Agricultural raw materials exports (% of merchandise exports) in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): Agricultural raw materials exports (% of merchandise exports) was 2.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Agricultural raw materials exports in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 1974–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
In 2025, agricultural raw materials exports in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) stood at 2.1%. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 12.5% on the previous year and down 14.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural raw materials exports in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 9.4% in 1974 and was at its lowest, 2.1%, in 2025.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 9th out of 46 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Agricultural raw materials exports (% of merchandise exports) in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 9.4% | — |
| 1975 | 7.8% | -16.4% |
| 1976 | 8.7% | +11.1% |
| 1977 | 7.4% | -14.7% |
| 1978 | 6.7% | -10.5% |
| 1979 | 6.6% | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 4.7% | -29.6% |
| 1996 | 7.2% | +53.8% |
| 1997 | 7.7% | +7.0% |
| 1998 | 6.8% | -11.1% |
| 1999 | 6.8% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 6.0% | -11.8% |
| 2001 | 5.4% | -9.3% |
| 2002 | 5.1% | -5.4% |
| 2003 | 5.7% | +10.3% |
| 2006 | 3.9% | -31.6% |
| 2007 | 3.7% | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 3.8% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 3.4% | -9.6% |
| 2010 | 2.9% | -13.9% |
| 2011 | 4.1% | +39.7% |
| 2012 | 4.0% | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 3.2% | -20.2% |
| 2014 | 2.4% | -23.6% |
| 2015 | 2.5% | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 3.1% | +24.2% |
| 2017 | 3.0% | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 3.0% | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 3.0% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 3.1% | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 3.4% | +11.7% |
| 2022 | 3.1% | -10.5% |
| 2023 | 2.8% | -8.5% |
| 2024 | 2.5% | -13.0% |
| 2025 | 2.1% | -12.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7.8% | 6.6% | 9.4% | 6 |
| 1980s | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 1 |
| 1990s | 7.1% | 6.8% | 7.7% | 4 |
| 2000s | 4.6% | 3.4% | 6.0% | 8 |
| 2010s | 3.1% | 2.4% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.8% | 2.1% | 3.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- 6 Equatorial Guinea 30.0% compare
- 7 Afghanistan 21.0% compare
- 8 Tajikistan 16.2% compare
- 9 Cameroon 14.9% compare
- 10 Uruguay 14.1% compare
- 11 Cote d'Ivoire 13.6% compare
- 12 Kenya 13.0% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.71 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 395.90 billion current US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 17.9% (2025)
- Rural population 731.36 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 1.5% (2025)
- Rural population 55.3% (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5534 units per person (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural raw materials exports in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Agricultural raw materials exports in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 2.1% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest agricultural raw materials exports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 9.4% in 1974.
- What is the lowest agricultural raw materials exports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1% in 2025.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for agricultural raw materials exports?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 9th out of 46 groups with data for 2025.
- Is agricultural raw materials exports rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 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.
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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.