Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Venezuela
Venezuela: Food imports (% of merchandise imports) was 18.4% in 2013. ▲ Rising
Food imports in Venezuela, 1962–2013
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for food imports in Venezuela is 18.4%, measured in 2013.
That represents a change of up 17.7% on the previous year and up 6.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Venezuela peaked at 20.1% in 1983 and was at its lowest, 7.1%, in 2007.
Venezuela ranks 77th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Venezuela, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | 16.1% | — |
| 1963 | 14.9% | -7.5% |
| 1964 | 14.3% | -3.9% |
| 1965 | 12.2% | -14.5% |
| 1966 | 11.9% | -3.2% |
| 1967 | 12.7% | +6.8% |
| 1968 | 12.0% | -5.5% |
| 1969 | 11.3% | -5.5% |
| 1970 | 10.4% | -7.9% |
| 1971 | 9.7% | -7.1% |
| 1972 | 9.4% | -2.2% |
| 1973 | 13.3% | +40.2% |
| 1974 | 12.0% | -9.6% |
| 1975 | 12.2% | +2.1% |
| 1976 | 11.6% | -5.4% |
| 1977 | 11.9% | +3.2% |
| 1978 | 11.8% | -1.5% |
| 1979 | 12.2% | +4.0% |
| 1980 | 14.5% | +18.3% |
| 1981 | 16.9% | +16.5% |
| 1982 | 14.0% | -16.7% |
| 1983 | 20.1% | +42.9% |
| 1984 | 16.4% | -18.1% |
| 1985 | 12.9% | -21.7% |
| 1986 | 9.4% | -27.2% |
| 1987 | 10.8% | +14.9% |
| 1990 | 11.2% | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 10.4% | -7.4% |
| 1992 | 9.9% | -4.1% |
| 1993 | 11.4% | +15.1% |
| 1994 | 13.3% | +16.4% |
| 1995 | 14.3% | +7.3% |
| 1996 | 15.6% | +9.0% |
| 1997 | 10.9% | -29.8% |
| 1998 | 12.2% | +11.4% |
| 1999 | 12.7% | +4.6% |
| 2000 | 11.7% | -8.3% |
| 2001 | 11.5% | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 12.6% | +9.5% |
| 2003 | 17.3% | +37.1% |
| 2004 | 14.8% | -14.2% |
| 2005 | 9.9% | -33.0% |
| 2006 | 7.5% | -24.2% |
| 2007 | 7.1% | -5.4% |
| 2008 | 16.2% | +128.1% |
| 2009 | 16.2% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 15.5% | -4.3% |
| 2011 | 15.9% | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 15.6% | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 18.4% | +17.7% |
Venezuela compared with similar countries
- Venezuela's 18.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 18.5%, 99% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Venezuela's 18.4% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 19.0%, 97% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Food imports (% of merchandise imports) in Venezuela 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | +128.1% | 7.1% | 16.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.2% | 11.3% | 16.1% | 8 |
| 1970s | 11.4% | 9.4% | 13.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.4% | 9.4% | 20.1% | 8 |
| 1990s | 12.2% | 9.9% | 15.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.5% | 7.1% | 17.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.3% | 15.5% | 18.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Venezuela
- 74 Zimbabwe 19.0% compare
- 75 Dominican Republic 18.6% compare
- 76 Lebanon 18.5% compare
- 78 Madagascar 18.4% compare
- 79 Macao 18.3% compare
- 80 Bosnia and Herzegovina 18.2% compare
More private sector data for Venezuela
- Merchandise trade 22.5% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 70.7% (2013)
- Merchandise imports 13.80 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 5.95 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 0.0% (2013)
- Manufactures exports 1.8% (2013)
- Merchandise exports 8.60 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 1.12 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 301.58 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0863 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Venezuela?
- Food imports in Venezuela was 18.4% in 2013, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Venezuela?
- The highest recorded value was 20.1% in 1983.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Venezuela?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.1% in 2007.
- How does Venezuela rank for food imports?
- Venezuela ranks 77th out of 196 countries with data for 2013.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Venezuela?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Venezuela 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.