Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Malawi
Malawi: Food imports (% of merchandise imports) was 11.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Food imports in Malawi, 1966–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2025, food imports in Malawi stood at 11.2%.
That represents a change of down 4.9% on the previous year and down 15.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Malawi peaked at 23.5% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 5.1%, in 1978.
Malawi ranks 144th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 53 years of available data.
Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 19.4% | — |
| 1967 | 16.9% | -12.9% |
| 1968 | 13.6% | -19.6% |
| 1969 | 12.3% | -9.6% |
| 1970 | 18.1% | +47.3% |
| 1971 | 12.3% | -32.1% |
| 1972 | 12.0% | -2.1% |
| 1973 | 14.3% | +18.9% |
| 1974 | 12.3% | -14.5% |
| 1975 | 9.4% | -23.2% |
| 1976 | 10.4% | +10.5% |
| 1977 | 8.1% | -21.9% |
| 1978 | 5.1% | -37.1% |
| 1979 | 6.4% | +24.7% |
| 1980 | 7.5% | +18.0% |
| 1981 | 11.0% | +45.8% |
| 1982 | 7.6% | -30.6% |
| 1983 | 8.2% | +7.9% |
| 1984 | 7.6% | -7.7% |
| 1985 | 7.6% | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 6.6% | -13.6% |
| 1987 | 7.6% | +15.6% |
| 1990 | 8.7% | +13.7% |
| 1991 | 8.2% | -6.0% |
| 1994 | 16.7% | +104.6% |
| 1995 | 13.9% | -16.6% |
| 1999 | 12.2% | -12.7% |
| 2000 | 9.8% | -19.1% |
| 2001 | 11.6% | +18.3% |
| 2002 | 23.5% | +102.1% |
| 2003 | 17.4% | -26.2% |
| 2004 | 17.4% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 18.2% | +5.0% |
| 2006 | 15.1% | -16.9% |
| 2007 | 11.1% | -26.7% |
| 2008 | 13.1% | +17.7% |
| 2009 | 12.7% | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 14.4% | +13.7% |
| 2011 | 13.0% | -9.5% |
| 2012 | 6.4% | -50.9% |
| 2013 | 11.4% | +78.6% |
| 2014 | 11.3% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 13.3% | +17.2% |
| 2016 | 17.6% | +32.4% |
| 2017 | 12.5% | -28.6% |
| 2018 | 10.3% | -17.6% |
| 2019 | 11.0% | +6.4% |
| 2020 | 14.7% | +33.9% |
| 2021 | 10.4% | -29.2% |
| 2022 | 9.6% | -8.1% |
| 2023 | 8.9% | -6.6% |
| 2024 | 11.8% | +31.9% |
| 2025 | 11.2% | -4.9% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 11.2% is below the median for low income countries, which is 22.1%, 51% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 11.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 21.1%, 53% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 15.6% | 12.3% | 19.4% | 4 |
| 1970s | 10.8% | 5.1% | 18.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.0% | 6.6% | 11.0% | 8 |
| 1990s | 11.9% | 8.2% | 16.7% | 5 |
| 2000s | 15.0% | 9.8% | 23.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.1% | 6.4% | 17.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.1% | 8.9% | 14.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 141 Bhutan 11.5% compare
- 142 United States Virgin Islands 11.3% compare
- 143 Israel 11.3% compare
- 145 Burkina Faso 11.2% compare
- 146 Qatar 11.2% compare
- 147 Kazakhstan 11.1% compare
More private sector data for Malawi
- Merchandise trade 30.9% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 64.9% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 3.66 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 1.01 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 93.3% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 5.1% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 947.00 million current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 483.71 million current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 42.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0635 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Malawi?
- Food imports in Malawi was 11.2% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 23.5% in 2002.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.1% in 1978.
- How does Malawi rank for food imports?
- Malawi ranks 144th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi 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.