Food imports in South Africa
South Africa: Food imports was 7.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Food imports in South Africa, 1974–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for food imports in South Africa is 7.2%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 2.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in South Africa peaked at 8.4% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 2.9%, in 1980.
South Africa ranks 178th of 196 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 46 years of available data.
Food imports in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 5.4% | — |
| 1975 | 4.9% | -8.7% |
| 1976 | 4.8% | -1.6% |
| 1977 | 6.3% | +30.8% |
| 1978 | 4.7% | -25.1% |
| 1979 | 4.9% | +4.1% |
| 1980 | 2.9% | -41.0% |
| 1981 | 3.5% | +20.9% |
| 1982 | 3.5% | -1.2% |
| 1983 | 6.5% | +87.4% |
| 1984 | 8.0% | +23.2% |
| 1985 | 6.1% | -24.0% |
| 1992 | 8.4% | +37.6% |
| 1993 | 6.2% | -26.5% |
| 1994 | 6.3% | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 6.7% | +5.3% |
| 1996 | 6.4% | -4.3% |
| 1997 | 5.5% | -13.3% |
| 1998 | 5.2% | -5.6% |
| 1999 | 5.4% | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 4.7% | -13.6% |
| 2001 | 4.4% | -7.1% |
| 2002 | 5.0% | +14.2% |
| 2003 | 5.0% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 5.0% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 4.5% | -10.3% |
| 2006 | 4.4% | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 5.2% | +18.3% |
| 2008 | 5.3% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 6.5% | +24.1% |
| 2010 | 6.6% | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 6.8% | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 7.2% | +4.6% |
| 2013 | 6.6% | -8.5% |
| 2014 | 6.3% | -4.0% |
| 2015 | 7.0% | +10.9% |
| 2016 | 8.4% | +19.8% |
| 2017 | 7.9% | -5.8% |
| 2018 | 7.1% | -10.2% |
| 2019 | 7.2% | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 8.4% | +16.1% |
| 2021 | 7.2% | -14.3% |
| 2022 | 6.4% | -11.5% |
| 2023 | 6.3% | -0.8% |
| 2024 | 7.2% | +13.5% |
| 2025 | 7.2% | -0.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 7.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 15.6%, 46% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 7.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 20.0%, 36% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Food imports in South Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | +87.4% | 3.5% | 6.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.2% | 4.7% | 6.3% | 6 |
| 1980s | 5.1% | 2.9% | 8.0% | 6 |
| 1990s | 6.3% | 5.2% | 8.4% | 8 |
| 2000s | 5.0% | 4.4% | 6.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.1% | 6.3% | 8.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.1% | 6.3% | 8.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More private sector data for South Africa
- Merchandise trade 57.2% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 62.1% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 128.08 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 12.8% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 38.3% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 116.40 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 1,798 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2725 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 5.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 1,978 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in South Africa?
- Food imports in South Africa was 7.2% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 8.4% in 1992.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.9% in 1980.
- How does South Africa rank for food imports?
- South Africa ranks 178th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is food imports rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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 — 46 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.