Food imports in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income): Food imports was 18.8% in 2019. ▼ Falling
Food imports in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), 1966–2019
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2019, food imports in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) stood at 18.8%.
The figure is up 3.4% on the previous year and up 24.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food imports in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) peaked at 27.1% in 1974 and was at its lowest, 13.1%, in 2006.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 22.4% | 17.6% | 26.8% | 4 |
| 1970s | 21.8% | 17.7% | 27.1% | 8 |
| 1990s | 20.8% | 19.9% | 22.4% | 3 |
| 2000s | 15.5% | 13.1% | 17.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.5% | 15.5% | 18.8% | 10 |
More private sector data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
- Merchandise exports 468.21 billion current US$ (2025)
- Manufactures exports 37.1% (2017)
- Food exports 10.4% (2017)
- Merchandise imports 582.51 billion current US$ (2025)
- Manufactures imports 57.7% (2019)
- Merchandise trade 49.0% (2025)
- Commercial service exports 149.29 billion current US$ (2024)
- Transport services 45.7% (2024)
- Computer, communications and other services 22.3% (2024)
- Commercial service imports 137.69 billion current US$ (2024)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is food imports in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Food imports in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) was 18.8% in 2019, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food imports recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 27.1% in 1974.
- What is the lowest food imports recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.1% in 2006.
- Is food imports rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 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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CSV · JSON — 35 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.