Food imports in Lebanon
Lebanon: Food imports was 18.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Food imports in Lebanon, 1967–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2024, food imports in Lebanon stood at 18.5%.
The figure is up 14.1% on the previous year and up 7.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Lebanon peaked at 30.4% in 1967 and was at its lowest, 13.9%, in 2008.
That places Lebanon 72nd 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 36 years of available data.
Food imports in Lebanon, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 30.4% | — |
| 1968 | 27.1% | -10.7% |
| 1969 | 23.9% | -11.7% |
| 1970 | 25.1% | +4.7% |
| 1971 | 23.5% | -6.1% |
| 1972 | 20.1% | -14.6% |
| 1973 | 18.2% | -9.3% |
| 1977 | 22.1% | +21.1% |
| 1997 | 19.4% | -12.1% |
| 1998 | 19.7% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 19.3% | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 17.8% | -7.8% |
| 2001 | 17.0% | -4.6% |
| 2002 | 18.7% | +10.4% |
| 2003 | 18.1% | -3.4% |
| 2004 | 15.5% | -14.2% |
| 2005 | 14.8% | -4.3% |
| 2006 | 15.0% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 16.1% | +7.2% |
| 2008 | 13.9% | -13.5% |
| 2009 | 14.9% | +7.2% |
| 2010 | 15.6% | +4.4% |
| 2011 | 15.4% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 15.3% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 15.8% | +3.6% |
| 2014 | 17.3% | +9.2% |
| 2015 | 17.6% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 17.1% | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 16.8% | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 16.8% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 15.9% | -5.5% |
| 2020 | 19.8% | +24.5% |
| 2021 | 16.5% | -16.6% |
| 2022 | 14.0% | -15.0% |
| 2023 | 16.3% | +16.0% |
| 2024 | 18.5% | +14.1% |
Lebanon compared with similar countries
- Lebanon's 18.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 18.4%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lebanon's 18.5% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 17.5%, 1.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 27.1% | 23.9% | 30.4% | 3 |
| 1970s | 21.8% | 18.2% | 25.1% | 5 |
| 1990s | 19.5% | 19.3% | 19.7% | 3 |
| 2000s | 16.2% | 13.9% | 18.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.4% | 15.3% | 17.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.0% | 14.0% | 19.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lebanon
- 69 Fiji 19.0% compare
- 70 Zimbabwe 19.0% compare
- 71 Panama 18.7% compare
- 73 Macau, China 18.5% compare
- 74 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 18.4% compare
- 75 Madagascar 18.4% compare
More private sector data for Lebanon
- Merchandise trade 85.9% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 40.0% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 21.67 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 19.1% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 55.6% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 4.60 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 786.06 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1456 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 21.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 3,705 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Lebanon?
- Food imports in Lebanon was 18.5% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Lebanon?
- The highest recorded value was 30.4% in 1967.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Lebanon?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.9% in 2008.
- How does Lebanon rank for food imports?
- Lebanon ranks 72nd out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Lebanon?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lebanon 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.