Food, beverages and tobacco in Zambia

Zambia: Food, beverages and tobacco was 33.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
33.0%
Change on year
down 14.5%
World rank
70th
of 157 countries
All-time high
50.7%
in 1972
All-time low
30.6%
in 2011
Years of data
33
1963–2024

Food, beverages and tobacco in Zambia, 1963–2024

02040601963199320241963: 43.9 % of value added in manufacturing1964: 42.1 % of value added in manufacturing1965: 44.2 % of value added in manufacturing1966: 37 % of value added in manufacturing1967: 36.3 % of value added in manufacturing1968: 44.8 % of value added in manufacturing1969: 50.3 % of value added in manufacturing1970: 49.1 % of value added in manufacturing1971: 47.8 % of value added in manufacturing1972: 50.7 % of value added in manufacturing1973: 46.1 % of value added in manufacturing1974: 40.2 % of value added in manufacturing1975: 41.7 % of value added in manufacturing1980: 44 % of value added in manufacturing1981: 46 % of value added in manufacturing1982: 40.6 % of value added in manufacturing1990: 44.1 % of value added in manufacturing1994: 44.4 % of value added in manufacturing2010: 37.4 % of value added in manufacturing2011: 30.6 % of value added in manufacturing2012: 33.8 % of value added in manufacturing2013: 36.8 % of value added in manufacturing2014: 37.4 % of value added in manufacturing2015: 32 % of value added in manufacturing2016: 35.3 % of value added in manufacturing2017: 34.6 % of value added in manufacturing2018: 33.9 % of value added in manufacturing2019: 31.4 % of value added in manufacturing2020: 38.6 % of value added in manufacturing2021: 34.6 % of value added in manufacturing2022: 40.7 % of value added in manufacturing2023: 38.6 % of value added in manufacturing2024: 33 % of value added in manufacturing

Source: International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics, UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Measured in % of value added in manufacturing.

Analysis

In 2024, food, beverages and tobacco in Zambia stood at 33.0%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 14.5% on the previous year and down 11.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, food, beverages and tobacco in Zambia peaked at 50.7% in 1972 and was at its lowest, 30.6%, in 2011.

Zambia ranks 70th of 157 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.

Food, beverages and tobacco in Zambia, year by year

Annual values for Food, beverages and tobacco (% of value added in manufacturing) in Zambia, 1963 to 2024.
Year % of value added in manufacturing Change
1963 43.9%
1964 42.1% -4.2%
1965 44.2% +5.0%
1966 37.0% -16.2%
1967 36.3% -2.0%
1968 44.8% +23.4%
1969 50.3% +12.5%
1970 49.1% -2.5%
1971 47.8% -2.6%
1972 50.7% +6.1%
1973 46.1% -9.1%
1974 40.2% -12.9%
1975 41.7% +3.7%
1980 44.0% +5.5%
1981 46.0% +4.6%
1982 40.6% -11.7%
1990 44.1% +8.5%
1994 44.4% +0.6%
2010 37.4% -15.6%
2011 30.6% -18.3%
2012 33.8% +10.7%
2013 36.8% +8.9%
2014 37.4% +1.5%
2015 32.0% -14.3%
2016 35.3% +10.1%
2017 34.6% -2.0%
2018 33.9% -2.0%
2019 31.4% -7.4%
2020 38.6% +23.0%
2021 34.6% -10.2%
2022 40.7% +17.3%
2023 38.6% -5.1%
2024 33.0% -14.5%

Zambia compared with similar countries

  • Zambia's 33.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 34.6%, 95% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
  • Zambia's 33.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 56.3%, 59% of the median. (36 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 42.7% 36.3% 50.3% 7
1970s 45.9% 40.2% 50.7% 6
1980s 43.5% 40.6% 46.0% 3
1990s 44.2% 44.1% 44.4% 2
2010s 34.3% 30.6% 37.4% 10
2020s 37.1% 33.0% 40.7% 5

Countries ranked near Zambia

  1. 67 Iraq 33.6% compare
  2. 68 Laos 33.4% compare
  3. 69 Ukraine 33.2% compare
  4. 71 Nepal 32.7% compare
  5. 72 Cyprus 32.7% compare
  6. 73 Argentina 32.6% compare

See the full ranking of 157 places →

More economy & growth data for Zambia

All data for Zambia →

Frequently asked questions

What is food, beverages and tobacco in Zambia?
Food, beverages and tobacco in Zambia was 33.0% in 2024, according to International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics, UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
What is the highest food, beverages and tobacco recorded in Zambia?
The highest recorded value was 50.7% in 1972.
What is the lowest food, beverages and tobacco recorded in Zambia?
The lowest recorded value was 30.6% in 2011.
How does Zambia rank for food, beverages and tobacco?
Zambia ranks 70th out of 157 countries with data for 2024.
Is food, beverages and tobacco rising or falling in Zambia?
Over the last ten years it is down 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Zambia 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.

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Food, beverages and tobacco in Zambia. Statizoid, drawing on International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics, UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/food-beverages-and-tobacco-percent-of-value-added-in-manufacturing/zambia/

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About this data

Indicator
Food, beverages and tobacco (% of value added in manufacturing)
Unit
% of value added in manufacturing
Source
International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics, UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
157 places, 5,773 data points, 1963–2024
Last refreshed

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).