Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Egypt
Egypt: Food imports (% of merchandise imports) was 19.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Food imports in Egypt, 1965–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for food imports in Egypt is 19.1%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.8% on the previous year and down 2.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Egypt peaked at 44.3% in 1974 and was at its lowest, 17.5%, in 2013.
Egypt ranks 71st of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Egypt, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 28.5% | — |
| 1966 | 28.6% | +0.3% |
| 1967 | 42.0% | +46.9% |
| 1968 | 34.0% | -19.1% |
| 1969 | 26.1% | -23.0% |
| 1970 | 23.2% | -11.2% |
| 1971 | 29.6% | +27.3% |
| 1972 | 28.7% | -3.0% |
| 1973 | 31.7% | +10.4% |
| 1974 | 44.3% | +39.8% |
| 1975 | 35.9% | -18.9% |
| 1976 | 28.3% | -21.1% |
| 1977 | 23.1% | -18.4% |
| 1978 | 25.8% | +11.8% |
| 1979 | 26.2% | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 32.4% | +23.8% |
| 1981 | 34.2% | +5.6% |
| 1982 | 30.8% | -10.0% |
| 1983 | 25.5% | -17.0% |
| 1984 | 27.7% | +8.4% |
| 1985 | 27.1% | -2.2% |
| 1986 | 30.0% | +10.9% |
| 1987 | 27.3% | -9.0% |
| 1994 | 27.5% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 28.4% | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 29.5% | +3.8% |
| 1997 | 26.3% | -10.9% |
| 1998 | 21.2% | -19.3% |
| 1999 | 22.9% | +7.8% |
| 2000 | 25.2% | +10.2% |
| 2001 | 26.1% | +3.4% |
| 2002 | 27.8% | +6.9% |
| 2003 | 25.0% | -10.2% |
| 2004 | 22.5% | -9.9% |
| 2005 | 20.1% | -10.9% |
| 2006 | 19.1% | -5.1% |
| 2007 | 20.4% | +7.2% |
| 2008 | 17.9% | -12.4% |
| 2009 | 17.9% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 19.1% | +7.0% |
| 2011 | 23.8% | +24.1% |
| 2012 | 22.4% | -5.6% |
| 2013 | 17.5% | -21.9% |
| 2014 | 20.9% | +19.3% |
| 2015 | 19.5% | -6.8% |
| 2016 | 20.4% | +4.7% |
| 2017 | 20.3% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 18.3% | -9.6% |
| 2019 | 20.9% | +14.2% |
| 2020 | 23.1% | +10.4% |
| 2021 | 21.3% | -8.0% |
| 2022 | 22.1% | +4.0% |
| 2023 | 21.7% | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 20.4% | -5.8% |
| 2025 | 19.1% | -6.8% |
Egypt compared with similar countries
- Egypt's 19.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 18.5%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Egypt's 19.1% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 16.0%, 1.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 31.8% | 26.1% | 42.0% | 5 |
| 1970s | 29.7% | 23.1% | 44.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 29.4% | 25.5% | 34.2% | 8 |
| 1990s | 26.0% | 21.2% | 29.5% | 6 |
| 2000s | 22.2% | 17.9% | 27.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.3% | 17.5% | 23.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.3% | 19.1% | 23.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Egypt
More private sector data for Egypt
- Merchandise trade 40.8% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 50.4% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 97.54 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 26.94 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 21.6% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 47.8% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 51.40 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 33.52 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 434.27 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1407 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Egypt?
- Food imports in Egypt was 19.1% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Egypt?
- The highest recorded value was 44.3% in 1974.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Egypt?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.5% in 2013.
- How does Egypt rank for food imports?
- Egypt ranks 71st out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Egypt?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Egypt 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.