Food imports in Kuwait
Kuwait: Food imports was 17.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Food imports in Kuwait, 1970–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
Kuwait recorded 17.5% for food imports in 2024.
That represents a change of up 2.2% on the previous year and up 12.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Kuwait peaked at 20.8% in 1971 and was at its lowest, 10.7%, in 1991.
That places Kuwait 80th out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Food imports in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 19.8% | — |
| 1971 | 20.8% | +4.9% |
| 1972 | 20.5% | -1.3% |
| 1973 | 20.0% | -2.4% |
| 1974 | 17.8% | -11.1% |
| 1975 | 17.1% | -4.0% |
| 1976 | 14.3% | -16.3% |
| 1977 | 12.0% | -16.1% |
| 1978 | 14.6% | +22.0% |
| 1979 | 15.6% | +6.5% |
| 1980 | 14.8% | -4.8% |
| 1981 | 14.6% | -1.2% |
| 1982 | 13.6% | -6.9% |
| 1983 | 14.0% | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 17.4% | +24.4% |
| 1986 | 18.0% | +3.5% |
| 1987 | 19.6% | +9.0% |
| 1988 | 18.1% | -7.7% |
| 1989 | 19.4% | +6.7% |
| 1990 | 16.7% | -13.5% |
| 1991 | 10.7% | -35.9% |
| 1992 | 13.4% | +24.5% |
| 1993 | 15.1% | +12.7% |
| 1994 | 17.0% | +12.7% |
| 1995 | 15.5% | -8.5% |
| 1996 | 15.7% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 15.3% | -2.3% |
| 1998 | 15.1% | -1.3% |
| 1999 | 16.8% | +11.4% |
| 2000 | 13.8% | -17.7% |
| 2001 | 12.6% | -9.0% |
| 2002 | 12.0% | -4.6% |
| 2003 | 11.9% | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 11.0% | -7.3% |
| 2006 | 14.4% | +31.3% |
| 2007 | 12.9% | -10.6% |
| 2008 | 14.6% | +13.3% |
| 2010 | 15.3% | +4.8% |
| 2011 | 16.8% | +9.6% |
| 2013 | 15.0% | -10.9% |
| 2014 | 15.6% | +4.4% |
| 2015 | 15.8% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 15.0% | -5.3% |
| 2017 | 15.1% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 15.0% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 16.5% | +9.7% |
| 2020 | 20.1% | +21.6% |
| 2021 | 16.6% | -17.1% |
| 2022 | 17.7% | +6.4% |
| 2023 | 17.1% | -3.3% |
| 2024 | 17.5% | +2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 17.2% | 12.0% | 20.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.6% | 13.6% | 19.6% | 9 |
| 1990s | 15.1% | 10.7% | 17.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.9% | 11.0% | 14.6% | 8 |
| 2010s | 15.6% | 15.0% | 16.8% | 9 |
| 2020s | 17.8% | 16.6% | 20.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
More private sector data for Kuwait
- Merchandise trade 72.3% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 73.2% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 41.61 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 0.6% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 8.1% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 72.07 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 14,814 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4585 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate -4.09 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 8,553 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Kuwait?
- Food imports in Kuwait was 17.5% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 20.8% in 1971.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.7% in 1991.
- How does Kuwait rank for food imports?
- Kuwait ranks 80th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kuwait 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.