Food imports in Tanzania, United Republic of
Tanzania, United Republic of: Food imports was 9.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Food imports in Tanzania, United Republic of, 1976–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
Tanzania, United Republic of recorded 9.2% for food imports in 2024.
The figure is up 4.2% on the previous year and down 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Tanzania, United Republic of peaked at 19.9% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 4.9%, in 1979.
Tanzania, United Republic of ranks 163rd of 196 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 37 years of available data.
Food imports in Tanzania, United Republic of, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 11.4% | — |
| 1977 | 11.2% | -1.4% |
| 1978 | 7.6% | -32.6% |
| 1979 | 4.9% | -34.8% |
| 1980 | 13.3% | +170.3% |
| 1981 | 6.7% | -50.1% |
| 1987 | 14.8% | +121.9% |
| 1995 | 10.0% | -32.0% |
| 1996 | 15.6% | +55.1% |
| 1997 | 16.8% | +8.1% |
| 1998 | 19.9% | +18.4% |
| 1999 | 16.2% | -18.6% |
| 2000 | 15.6% | -4.2% |
| 2001 | 15.2% | -2.4% |
| 2002 | 13.8% | -9.1% |
| 2003 | 13.5% | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 15.0% | +10.6% |
| 2005 | 9.6% | -35.9% |
| 2006 | 12.1% | +25.8% |
| 2007 | 11.7% | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 7.8% | -33.6% |
| 2009 | 8.9% | +14.6% |
| 2010 | 10.0% | +11.6% |
| 2011 | 9.9% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 8.8% | -10.8% |
| 2013 | 7.9% | -11.1% |
| 2014 | 9.5% | +20.5% |
| 2015 | 5.6% | -40.6% |
| 2016 | 10.8% | +91.2% |
| 2017 | 10.3% | -4.5% |
| 2018 | 7.2% | -29.6% |
| 2019 | 5.7% | -21.2% |
| 2020 | 8.2% | +43.2% |
| 2021 | 8.5% | +3.9% |
| 2022 | 7.2% | -15.2% |
| 2023 | 8.8% | +22.4% |
| 2024 | 9.2% | +4.2% |
Tanzania, United Republic of compared with similar countries
- Tanzania, United Republic of's 9.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 18.4%, 50% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Tanzania, United Republic of's 9.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 20.0%, 46% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Food imports in Tanzania, United Republic of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +170.3% | 4.9% | 13.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8.8% | 4.9% | 11.4% | 4 |
| 1980s | 11.6% | 6.7% | 14.8% | 3 |
| 1990s | 15.7% | 10.0% | 19.9% | 5 |
| 2000s | 12.3% | 7.8% | 15.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.6% | 5.6% | 10.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.4% | 7.2% | 9.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania, United Republic of
More private sector data for Tanzania, United Republic of
- Merchandise trade 27.5% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 68.3% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 14.81 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 37.4% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 10.8% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 9.96 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 141.13 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1104 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 14.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 209.93 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Tanzania, United Republic of?
- Food imports in Tanzania, United Republic of was 9.2% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Tanzania, United Republic of?
- The highest recorded value was 19.9% in 1998.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Tanzania, United Republic of?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.9% in 1979.
- How does Tanzania, United Republic of rank for food imports?
- Tanzania, United Republic of ranks 163rd out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Tanzania, United Republic of?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Tanzania, United Republic of 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.