Food imports in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso: Food imports was 11.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Food imports in Burkina Faso, 1962–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for food imports in Burkina Faso is 11.2%, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 11.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Burkina Faso peaked at 34.5% in 1974 and was at its lowest, 10.7%, in 2019.
Burkina Faso ranks 139th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Food imports in Burkina Faso, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 20.7% | — |
| 1963 | 24.9% | +20.2% |
| 1964 | 27.1% | +8.7% |
| 1965 | 24.8% | -8.3% |
| 1966 | 28.3% | +14.1% |
| 1967 | 27.0% | -4.8% |
| 1968 | 21.5% | -20.2% |
| 1969 | 19.4% | -10.1% |
| 1970 | 20.4% | +5.6% |
| 1971 | 22.0% | +7.7% |
| 1972 | 25.8% | +17.2% |
| 1973 | 26.0% | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 34.5% | +32.7% |
| 1975 | 21.2% | -38.7% |
| 1976 | 18.9% | -10.6% |
| 1977 | 20.4% | +7.8% |
| 1978 | 28.4% | +39.5% |
| 1979 | 21.8% | -23.2% |
| 1980 | 20.5% | -6.2% |
| 1981 | 24.7% | +20.6% |
| 1982 | 25.2% | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 25.5% | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 21.2% | -16.8% |
| 1996 | 22.3% | +5.2% |
| 1997 | 16.5% | -25.9% |
| 1998 | 20.6% | +24.6% |
| 1999 | 17.7% | -14.0% |
| 2000 | 12.6% | -29.1% |
| 2001 | 15.0% | +19.2% |
| 2002 | 21.3% | +42.1% |
| 2003 | 19.1% | -10.4% |
| 2004 | 17.6% | -8.0% |
| 2005 | 18.3% | +4.2% |
| 2007 | 14.8% | -18.9% |
| 2008 | 14.9% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 14.4% | -3.4% |
| 2010 | 14.0% | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 14.7% | +5.4% |
| 2012 | 13.1% | -11.0% |
| 2013 | 12.0% | -8.4% |
| 2014 | 12.7% | +5.5% |
| 2015 | 13.6% | +7.3% |
| 2016 | 13.7% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 12.2% | -10.7% |
| 2018 | 12.2% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 10.7% | -11.7% |
| 2020 | 11.6% | +8.4% |
| 2021 | 11.7% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 11.3% | -3.5% |
| 2023 | 11.4% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 11.2% | -1.6% |
Burkina Faso compared with similar countries
- Burkina Faso's 11.2% is below the median for low income countries, which is 21.5%, 52% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Burkina Faso's 11.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 20.0%, 56% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 24.2% | 19.4% | 28.3% | 8 |
| 1970s | 24.0% | 18.9% | 34.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 24.0% | 20.5% | 25.5% | 4 |
| 1990s | 19.7% | 16.5% | 22.3% | 5 |
| 2000s | 16.4% | 12.6% | 21.3% | 9 |
| 2010s | 12.9% | 10.7% | 14.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.4% | 11.2% | 11.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Burkina Faso
More private sector data for Burkina Faso
- Merchandise trade 67.5% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 46.9% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 7.57 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 7.1% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 2.7% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 11.08 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 460.07 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4009 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 96.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 314.52 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Burkina Faso?
- Food imports in Burkina Faso was 11.2% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Burkina Faso?
- The highest recorded value was 34.5% in 1974.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Burkina Faso?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.7% in 2019.
- How does Burkina Faso rank for food imports?
- Burkina Faso ranks 139th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Burkina Faso?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Burkina Faso 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.