Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Belgium
Belgium: Food imports (% of merchandise imports) was 12.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Food imports in Belgium, 1962–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for food imports in Belgium is 12.8%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.7% on the previous year and up 16.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Belgium peaked at 15.0% in 1967 and was at its lowest, 7.4%, in 2006.
Belgium ranks 126th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 53 years of available data.
Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 13.8% | — |
| 1963 | 13.2% | -4.0% |
| 1964 | 13.4% | +1.7% |
| 1965 | 14.3% | +6.5% |
| 1966 | 13.7% | -4.2% |
| 1967 | 15.0% | +9.0% |
| 1968 | 13.3% | -10.9% |
| 1969 | 12.6% | -5.3% |
| 1970 | 13.1% | +3.7% |
| 1971 | 13.3% | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 13.3% | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 13.3% | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 11.6% | -12.9% |
| 1975 | 13.0% | +11.5% |
| 1976 | 12.8% | -1.0% |
| 1977 | 13.2% | +2.8% |
| 1978 | 12.8% | -2.6% |
| 1979 | 12.2% | -4.8% |
| 1980 | 11.1% | -9.0% |
| 1981 | 11.8% | +6.4% |
| 1982 | 12.5% | +5.4% |
| 1983 | 12.1% | -2.7% |
| 1984 | 12.3% | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 11.7% | -4.9% |
| 1986 | 11.7% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 11.3% | -3.4% |
| 1999 | 9.9% | -12.4% |
| 2000 | 8.4% | -14.9% |
| 2001 | 8.7% | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 8.6% | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 8.8% | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 8.2% | -6.7% |
| 2005 | 7.7% | -6.1% |
| 2006 | 7.4% | -4.0% |
| 2007 | 7.7% | +4.6% |
| 2008 | 8.1% | +5.9% |
| 2009 | 9.3% | +13.5% |
| 2010 | 9.8% | +5.8% |
| 2011 | 9.6% | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 10.0% | +4.1% |
| 2013 | 10.2% | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 10.4% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 11.0% | +5.9% |
| 2016 | 10.7% | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 10.4% | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 9.7% | -6.2% |
| 2019 | 9.7% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 10.9% | +12.1% |
| 2021 | 9.3% | -14.2% |
| 2022 | 8.5% | -9.1% |
| 2023 | 10.2% | +19.9% |
| 2024 | 11.9% | +17.1% |
| 2025 | 12.8% | +7.7% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 12.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 12.9%, 99% of the median. (71 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 12.8% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.4%, 1.0× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.7% | 12.6% | 15.0% | 8 |
| 1970s | 12.9% | 11.6% | 13.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.8% | 11.1% | 12.5% | 8 |
| 1990s | 9.9% | 9.9% | 9.9% | 1 |
| 2000s | 8.3% | 7.4% | 9.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.2% | 9.6% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.6% | 8.5% | 12.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 123 Bangladesh 13.0% compare
- 124 Spain 12.9% compare
- 125 New Zealand 12.9% compare
- 127 Laos 12.7% compare
- 128 Kyrgyzstan 12.6% compare
- 129 Uzbekistan 12.4% compare
More private sector data for Belgium
- Merchandise trade 152.4% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 65.8% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 537.70 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 170.83 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 13.8% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 69.4% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 568.11 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 158.37 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 47,573 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.7831 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Belgium?
- Food imports in Belgium was 12.8% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 15.0% in 1967.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.4% in 2006.
- How does Belgium rank for food imports?
- Belgium ranks 126th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium 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 — 53 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.