Food imports in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Food imports was 11.7% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Food imports in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1974–2023
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan recorded 11.7% for food imports in 2023.
The figure is down 10.3% on the previous year and down 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 23.1% in 1974 and was at its lowest, 10.4%, in 2006.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 18th out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 38 years of available data.
Food imports in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 23.1% | — |
| 1975 | 19.8% | -14.6% |
| 1976 | 15.9% | -19.8% |
| 1977 | 14.5% | -8.7% |
| 1978 | 14.1% | -2.6% |
| 1979 | 14.6% | +3.9% |
| 1980 | 15.3% | +4.3% |
| 1981 | 15.4% | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 13.8% | -10.4% |
| 1983 | 14.6% | +5.3% |
| 1991 | 14.6% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 14.6% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 14.2% | -2.7% |
| 1999 | 15.6% | +9.7% |
| 2000 | 14.6% | -6.8% |
| 2001 | 13.6% | -6.5% |
| 2002 | 13.0% | -4.2% |
| 2003 | 12.7% | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 11.9% | -6.4% |
| 2005 | 11.2% | -6.1% |
| 2006 | 10.4% | -7.0% |
| 2007 | 11.4% | +10.0% |
| 2008 | 11.1% | -3.2% |
| 2009 | 11.5% | +4.0% |
| 2010 | 12.0% | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 12.7% | +6.5% |
| 2012 | 11.5% | -9.4% |
| 2013 | 11.8% | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 12.1% | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 12.4% | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 13.1% | +5.9% |
| 2017 | 13.5% | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 13.1% | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 12.9% | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 14.0% | +9.2% |
| 2021 | 12.9% | -7.9% |
| 2022 | 13.1% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 11.7% | -10.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 17.0% | 14.1% | 23.1% | 6 |
| 1980s | 14.8% | 13.8% | 15.4% | 4 |
| 1990s | 14.8% | 14.2% | 15.6% | 4 |
| 2000s | 12.1% | 10.4% | 14.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.5% | 11.5% | 13.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.0% | 11.7% | 14.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- 15 Sudan 29.9% compare
- 16 Samoa 29.6% compare
- 17 Iran 29.5% compare
- 18 East Timor 28.1% compare
- 19 Micronesia (country) 27.8% compare
- 20 Antigua and Barbuda 27.7% compare
- 21 Saint Lucia 27.6% compare
More private sector data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Merchandise trade 47.2% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 60.4% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 1.70 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 4.1% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 23.8% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 1.79 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 2,163 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3487 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 5.5 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 2,055 current US$ per person (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Food imports in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 11.7% in 2023, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 23.1% in 1974.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.4% in 2006.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for food imports?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 18th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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.