Food imports in Malta
Malta: Food imports was 11.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Food imports in Malta, 1965–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2024, food imports in Malta stood at 11.9%.
The figure is down 12.3% on the previous year and up 26.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Malta peaked at 33.7% in 1965 and was at its lowest, 8.4%, in 2000.
That places Malta 129th 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 58 years of available data.
Food imports in Malta, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 33.7% | — |
| 1966 | 33.4% | -0.8% |
| 1967 | 32.5% | -2.8% |
| 1968 | 29.3% | -9.8% |
| 1969 | 27.4% | -6.4% |
| 1970 | 26.0% | -5.1% |
| 1971 | 29.7% | +14.2% |
| 1972 | 28.6% | -3.9% |
| 1973 | 30.1% | +5.5% |
| 1974 | 27.2% | -9.9% |
| 1975 | 26.8% | -1.2% |
| 1976 | 24.2% | -10.0% |
| 1977 | 21.9% | -9.5% |
| 1978 | 21.7% | -0.9% |
| 1979 | 20.1% | -7.3% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | -3.6% |
| 1981 | 17.8% | -7.9% |
| 1982 | 18.2% | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 16.8% | -7.7% |
| 1984 | 17.1% | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 16.4% | -4.2% |
| 1986 | 14.6% | -11.3% |
| 1987 | 13.6% | -6.8% |
| 1990 | 10.2% | -24.5% |
| 1991 | 10.5% | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 10.3% | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 9.9% | -3.6% |
| 1994 | 9.0% | -9.4% |
| 1995 | 10.1% | +12.6% |
| 1996 | 10.8% | +7.2% |
| 1997 | 12.0% | +10.6% |
| 1998 | 11.2% | -6.5% |
| 1999 | 10.6% | -5.5% |
| 2000 | 8.4% | -20.5% |
| 2001 | 10.9% | +29.5% |
| 2002 | 11.5% | +5.6% |
| 2003 | 11.3% | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 10.7% | -4.9% |
| 2005 | 11.6% | +8.1% |
| 2006 | 10.8% | -6.9% |
| 2007 | 13.3% | +22.8% |
| 2008 | 14.7% | +10.8% |
| 2009 | 15.5% | +5.3% |
| 2010 | 10.7% | -30.7% |
| 2011 | 9.3% | -13.2% |
| 2012 | 9.4% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 10.3% | +9.4% |
| 2014 | 9.4% | -8.6% |
| 2015 | 10.2% | +7.7% |
| 2016 | 10.3% | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 12.0% | +16.4% |
| 2018 | 12.2% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 10.1% | -17.6% |
| 2020 | 12.8% | +27.4% |
| 2021 | 11.7% | -9.0% |
| 2022 | 11.5% | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 13.6% | +18.2% |
| 2024 | 11.9% | -12.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 31.3% | 27.4% | 33.7% | 5 |
| 1970s | 25.6% | 20.1% | 30.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 16.7% | 13.6% | 19.4% | 8 |
| 1990s | 10.5% | 9.0% | 12.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.9% | 8.4% | 15.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.4% | 9.3% | 12.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.3% | 11.5% | 13.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malta
More private sector data for Malta
- Merchandise trade 46.9% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 65.2% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 9.22 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 9.7% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 76.4% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 3.82 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 6,588 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1375 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 0.9783 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 15,900 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Malta?
- Food imports in Malta was 11.9% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 33.7% in 1965.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.4% in 2000.
- How does Malta rank for food imports?
- Malta ranks 129th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malta 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.