Cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? in Zambia
Zambia: Cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? was 177,000 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? in Zambia, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2023, cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? in Zambia stood at 177,000 tonnes.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 42.7% on the previous year and up 160.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? in Zambia peaked at 726,000 tonnes in 1992 and was at its lowest, 28,000 tonnes, in 1962.
Zambia ranks 155th of 192 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? in Zambia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 35,000 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 28,000 tonnes | -20.0% |
| 1963 | 45,000 tonnes | +60.7% |
| 1964 | 55,000 tonnes | +22.2% |
| 1965 | 50,000 tonnes | -9.1% |
| 1966 | 76,000 tonnes | +52.0% |
| 1967 | 65,000 tonnes | -14.5% |
| 1968 | 90,000 tonnes | +38.5% |
| 1969 | 89,000 tonnes | -1.1% |
| 1970 | 169,000 tonnes | +89.9% |
| 1971 | 372,000 tonnes | +120.1% |
| 1972 | 205,000 tonnes | -44.9% |
| 1973 | 99,000 tonnes | -51.7% |
| 1974 | 105,000 tonnes | +6.1% |
| 1975 | 201,000 tonnes | +91.4% |
| 1976 | 130,000 tonnes | -35.3% |
| 1977 | 119,000 tonnes | -8.5% |
| 1978 | 114,000 tonnes | -4.2% |
| 1979 | 253,000 tonnes | +121.9% |
| 1980 | 515,000 tonnes | +103.6% |
| 1981 | 259,000 tonnes | -49.7% |
| 1982 | 215,000 tonnes | -17.0% |
| 1983 | 219,000 tonnes | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 268,000 tonnes | +22.4% |
| 1985 | 209,000 tonnes | -22.0% |
| 1986 | 168,000 tonnes | -19.6% |
| 1987 | 137,000 tonnes | -18.5% |
| 1988 | 175,000 tonnes | +27.7% |
| 1989 | 133,000 tonnes | -24.0% |
| 1990 | 150,000 tonnes | +12.8% |
| 1991 | 60,000 tonnes | -60.0% |
| 1992 | 726,000 tonnes | +1110.0% |
| 1993 | 357,000 tonnes | -50.8% |
| 1994 | 72,000 tonnes | -79.8% |
| 1995 | 195,000 tonnes | +170.8% |
| 1996 | 153,000 tonnes | -21.5% |
| 1997 | 110,000 tonnes | -28.1% |
| 1998 | 527,000 tonnes | +379.1% |
| 1999 | 92,000 tonnes | -82.5% |
| 2000 | 80,000 tonnes | -13.0% |
| 2001 | 129,000 tonnes | +61.3% |
| 2002 | 272,000 tonnes | +110.9% |
| 2003 | 264,000 tonnes | -2.9% |
| 2004 | 180,000 tonnes | -31.8% |
| 2005 | 227,000 tonnes | +26.1% |
| 2006 | 310,000 tonnes | +36.6% |
| 2007 | 70,000 tonnes | -77.4% |
| 2008 | 66,000 tonnes | -5.7% |
| 2009 | 88,000 tonnes | +33.3% |
| 2010 | 40,000 tonnes | -54.5% |
| 2011 | 65,000 tonnes | +62.5% |
| 2012 | 97,000 tonnes | +49.2% |
| 2013 | 68,000 tonnes | -29.9% |
| 2014 | 50,000 tonnes | -26.5% |
| 2015 | 120,000 tonnes | +140.0% |
| 2016 | 52,000 tonnes | -56.7% |
| 2017 | 126,000 tonnes | +142.3% |
| 2018 | 111,000 tonnes | -11.9% |
| 2019 | 114,000 tonnes | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 132,000 tonnes | +15.8% |
| 2021 | 124,000 tonnes | -6.1% |
| 2022 | 124,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 177,000 tonnes | +42.7% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 177,000 tonnes is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.19 million tonnes, 15% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 177,000 tonnes is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.01 million tonnes, 18% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? in Zambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | +1110.0% | 60,000 tonnes | 726,000 tonnes |
| 1998 | +379.1% | 110,000 tonnes | 527,000 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 59,222 tonnes | 28,000 tonnes | 90,000 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 176,700 tonnes | 99,000 tonnes | 372,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 229,800 tonnes | 133,000 tonnes | 515,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 244,200 tonnes | 60,000 tonnes | 726,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 168,600 tonnes | 66,000 tonnes | 310,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 84,300 tonnes | 40,000 tonnes | 126,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 139,250 tonnes | 124,000 tonnes | 177,000 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More agriculture & rural data for Zambia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 65.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0411 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 54.11 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5408 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 4.1% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 4.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.4% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? in Zambia?
- Cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? in Zambia was 177,000 tonnes in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 726,000 tonnes in 1992.
- What is the lowest cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 28,000 tonnes in 1962.
- How does Zambia rank for cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters??
- Zambia ranks 155th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 160.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters?. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Imports and exports are measured as the net sum of all cereal crop varieties. Countries which lie above the grey line are net importers of cereals; those below the line are net exporters.