Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in South Africa in 2025 — 12.77%. Ranked 13 in the world out of 24. Since 1974, the indicator has fallen by 14.49 pp.
1974–2025 · % of merchandise exports
| Year | % | Change, pp |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12.77 | +0.58 pp |
| 2024 | 12.19 | +0.52 pp |
| 2023 | 11.67 | +1.28 pp |
| 2022 | 10.39 | +0.73 pp |
| 2021 | 9.66 | −2.19 pp |
| 2020 | 11.85 | +0.87 pp |
| 2019 | 10.98 | −0.13 pp |
| 2018 | 11.11 | +0.21 pp |
| 2017 | 10.9 | −0.27 pp |
| 2016 | 11.16 | +0.49 pp |
| 2015 | 10.67 | +0.4 pp |
| 2014 | 10.27 | +0.45 pp |
| 2013 | 9.82 | +0.97 pp |
| 2012 | 8.85 | +0.51 pp |
| 2011 | 8.34 | −1.62 pp |
| 2010 | 9.96 | −0.19 pp |
| 2009 | 10.15 | +2.81 pp |
| 2008 | 7.34 | +0.76 pp |
| 2007 | 6.58 | −0.52 pp |
| 2006 | 7.1 | −1.39 pp |
| 2005 | 8.49 | −0.23 pp |
| 2004 | 8.72 | −1.16 pp |
| 2003 | 9.88 | −0.74 pp |
| 2002 | 10.62 | +1.6 pp |
| 2001 | 9.02 | +0.53 pp |
| 2000 | 8.49 | −1.7 pp |
| 1999 | 10.18 | −1.91 pp |
| 1998 | 12.09 | +1.29 pp |
| 1997 | 10.8 | −0.21 pp |
| 1996 | 11.01 | +3.09 pp |
| 1995 | 7.92 | −0.64 pp |
| 1994 | 8.57 | +2.09 pp |
| 1993 | 6.47 | −1.69 pp |
| 1992 | 8.16 | — |
| 1984 | 5.73 | −0.71 pp |
| 1983 | 6.45 | −2.96 pp |
| 1982 | 9.4 | −0.41 pp |
| 1981 | 9.81 | +1.07 pp |
| 1980 | 8.74 | −5.92 pp |
| 1979 | 14.66 | −2.51 pp |
| 1978 | 17.17 | −1.75 pp |
| 1977 | 18.92 | −4.21 pp |
| 1976 | 23.13 | −5.55 pp |
| 1975 | 28.68 | +1.43 pp |
| 1974 | 27.26 | — |
The share of food in merchandise exports: grain, meat, dairy products, fish, fruit, beverages, oils. Unlike dependence on fuel and metals, a food specialization is not considered a vulnerability of the same kind — demand for food grows with population and is not subject to technological substitution. The largest shares come not from the biggest producers but from small countries with a single export crop: coffee, cocoa, bananas.
Important: It includes beverages and vegetable oils but not agricultural raw materials such as cotton, rubber and hides — those have a separate indicator.
Source: UNCTADstat (UNCTAD), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.
What part of merchandise exports is cotton, rubber, timber, hides and other non-food raw materials.
Trade Food imports (% of merchandise imports)What part of merchandise imports a country spends on food — a measure of food dependence.
Economy Agriculture value addedHow much agriculture, forestry and fishing create in money terms.
Agriculture Cereal productionThe gross harvest of cereal crops, in tonnes.
