Food imports in Congo
Congo: Food imports was 21.2% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Food imports in Congo, 1962–2023
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for food imports in Congo is 21.2%, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 13.5% on the previous year and up 209.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Congo peaked at 31.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 4.0%, in 2016.
That places Congo 52nd 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 42 years of available data.
Food imports in Congo, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 19.3% | — |
| 1963 | 20.1% | +3.7% |
| 1964 | 19.7% | -1.9% |
| 1965 | 15.4% | -21.7% |
| 1966 | 14.8% | -4.1% |
| 1967 | 14.2% | -3.9% |
| 1968 | 14.7% | +3.9% |
| 1970 | 20.1% | +36.5% |
| 1971 | 16.3% | -19.1% |
| 1972 | 18.1% | +11.1% |
| 1973 | 14.5% | -19.6% |
| 1974 | 17.0% | +16.8% |
| 1975 | 16.4% | -3.4% |
| 1976 | 16.5% | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 21.3% | +29.1% |
| 1978 | 23.0% | +7.7% |
| 1979 | 26.9% | +17.3% |
| 1980 | 19.2% | -28.8% |
| 1983 | 14.2% | -25.8% |
| 1984 | 19.0% | +33.8% |
| 1985 | 19.1% | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 18.5% | -3.2% |
| 1993 | 20.4% | +10.3% |
| 1994 | 26.5% | +29.8% |
| 1995 | 20.8% | -21.5% |
| 2007 | 5.6% | -72.9% |
| 2008 | 8.2% | +44.8% |
| 2009 | 8.8% | +7.4% |
| 2010 | 7.0% | -19.8% |
| 2011 | 5.7% | -18.3% |
| 2012 | 6.1% | +5.8% |
| 2013 | 6.9% | +12.8% |
| 2014 | 6.2% | -9.0% |
| 2015 | 5.1% | -18.3% |
| 2016 | 4.0% | -20.6% |
| 2017 | 13.8% | +241.5% |
| 2018 | 15.5% | +12.2% |
| 2019 | 25.0% | +61.4% |
| 2020 | 31.3% | +25.0% |
| 2021 | 31.7% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 24.5% | -22.6% |
| 2023 | 21.2% | -13.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 16.9% | 14.2% | 20.1% | 7 |
| 1970s | 19.0% | 14.5% | 26.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.0% | 14.2% | 19.2% | 5 |
| 1990s | 22.6% | 20.4% | 26.5% | 3 |
| 2000s | 7.5% | 5.6% | 8.8% | 3 |
| 2010s | 9.5% | 4.0% | 25.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.2% | 21.2% | 31.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Congo
- 49 Andorra 21.4% compare
- 50 Cayman Islands 21.3% compare
- 51 Maldives 21.2% compare
- 53 Mauritius 21.2% compare
- 54 Syrian Arab Republic 21.0% compare
- 55 Central African Republic 20.9% compare
More private sector data for Congo
- Merchandise trade 94.4% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 71.4% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 7.90 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 0.2% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 10.3% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 7.50 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 1,157 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4599 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate -4.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 1,218 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Congo?
- Food imports in Congo was 21.2% in 2023, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 31.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.0% in 2016.
- How does Congo rank for food imports?
- Congo ranks 52nd out of 196 countries with data for 2023.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 209.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Congo 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.