Share of food products in total merchandise exports in Nepal
Nepal: Share of food products in total merchandise exports was 49.4% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Share of food products in total merchandise exports in Nepal, 1974–2022
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 Nepal is 49.4%, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 26.4% on the previous year and up 105.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of food products in total merchandise exports in Nepal peaked at 67.1% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 7.1%, in 1994.
Nepal ranks 37th of 196 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Share of food products in total merchandise exports in Nepal, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 25.7% | — |
| 1975 | 22.6% | -12.2% |
| 1976 | 29.6% | +31.4% |
| 1977 | 22.0% | -25.9% |
| 1978 | 34.3% | +56.2% |
| 1979 | 37.0% | +7.9% |
| 1980 | 21.4% | -42.2% |
| 1981 | 12.2% | -42.9% |
| 1982 | 39.1% | +220.5% |
| 1983 | 32.3% | -17.5% |
| 1984 | 37.0% | +14.5% |
| 1985 | 35.1% | -5.2% |
| 1986 | 29.8% | -15.2% |
| 1987 | 23.1% | -22.2% |
| 1994 | 7.1% | -69.4% |
| 1998 | 8.3% | +17.6% |
| 1999 | 21.0% | +152.0% |
| 2000 | 10.0% | -52.5% |
| 2003 | 20.6% | +106.8% |
| 2009 | 25.1% | +21.9% |
| 2010 | 20.2% | -19.5% |
| 2011 | 18.6% | -7.8% |
| 2012 | 24.0% | +28.8% |
| 2013 | 20.5% | -14.4% |
| 2014 | 25.2% | +22.6% |
| 2015 | 26.9% | +6.9% |
| 2016 | 24.4% | -9.4% |
| 2017 | 26.1% | +7.2% |
| 2018 | 27.1% | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 45.3% | +67.2% |
| 2020 | 51.8% | +14.3% |
| 2021 | 67.1% | +29.6% |
| 2022 | 49.4% | -26.4% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 49.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 21.6%, 2.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 49.4% is above the median for South Asia, which is 19.2%, 2.6× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of food products in total merchandise exports in Nepal changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +220.5% | 12.2% | 39.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 28.5% | 22.0% | 37.0% | 6 |
| 1980s | 28.8% | 12.2% | 39.1% | 8 |
| 1990s | 12.1% | 7.1% | 21.0% | 3 |
| 2000s | 18.6% | 10.0% | 25.1% | 3 |
| 2010s | 25.8% | 18.6% | 45.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.1% | 49.4% | 67.1% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More economy & growth data for Nepal
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 4.28 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 5.25 Percent per annum (2029)
- 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$), gaps filled 56.90 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -23.95 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0013 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1.92 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 33.15 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of food products in total merchandise exports in Nepal?
- Share of food products in total merchandise exports in Nepal was 49.4% in 2022, 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 Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 67.1% in 2021.
- What is the lowest share of food products in total merchandise exports recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.1% in 1994.
- How does Nepal rank for share of food products in total merchandise exports?
- Nepal ranks 37th out of 196 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of food products in total merchandise exports rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 105.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nepal 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.