Food imports in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Food imports was 13.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Food imports in Costa Rica, 1965–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2024, food imports in Costa Rica stood at 13.2%.
That represents a change of down 0.6% on the previous year and up 15.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Costa Rica peaked at 14.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 6.3%, in 2005.
Costa Rica ranks 114th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Food imports in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 9.5% | — |
| 1966 | 10.5% | +11.2% |
| 1967 | 11.9% | +13.5% |
| 1968 | 12.8% | +7.3% |
| 1969 | 10.3% | -19.3% |
| 1970 | 10.9% | +5.2% |
| 1971 | 12.2% | +12.3% |
| 1972 | 10.1% | -17.0% |
| 1973 | 10.4% | +2.5% |
| 1974 | 11.5% | +10.5% |
| 1975 | 9.9% | -13.6% |
| 1976 | 8.3% | -16.1% |
| 1977 | 7.6% | -8.9% |
| 1978 | 7.4% | -2.6% |
| 1979 | 7.5% | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 8.8% | +17.7% |
| 1981 | 8.5% | -3.8% |
| 1982 | 8.7% | +2.7% |
| 1983 | 10.3% | +18.3% |
| 1984 | 9.5% | -7.6% |
| 1985 | 8.2% | -13.6% |
| 1986 | 7.7% | -6.8% |
| 1987 | 7.8% | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 10.4% | +33.6% |
| 1995 | 10.2% | -2.3% |
| 1996 | 12.9% | +26.6% |
| 1997 | 9.7% | -24.4% |
| 1998 | 7.9% | -19.2% |
| 1999 | 7.3% | -7.2% |
| 2000 | 7.4% | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 7.5% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 8.0% | +6.7% |
| 2003 | 7.7% | -3.3% |
| 2004 | 8.6% | +10.8% |
| 2005 | 6.3% | -26.8% |
| 2006 | 6.3% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 8.0% | +26.5% |
| 2008 | 8.5% | +6.4% |
| 2009 | 7.2% | -15.8% |
| 2010 | 9.0% | +25.2% |
| 2011 | 8.8% | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 10.7% | +22.6% |
| 2013 | 10.5% | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 11.4% | +9.5% |
| 2015 | 12.0% | +4.5% |
| 2016 | 13.3% | +10.9% |
| 2017 | 13.4% | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 12.9% | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 13.2% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 14.8% | +11.9% |
| 2021 | 13.3% | -9.7% |
| 2022 | 12.5% | -6.2% |
| 2023 | 13.3% | +6.6% |
| 2024 | 13.2% | -0.6% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 13.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 12.8%, 1.0× the median. (71 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 13.2% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 18.4%, 72% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 11.0% | 9.5% | 12.8% | 5 |
| 1970s | 9.6% | 7.4% | 12.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.7% | 7.7% | 10.3% | 8 |
| 1990s | 9.7% | 7.3% | 12.9% | 6 |
| 2000s | 7.6% | 6.3% | 8.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.5% | 8.8% | 13.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.4% | 12.5% | 14.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More private sector data for Costa Rica
- Merchandise trade 52.4% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 73.9% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 27.48 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 32.3% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 64.9% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 26.43 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 5,129 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2568 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 21.87 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 5,333 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Costa Rica?
- Food imports in Costa Rica was 13.2% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 14.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.3% in 2005.
- How does Costa Rica rank for food imports?
- Costa Rica ranks 114th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica 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.