Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Germany
Germany: Food imports (% of merchandise imports) was 9.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Food imports in Germany, 1962–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
Germany recorded 9.6% for food imports in 2025.
The figure is up 5.0% on the previous year and up 17.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Germany peaked at 25.6% in 1962 and was at its lowest, 6.5%, in 2007.
Germany ranks 164th of 196 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Germany, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 25.6% | — |
| 1963 | 21.9% | -14.5% |
| 1964 | 20.2% | -7.6% |
| 1965 | 20.8% | +2.7% |
| 1966 | 21.8% | +5.1% |
| 1967 | 20.4% | -6.6% |
| 1968 | 19.2% | -5.6% |
| 1969 | 18.7% | -3.0% |
| 1970 | 16.9% | -9.2% |
| 1971 | 20.8% | +22.7% |
| 1972 | 17.6% | -15.5% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | -2.1% |
| 1974 | 14.0% | -18.8% |
| 1975 | 14.6% | +4.7% |
| 1976 | 14.0% | -4.3% |
| 1977 | 16.6% | +18.9% |
| 1978 | 15.2% | -8.5% |
| 1979 | 13.2% | -13.1% |
| 1980 | 12.1% | -8.3% |
| 1981 | 12.4% | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 12.6% | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 12.4% | -1.8% |
| 1984 | 12.2% | -1.8% |
| 1985 | 12.1% | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 12.6% | +4.3% |
| 1987 | 11.9% | -5.2% |
| 1988 | 11.5% | -3.9% |
| 1989 | 10.5% | -8.5% |
| 1990 | 10.1% | -3.5% |
| 1991 | 9.9% | -2.1% |
| 1992 | 10.2% | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 10.0% | -2.7% |
| 1994 | 10.2% | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 9.8% | -4.5% |
| 1996 | 9.8% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 9.2% | -6.2% |
| 1998 | 8.9% | -3.7% |
| 1999 | 8.3% | -6.6% |
| 2000 | 6.6% | -20.7% |
| 2001 | 7.5% | +13.5% |
| 2002 | 7.9% | +5.9% |
| 2003 | 7.4% | -7.0% |
| 2004 | 6.8% | -7.6% |
| 2005 | 7.0% | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 6.6% | -5.9% |
| 2007 | 6.5% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 7.4% | +12.9% |
| 2009 | 8.5% | +14.7% |
| 2010 | 7.6% | -10.2% |
| 2011 | 7.5% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 7.8% | +3.9% |
| 2013 | 8.2% | +4.0% |
| 2014 | 8.1% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 8.2% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 8.4% | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 8.2% | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 7.8% | -5.2% |
| 2019 | 7.8% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 8.6% | +9.6% |
| 2021 | 7.8% | -9.2% |
| 2022 | 7.4% | -4.7% |
| 2023 | 8.4% | +13.3% |
| 2024 | 9.2% | +9.2% |
| 2025 | 9.6% | +5.0% |
Germany compared with similar countries
- Germany's 9.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 12.9%, 75% of the median. (71 countries reporting)
- Germany's 9.6% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.4%, 77% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 21.1% | 18.7% | 25.6% | 8 |
| 1970s | 16.0% | 13.2% | 20.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.0% | 10.5% | 12.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.7% | 8.3% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.2% | 6.5% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.0% | 7.5% | 8.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.5% | 7.4% | 9.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More private sector data for Germany
- Merchandise trade 65.5% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 74.4% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 1.54 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 600.33 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 6.6% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 83.3% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 1.76 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 512.38 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 21,130 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3493 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Germany?
- Food imports in Germany was 9.6% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 25.6% in 1962.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.5% in 2007.
- How does Germany rank for food imports?
- Germany ranks 164th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Germany 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.