Maize production in South Africa
South Africa: Maize production was 12.85 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
12.85 million
Change on year
down 21.8%
World rank
12th
of 176 countries
All-time high
17.55 million
in 2017
All-time low
3.28 million
in 1992
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Maize production in South Africa, 1961–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 12.85 million for maize production in 2024.
The figure is down 21.8% on the previous year and down 9.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maize production in South Africa peaked at 17.55 million in 2017 and was at its lowest, 3.28 million, in 1992.
South Africa ranks 12th of 176 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Maize production in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 5.29 million | — |
| 1962 | 6.02 million | +13.8% |
| 1963 | 6.13 million | +1.7% |
| 1964 | 4.31 million | -29.7% |
| 1965 | 4.61 million | +6.9% |
| 1966 | 5.16 million | +12.0% |
| 1967 | 9.80 million | +89.9% |
| 1968 | 5.36 million | -45.3% |
| 1969 | 5.38 million | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 6.18 million | +14.9% |
| 1971 | 8.64 million | +39.9% |
| 1972 | 9.53 million | +10.2% |
| 1973 | 4.20 million | -55.9% |
| 1974 | 11.08 million | +163.8% |
| 1975 | 9.14 million | -17.5% |
| 1976 | 7.52 million | -17.7% |
| 1977 | 9.79 million | +30.3% |
| 1978 | 10.21 million | +4.2% |
| 1979 | 8.47 million | -17.0% |
| 1980 | 11.04 million | +30.3% |
| 1981 | 14.87 million | +34.7% |
| 1982 | 8.78 million | -41.0% |
| 1983 | 4.40 million | -49.9% |
| 1984 | 4.80 million | +9.0% |
| 1985 | 8.44 million | +76.0% |
| 1986 | 8.60 million | +1.8% |
| 1987 | 7.89 million | -8.3% |
| 1988 | 7.67 million | -2.8% |
| 1989 | 12.48 million | +62.7% |
| 1990 | 9.18 million | -26.4% |
| 1991 | 8.61 million | -6.2% |
| 1992 | 3.28 million | -62.0% |
| 1993 | 10.00 million | +205.1% |
| 1994 | 13.28 million | +32.8% |
| 1995 | 4.87 million | -63.3% |
| 1996 | 10.17 million | +109.0% |
| 1997 | 10.14 million | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 7.69 million | -24.1% |
| 1999 | 7.95 million | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 11.43 million | +43.9% |
| 2001 | 7.77 million | -32.0% |
| 2002 | 10.08 million | +29.6% |
| 2003 | 9.71 million | -3.7% |
| 2004 | 9.71 million | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 11.72 million | +20.7% |
| 2006 | 6.94 million | -40.8% |
| 2007 | 7.12 million | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 12.70 million | +78.2% |
| 2009 | 12.05 million | -5.1% |
| 2010 | 12.81 million | +6.3% |
| 2011 | 10.36 million | -19.2% |
| 2012 | 12.12 million | +17.0% |
| 2013 | 11.81 million | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 14.25 million | +20.7% |
| 2015 | 10.63 million | -25.4% |
| 2016 | 8.21 million | -22.7% |
| 2017 | 17.55 million | +113.7% |
| 2018 | 13.10 million | -25.3% |
| 2019 | 11.82 million | -9.8% |
| 2020 | 15.84 million | +34.0% |
| 2021 | 16.32 million | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 15.47 million | -5.2% |
| 2023 | 16.43 million | +6.2% |
| 2024 | 12.85 million | -21.8% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 12.85 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 246,650, 52.1× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 12.85 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 590,000, 21.8× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Maize production in South Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +205.1% | 3.28 million | 10.00 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.78 million | 4.31 million | 9.80 million | 9 |
| 1970s | 8.48 million | 4.20 million | 11.08 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.90 million | 4.40 million | 14.87 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.52 million | 3.28 million | 13.28 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.92 million | 6.94 million | 12.70 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.27 million | 8.21 million | 17.55 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.38 million | 12.85 million | 16.43 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More reference data data for South Africa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maize production in South Africa?
- Maize production in South Africa was 12.85 million in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest maize production recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 17.55 million in 2017.
- What is the lowest maize production recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.28 million in 1992.
- How does South Africa rank for maize production?
- South Africa ranks 12th out of 176 countries with data for 2024.
- Is maize production rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Maize production. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).