Food imports in Botswana
Botswana: Food imports was 16.2% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Food imports in Botswana, 2000–2023
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for food imports in Botswana is 16.2%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 21.9% on the previous year and up 98.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Botswana peaked at 16.2% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 7.8%, in 2014.
That places Botswana 89th out of 196 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Food imports in Botswana, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 14.0% | — |
| 2001 | 13.9% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 15.5% | +11.3% |
| 2003 | 13.9% | -10.4% |
| 2004 | 14.4% | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 13.8% | -3.8% |
| 2006 | 13.7% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 13.1% | -4.4% |
| 2008 | 12.0% | -8.8% |
| 2009 | 13.1% | +9.2% |
| 2010 | 14.6% | +11.6% |
| 2011 | 9.8% | -33.1% |
| 2012 | 8.8% | -9.6% |
| 2013 | 8.2% | -7.5% |
| 2014 | 7.8% | -4.7% |
| 2015 | 8.7% | +12.5% |
| 2016 | 11.0% | +26.3% |
| 2017 | 12.5% | +13.5% |
| 2018 | 12.2% | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 12.7% | +3.8% |
| 2020 | 12.7% | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 11.4% | -10.0% |
| 2022 | 13.3% | +16.6% |
| 2023 | 16.2% | +21.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 13.7% | 12.0% | 15.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.6% | 7.8% | 14.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.4% | 11.4% | 16.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 86 Papua New Guinea 16.5% compare
- 87 Trinidad and Tobago 16.4% compare
- 88 Kenya 16.3% compare
- 90 French Polynesia 15.9% compare
- 91 Portugal 15.9% compare
- 92 New Caledonia 15.8% compare
More private sector data for Botswana
- Merchandise trade 57.8% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 61.8% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 6.39 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 1.9% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 86.3% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 5.12 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 1,998 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2569 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 9.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 2,496 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Botswana?
- Food imports in Botswana was 16.2% in 2023, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 16.2% in 2023.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.8% in 2014.
- How does Botswana rank for food imports?
- Botswana ranks 89th out of 196 countries with data for 2023.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 98.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Botswana 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 — 24 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.