Agricultural raw materials exports in Lesotho
Lesotho: Agricultural raw materials exports was 5.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Agricultural raw materials exports in Lesotho, 2000–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for agricultural raw materials exports in Lesotho is 5.1%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 21.5% on the previous year and up 65.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural raw materials exports in Lesotho peaked at 6.6% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2000.
That places Lesotho 29th out of 195 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Agricultural raw materials exports in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0.1% | — |
| 2001 | 2.9% | +1959.9% |
| 2002 | 5.1% | +74.0% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | -92.5% |
| 2004 | 0.7% | +92.4% |
| 2007 | 3.5% | +369.3% |
| 2008 | 3.4% | -1.7% |
| 2009 | 3.6% | +6.0% |
| 2010 | 5.5% | +54.0% |
| 2011 | 3.6% | -34.9% |
| 2012 | 6.0% | +67.5% |
| 2013 | 2.2% | -64.2% |
| 2014 | 3.1% | +43.9% |
| 2015 | 6.5% | +110.4% |
| 2016 | 5.7% | -13.5% |
| 2017 | 6.0% | +5.5% |
| 2018 | 2.2% | -62.5% |
| 2019 | 4.6% | +105.4% |
| 2020 | 5.6% | +22.6% |
| 2021 | 5.7% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 5.8% | +3.2% |
| 2023 | 6.6% | +12.2% |
| 2024 | 5.1% | -21.5% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 5.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.1%, 4.7× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 5.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.7%, 3.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Agricultural raw materials exports in Lesotho 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +1959.9% | 0.1% | 2.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.5% | 0.1% | 5.1% | 8 |
| 2010s | 4.5% | 2.2% | 6.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.8% | 5.1% | 6.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More agriculture & rural data for Lesotho
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0649 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 70.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.6715 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0005 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5533 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.0% (2024)
- Rural population 55.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural raw materials exports in Lesotho?
- Agricultural raw materials exports in Lesotho was 5.1% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest agricultural raw materials exports recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 6.6% in 2023.
- What is the lowest agricultural raw materials exports recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2000.
- How does Lesotho rank for agricultural raw materials exports?
- Lesotho ranks 29th out of 195 countries with data for 2024.
- Is agricultural raw materials exports rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 65.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Agricultural raw materials exports (% of merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Agricultural raw materials comprise section 2 of SITC Rev. 3 (crude materials, inedible, except fuels) excluding divisions 22 (oil-seeds and oleaginous fruits), 27 (crude fertilizers and minerals excluding coal, petroleum, and precious stones), and 28 (metalliferous ores and scrap). This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise exports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a resident and a non-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.