Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Guatemala
Guatemala: Food imports (% of merchandise imports) was 16.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Food imports in Guatemala, 1965–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2025, food imports in Guatemala stood at 16.9%.
That represents a change of down 2.7% on the previous year and up 18.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Guatemala peaked at 17.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 5.9%, in 1976.
Guatemala ranks 84th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Guatemala, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 11.0% | — |
| 1966 | 11.5% | +4.8% |
| 1967 | 12.7% | +10.5% |
| 1968 | 11.0% | -13.3% |
| 1969 | 9.7% | -11.6% |
| 1970 | 11.0% | +12.8% |
| 1971 | 10.1% | -7.9% |
| 1972 | 9.0% | -11.0% |
| 1973 | 8.5% | -6.0% |
| 1974 | 8.3% | -1.9% |
| 1975 | 9.5% | +14.3% |
| 1976 | 5.9% | -38.1% |
| 1977 | 6.2% | +5.2% |
| 1978 | 6.9% | +12.1% |
| 1979 | 7.0% | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 7.6% | +8.0% |
| 1981 | 6.2% | -17.6% |
| 1982 | 8.6% | +38.3% |
| 1983 | 8.6% | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 7.3% | -15.2% |
| 1985 | 9.2% | +25.9% |
| 1986 | 12.1% | +32.1% |
| 1987 | 10.6% | -12.6% |
| 1993 | 11.1% | +4.8% |
| 1994 | 13.3% | +19.8% |
| 1995 | 11.9% | -10.8% |
| 1996 | 14.3% | +20.6% |
| 1997 | 13.2% | -7.8% |
| 1998 | 11.9% | -9.9% |
| 1999 | 12.7% | +6.8% |
| 2000 | 12.7% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 14.1% | +11.1% |
| 2002 | 12.3% | -12.3% |
| 2003 | 12.6% | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 12.4% | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 10.9% | -12.4% |
| 2006 | 10.1% | -7.4% |
| 2007 | 11.3% | +12.3% |
| 2008 | 12.6% | +11.9% |
| 2009 | 13.7% | +8.4% |
| 2010 | 13.3% | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 13.2% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 13.3% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 13.3% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 13.6% | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 14.3% | +5.2% |
| 2016 | 14.7% | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 14.6% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 14.7% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 15.6% | +5.7% |
| 2020 | 17.7% | +13.6% |
| 2021 | 15.7% | -11.3% |
| 2022 | 15.8% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 17.0% | +7.3% |
| 2024 | 17.4% | +2.7% |
| 2025 | 16.9% | -2.7% |
Guatemala compared with similar countries
- Guatemala's 16.9% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 15.4%, 1.1× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Guatemala's 16.9% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 19.0%, 89% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 11.2% | 9.7% | 12.7% | 5 |
| 1970s | 8.2% | 5.9% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.8% | 6.2% | 12.1% | 8 |
| 1990s | 12.6% | 11.1% | 14.3% | 7 |
| 2000s | 12.3% | 10.1% | 14.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.0% | 13.2% | 15.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.7% | 15.7% | 17.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Guatemala
More private sector data for Guatemala
- Merchandise trade 40.7% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 65.9% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 34.61 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 6.89 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 46.8% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 45.2% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 15.56 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 4.76 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 832.52 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1262 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Guatemala?
- Food imports in Guatemala was 16.9% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Guatemala?
- The highest recorded value was 17.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Guatemala?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.9% in 1976.
- How does Guatemala rank for food imports?
- Guatemala ranks 84th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Guatemala?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Guatemala 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.