Share of food products in total merchandise exports in Barbados
Barbados: Share of food products in total merchandise exports was 43.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
43.5%
Change on year
down 5.7%
World rank
46th
of 196 countries
All-time high
93.2%
in 1967
All-time low
12.3%
in 1983
Years of data
54
1967–2024
Share of food products in total merchandise exports in Barbados, 1967–2024
Source: UN Comtrade, WITS, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
In 2024, share of food products in total merchandise exports in Barbados stood at 43.5%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.7% on the previous year and up 31.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of food products in total merchandise exports in Barbados peaked at 93.2% in 1967 and was at its lowest, 12.3%, in 1983.
That places Barbados 46th out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Share of food products in total merchandise exports in Barbados, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 93.2% | — |
| 1968 | 87.9% | -5.7% |
| 1969 | 76.2% | -13.3% |
| 1970 | 73.0% | -4.2% |
| 1971 | 73.7% | +1.0% |
| 1972 | 63.9% | -13.3% |
| 1973 | 57.8% | -9.6% |
| 1974 | 62.1% | +7.5% |
| 1975 | 69.1% | +11.1% |
| 1976 | 51.3% | -25.7% |
| 1977 | 49.4% | -3.7% |
| 1978 | 39.7% | -19.5% |
| 1979 | 35.7% | -10.1% |
| 1980 | 47.0% | +31.4% |
| 1981 | 30.0% | -36.2% |
| 1982 | 27.9% | -7.0% |
| 1983 | 12.3% | -55.9% |
| 1984 | 15.4% | +25.0% |
| 1985 | 15.7% | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 18.9% | +20.2% |
| 1987 | 28.9% | +52.6% |
| 1992 | 44.1% | +52.6% |
| 1993 | 37.2% | -15.5% |
| 1994 | 38.2% | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 39.4% | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 47.5% | +20.4% |
| 1997 | 45.1% | -4.9% |
| 1998 | 39.3% | -12.9% |
| 1999 | 37.6% | -4.4% |
| 2000 | 37.8% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 42.4% | +12.2% |
| 2002 | 43.1% | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 38.1% | -11.6% |
| 2004 | 42.2% | +10.7% |
| 2005 | 39.1% | -7.3% |
| 2006 | 30.6% | -21.8% |
| 2007 | 30.4% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 38.9% | +27.9% |
| 2009 | 39.1% | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 33.0% | -15.7% |
| 2011 | 31.8% | -3.7% |
| 2012 | 31.5% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 35.1% | +11.2% |
| 2014 | 33.2% | -5.4% |
| 2015 | 33.6% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 33.6% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 36.6% | +8.7% |
| 2018 | 32.8% | -10.3% |
| 2019 | 20.0% | -38.9% |
| 2020 | 35.2% | +75.7% |
| 2021 | 41.1% | +16.7% |
| 2022 | 41.1% | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 46.1% | +12.1% |
| 2024 | 43.5% | -5.7% |
Barbados compared with similar countries
- Barbados's 43.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 11.5%, 3.8× the median. (71 countries reporting)
- Barbados's 43.5% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 32.3%, 1.3× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 85.8% | 76.2% | 93.2% | 3 |
| 1970s | 57.6% | 35.7% | 73.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 24.5% | 12.3% | 47.0% | 8 |
| 1990s | 41.1% | 37.2% | 47.5% | 8 |
| 2000s | 38.2% | 30.4% | 43.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.1% | 20.0% | 36.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.4% | 35.2% | 46.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
More economy & growth data for Barbados
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.99 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 18.57 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0024 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 65.74 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 303.06 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 34.75 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0399 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,073 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 2.97 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of food products in total merchandise exports in Barbados?
- Share of food products in total merchandise exports in Barbados was 43.5% in 2024, according to UN Comtrade, WITS, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of food products in total merchandise exports recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 93.2% in 1967.
- What is the lowest share of food products in total merchandise exports recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.3% in 1983.
- How does Barbados rank for share of food products in total merchandise exports?
- Barbados ranks 46th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of food products in total merchandise exports rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Barbados data come from?
- The figures come from UN Comtrade, WITS, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of food products in total merchandise exports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Value of food exports divided by the total value of merchandise exports, expressed as a percentage.