Share of food products in total merchandise exports in Botswana
Botswana: Share of food products in total merchandise exports was 1.9% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of food products in total merchandise exports in Botswana, 2000–2023
Source: UN Comtrade, WITS, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of food products in total merchandise exports in Botswana is 1.9%, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 1.1% on the previous year and down 21.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of food products in total merchandise exports in Botswana peaked at 5.2% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 2016.
That places Botswana 176th out of 196 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Share of food products in total merchandise exports in Botswana, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2.8% | — |
| 2001 | 3.2% | +13.9% |
| 2002 | 3.5% | +11.3% |
| 2003 | 2.4% | -33.2% |
| 2004 | 2.5% | +5.5% |
| 2005 | 2.6% | +3.4% |
| 2006 | 2.7% | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 2.8% | +5.5% |
| 2008 | 2.8% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 5.0% | +77.0% |
| 2010 | 5.2% | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 2.4% | -54.0% |
| 2012 | 2.1% | -12.0% |
| 2013 | 2.3% | +12.2% |
| 2014 | 1.9% | -19.8% |
| 2015 | 2.3% | +21.5% |
| 2016 | 1.7% | -25.4% |
| 2017 | 1.8% | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 1.8% | +2.9% |
| 2019 | 1.7% | -5.2% |
| 2020 | 1.9% | +13.7% |
| 2021 | 1.8% | -10.1% |
| 2022 | 1.8% | +4.7% |
| 2023 | 1.9% | +1.1% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 1.9% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 19.9%, 9% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 1.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 27.6%, 7% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.0% | 2.4% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.3% | 1.7% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 173 Switzerland 2.5% compare
- 174 China 2.4% compare
- 175 Saudi Arabia 1.9% compare
- 177 Bermuda 1.8% compare
- 178 South Korea 1.6% compare
- 179 Hong Kong 1.6% compare
More economy & growth data for Botswana
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.52 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.98 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 3.02 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0002 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1.2 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 467.27 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -36.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0242 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 185.34 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate -27.34 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of food products in total merchandise exports in Botswana?
- Share of food products in total merchandise exports in Botswana was 1.9% in 2023, 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 Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 5.2% in 2010.
- What is the lowest share of food products in total merchandise exports recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 2016.
- How does Botswana rank for share of food products in total merchandise exports?
- Botswana ranks 176th out of 196 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of food products in total merchandise exports rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Botswana 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Value of food exports divided by the total value of merchandise exports, expressed as a percentage.