Food, beverages and tobacco in Lesotho
Lesotho: Food, beverages and tobacco was 5.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Food, beverages and tobacco in Lesotho, 1980–2024
Source: International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics, UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Measured in % of value added in manufacturing.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 5.5% for food, beverages and tobacco in 2024.
That represents a change of up 5.2% on the previous year and down 27.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food, beverages and tobacco in Lesotho peaked at 72.7% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 4.0%, in 2022.
Lesotho ranks 152nd of 157 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Food, beverages and tobacco in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % of value added in manufacturing | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 72.7% | — |
| 1981 | 70.0% | -3.7% |
| 1982 | 59.8% | -14.6% |
| 1983 | 58.5% | -2.1% |
| 1984 | 65.9% | +12.7% |
| 1985 | 71.6% | +8.5% |
| 2007 | 6.1% | -91.4% |
| 2008 | 6.1% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 7.5% | +22.6% |
| 2010 | 9.7% | +29.1% |
| 2011 | 10.6% | +9.6% |
| 2012 | 11.7% | +10.4% |
| 2013 | 9.6% | -18.4% |
| 2014 | 7.6% | -21.0% |
| 2015 | 7.9% | +4.0% |
| 2016 | 6.6% | -15.8% |
| 2017 | 6.4% | -3.8% |
| 2018 | 7.3% | +15.5% |
| 2019 | 5.4% | -26.5% |
| 2020 | 5.4% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 4.9% | -9.8% |
| 2022 | 4.0% | -17.0% |
| 2023 | 5.2% | +29.4% |
| 2024 | 5.5% | +5.2% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 5.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 34.6%, 16% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 5.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 56.3%, 10% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 66.4% | 58.5% | 72.7% | 6 |
| 2000s | 6.6% | 6.1% | 7.5% | 3 |
| 2010s | 8.3% | 5.4% | 11.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.0% | 4.0% | 5.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More economy & growth data for Lesotho
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 0 BoP, current US$ (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 0 BoP, current US$ per person (1989)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -5.77 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 54.09 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0022 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -2.44 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per unit of GDP 0.4215 includes gold, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per capita 431.19 includes gold, current US$ per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food, beverages and tobacco in Lesotho?
- Food, beverages and tobacco in Lesotho was 5.5% in 2024, according to International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics, UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
- What is the highest food, beverages and tobacco recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 72.7% in 1980.
- What is the lowest food, beverages and tobacco recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.0% in 2022.
- How does Lesotho rank for food, beverages and tobacco?
- Lesotho ranks 152nd out of 157 countries with data for 2024.
- Is food, beverages and tobacco rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics, UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), published as part of Food, beverages and tobacco (% of value added in manufacturing). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Manufacturing of food, beverages, and tobacco includes industries classified in ISIC (Rev. 3) divisions 15 and 16. Value added is the contribution to the economy by a producer or an industry or an institutional sector, which is estimated by the total value of output produced and deducting the total value of intermediate consumption of goods and services used to produce that output. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of value added in manufacturing which is the contribution to the economy by the manufacturing sector (ISIC Rev. 3 major division D).