Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Thailand
Thailand: Food imports (% of merchandise imports) was 6.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Food imports in Thailand, 1962–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2025, food imports in Thailand stood at 6.1%.
The figure is down 8.3% on the previous year and down 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Thailand peaked at 12.1% in 1966 and was at its lowest, 3.8%, in 1995.
Thailand ranks 188th of 196 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Thailand, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 7.9% | — |
| 1963 | 7.6% | -4.4% |
| 1964 | 7.7% | +1.1% |
| 1965 | 7.0% | -9.2% |
| 1966 | 12.1% | +73.3% |
| 1967 | 6.2% | -48.4% |
| 1968 | 6.8% | +8.4% |
| 1969 | 7.1% | +4.9% |
| 1970 | 5.4% | -23.9% |
| 1971 | 6.0% | +10.9% |
| 1972 | 6.1% | +2.0% |
| 1973 | 4.5% | -26.4% |
| 1974 | 4.1% | -8.2% |
| 1975 | 4.3% | +5.3% |
| 1976 | 4.5% | +4.4% |
| 1977 | 4.6% | +2.2% |
| 1978 | 4.3% | -6.2% |
| 1979 | 4.1% | -4.6% |
| 1980 | 5.2% | +26.3% |
| 1981 | 4.4% | -15.6% |
| 1982 | 4.7% | +7.0% |
| 1983 | 4.1% | -12.9% |
| 1984 | 4.9% | +20.3% |
| 1985 | 5.2% | +4.6% |
| 1986 | 6.9% | +32.5% |
| 1987 | 5.2% | -24.0% |
| 1988 | 5.8% | +10.6% |
| 1989 | 5.5% | -4.7% |
| 1990 | 5.0% | -8.8% |
| 1991 | 5.4% | +7.9% |
| 1992 | 5.5% | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 4.7% | -15.2% |
| 1994 | 4.3% | -7.7% |
| 1995 | 3.8% | -12.9% |
| 1996 | 4.1% | +9.8% |
| 1997 | 4.8% | +16.7% |
| 1998 | 5.6% | +16.0% |
| 1999 | 5.0% | -11.1% |
| 2000 | 4.4% | -12.2% |
| 2001 | 5.0% | +14.8% |
| 2002 | 5.0% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 5.0% | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 4.5% | -9.6% |
| 2005 | 4.0% | -10.2% |
| 2006 | 3.9% | -3.2% |
| 2007 | 4.2% | +7.0% |
| 2008 | 4.8% | +14.6% |
| 2009 | 5.4% | +12.1% |
| 2010 | 4.8% | -11.2% |
| 2011 | 4.8% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 5.1% | +7.5% |
| 2013 | 5.2% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 5.6% | +7.9% |
| 2015 | 6.3% | +13.7% |
| 2016 | 6.8% | +8.0% |
| 2017 | 6.3% | -7.2% |
| 2018 | 6.0% | -5.5% |
| 2019 | 6.6% | +9.6% |
| 2020 | 7.8% | +19.3% |
| 2021 | 6.8% | -12.9% |
| 2022 | 6.5% | -4.8% |
| 2023 | 7.0% | +8.0% |
| 2024 | 6.7% | -5.2% |
| 2025 | 6.1% | -8.3% |
Thailand compared with similar countries
- Thailand's 6.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 15.4%, 40% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Thailand's 6.1% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 12.9%, 47% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.8% | 6.2% | 12.1% | 8 |
| 1970s | 4.8% | 4.1% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.2% | 4.1% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.8% | 3.8% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.6% | 3.9% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.7% | 4.8% | 6.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.8% | 6.1% | 7.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Thailand
More private sector data for Thailand
- Merchandise trade 118.6% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 69.3% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 344.94 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 77.15 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 13.3% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 73.1% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 339.63 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 75.46 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 4,742 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.5886 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Thailand?
- Food imports in Thailand was 6.1% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Thailand?
- The highest recorded value was 12.1% in 1966.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Thailand?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.8% in 1995.
- How does Thailand rank for food imports?
- Thailand ranks 188th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Thailand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Thailand 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.