Agricultural raw materials imports in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Agricultural raw materials imports was 1.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Agricultural raw materials imports in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1974–2024
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise imports.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 1.0% for agricultural raw materials imports in 2024.
The figure is up 8.5% on the previous year and up 14.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural raw materials imports in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 2.7% in 1974 and was at its lowest, 0.8%, in 2014.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 36th out of 47 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Agricultural raw materials imports in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 2.7% | — |
| 1975 | 2.0% | -26.7% |
| 1976 | 2.1% | +5.5% |
| 1977 | 2.2% | +4.6% |
| 1978 | 1.9% | -11.8% |
| 1979 | 2.0% | +5.6% |
| 1996 | 1.8% | -11.6% |
| 1997 | 1.7% | -6.5% |
| 1998 | 1.7% | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 1.7% | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 1.5% | -9.7% |
| 2001 | 1.6% | +4.5% |
| 2002 | 1.5% | -10.2% |
| 2003 | 1.3% | -12.7% |
| 2004 | 1.3% | +4.3% |
| 2005 | 1.1% | -14.6% |
| 2006 | 1.2% | +9.2% |
| 2007 | 1.0% | -15.6% |
| 2008 | 1.0% | -6.1% |
| 2009 | 1.0% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 0.9% | -4.3% |
| 2011 | 1.4% | +46.2% |
| 2012 | 0.9% | -36.4% |
| 2013 | 1.1% | +29.0% |
| 2014 | 0.8% | -24.8% |
| 2015 | 0.9% | +9.7% |
| 2016 | 1.0% | +7.8% |
| 2017 | 1.0% | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 1.0% | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 1.1% | +9.3% |
| 2020 | 1.1% | -5.9% |
| 2021 | 1.1% | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 1.0% | -14.1% |
| 2023 | 0.9% | -5.8% |
| 2024 | 1.0% | +8.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.2% | 1.9% | 2.7% | 6 |
| 1990s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.8% | 4 |
| 2000s | 1.3% | 1.0% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More agriculture & rural data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 10.7 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5534 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1791 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 299.6 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.6% (2024)
- Rural population 55.3% (2025)
- Rural population growth 1.5% (2025)
- Rural population 731.42 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural raw materials imports in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Agricultural raw materials imports in Sub-Saharan Africa was 1.0% in 2024, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest agricultural raw materials imports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2.7% in 1974.
- What is the lowest agricultural raw materials imports recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8% in 2014.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for agricultural raw materials imports?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 36th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is agricultural raw materials imports rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Agricultural raw materials imports (% of merchandise imports). 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 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.