | 8.6% | -12.9% |
| 2006 | 8.6% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 9.2% | +7.3% |
| 2008 | 9.7% | +5.1% |
| 2009 | 10.4% | +7.7% |
| 2010 | 10.8% | +3.8% |
| 2011 | 10.8% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 10.7% | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 10.3% | -3.8% |
| 2014 | 10.4% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 10.2% | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 13.0% | +28.0% |
| 2017 | 13.0% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 11.8% | -8.9% |
| 2019 | 10.8% | -8.6% |
| 2020 | 13.0% | +20.5% |
| 2021 | 12.6% | -3.2% |
| 2022 | 11.4% | -9.4% |
| 2023 | 10.7% | -6.6% |
| 2024 | 11.0% | +3.1% |
| 2025 | 10.4% | -5.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8.0% | 7.8% | 8.3% | 3 |
| 1980s | 11.0% | 11.0% | 11.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 9.5% | 8.8% | 10.3% | 5 |
| 2000s | 9.6% | 8.6% | 11.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.2% | 10.2% | 13.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.5% | 10.4% | 13.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Eastern and Southern
- 20 East Timor 28.1% compare
- 21 Micronesia (country) 27.8% compare
- 22 Antigua and Barbuda 27.7% compare
- 23 Saint Lucia 27.6% compare
- 24 Afghanistan 26.9% compare
- 25 Guinea 26.6% compare
- 26 Tajikistan 26.5% compare
More private sector data for Africa Eastern and Southern
- Merchandise trade 45.4% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 62.3% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 337.80 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 76.23 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 13.5% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 26.8% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 282.56 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 61.43 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 358.19 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.208 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Food imports in Africa Eastern and Southern was 10.4% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The highest recorded value was 13.0% in 2016.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.8% in 1978.
- How does Africa Eastern and Southern rank for food imports?
- Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 23rd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa Eastern and Southern 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.
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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 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.