Food imports in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Food imports was 19.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Food imports in Zimbabwe, 1984–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2024, food imports in Zimbabwe stood at 19.0%.
That represents a change of up 37.2% on the previous year and up 23.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Zimbabwe peaked at 23.7% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 1991.
That places Zimbabwe 70th out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Food imports in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 8.1% | — |
| 1985 | 5.0% | -38.9% |
| 1986 | 3.3% | -34.0% |
| 1990 | 3.7% | +12.4% |
| 1991 | 2.2% | -39.3% |
| 1992 | 17.8% | +695.4% |
| 1993 | 11.1% | -37.3% |
| 1994 | 4.8% | -56.7% |
| 1995 | 6.0% | +23.8% |
| 1996 | 10.3% | +73.1% |
| 1997 | 7.2% | -30.9% |
| 1999 | 8.8% | +23.0% |
| 2000 | 7.7% | -12.5% |
| 2001 | 5.1% | -33.1% |
| 2002 | 13.2% | +156.7% |
| 2003 | 21.0% | +59.2% |
| 2004 | 23.7% | +12.7% |
| 2005 | 12.8% | -46.0% |
| 2006 | 20.9% | +63.3% |
| 2007 | 11.4% | -45.5% |
| 2008 | 19.5% | +71.1% |
| 2009 | 13.2% | -32.1% |
| 2010 | 17.9% | +35.6% |
| 2011 | 14.7% | -18.0% |
| 2012 | 18.3% | +24.6% |
| 2013 | 14.6% | -20.3% |
| 2014 | 15.4% | +5.4% |
| 2015 | 17.0% | +10.7% |
| 2016 | 19.9% | +17.2% |
| 2017 | 14.9% | -25.3% |
| 2018 | 11.9% | -20.2% |
| 2019 | 8.1% | -32.2% |
| 2020 | 18.3% | +126.5% |
| 2021 | 14.4% | -21.3% |
| 2022 | 13.3% | -7.3% |
| 2023 | 13.8% | +3.8% |
| 2024 | 19.0% | +37.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5.5% | 3.3% | 8.1% | 3 |
| 1990s | 8.0% | 2.2% | 17.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 14.8% | 5.1% | 23.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.3% | 8.1% | 19.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.7% | 13.3% | 19.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More private sector data for Zimbabwe
- Merchandise trade 38.7% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 58.3% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 10.11 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 21.6% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 6.7% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 9.71 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 572.66 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1895 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 30.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita 596.55 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Zimbabwe?
- Food imports in Zimbabwe was 19.0% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 23.7% in 2004.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 1991.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for food imports?
- Zimbabwe ranks 70th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.