Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Laos
Laos: Food imports (% of merchandise imports) was 12.7% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Food imports in Laos, 1962–2023
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
Laos recorded 12.7% for food imports in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 26.4% on the previous year and up 204.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Laos peaked at 40.9% in 1966 and was at its lowest, 4.2%, in 2014.
That places Laos 127th out of 196 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Laos, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 37.1% | — |
| 1963 | 30.5% | -18.0% |
| 1964 | 30.9% | +1.6% |
| 1965 | 32.0% | +3.4% |
| 1966 | 40.9% | +27.8% |
| 1967 | 38.1% | -6.8% |
| 1968 | 38.5% | +1.0% |
| 1969 | 31.4% | -18.5% |
| 1970 | 23.9% | -23.9% |
| 1971 | 25.4% | +6.3% |
| 1972 | 33.8% | +33.5% |
| 1973 | 33.2% | -1.8% |
| 1974 | 31.7% | -4.7% |
| 2010 | 11.3% | -64.2% |
| 2011 | 7.1% | -37.2% |
| 2012 | 6.2% | -13.4% |
| 2013 | 4.2% | -32.6% |
| 2014 | 4.2% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 5.3% | +26.3% |
| 2016 | 13.3% | +151.9% |
| 2017 | 12.1% | -8.9% |
| 2018 | 12.4% | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 15.7% | +26.7% |
| 2020 | 19.1% | +22.0% |
| 2021 | 16.1% | -15.7% |
| 2022 | 17.2% | +6.8% |
| 2023 | 12.7% | -26.4% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 12.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 18.5%, 68% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Laos's 12.7% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 12.9%, 98% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Laos changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | +151.9% | 5.3% | 13.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 34.9% | 30.5% | 40.9% | 8 |
| 1970s | 29.6% | 23.9% | 33.8% | 5 |
| 2010s | 9.2% | 4.2% | 15.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.3% | 12.7% | 19.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Laos
- 124 Spain 12.9% compare
- 125 New Zealand 12.9% compare
- 126 Belgium 12.8% compare
- 128 Kyrgyzstan 12.6% compare
- 129 Uzbekistan 12.4% compare
- 130 Azerbaijan 12.4% compare
More private sector data for Laos
- Merchandise trade 124.1% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 61.7% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 10.34 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 1.65 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 23.2% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 32.8% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 12.38 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 1.83 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 1,572 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.6762 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Laos?
- Food imports in Laos was 12.7% in 2023, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 40.9% in 1966.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.2% in 2014.
- How does Laos rank for food imports?
- Laos ranks 127th out of 196 countries with data for 2023.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 204.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 27 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.