Milk production in Malawi
Malawi: Milk production was 232,764 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Milk production in Malawi, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2024, milk production in Malawi stood at 232,764 tonnes. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
The figure is up 3.7% on the previous year and up 42.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, milk production in Malawi peaked at 232,764 tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 10,800 tonnes, in 1961.
Malawi ranks 121st of 192 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Milk production in Malawi, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 10,800 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 11,100 tonnes | +2.8% |
| 1963 | 11,400 tonnes | +2.7% |
| 1964 | 12,000 tonnes | +5.3% |
| 1965 | 13,200 tonnes | +10.0% |
| 1966 | 14,100 tonnes | +6.8% |
| 1967 | 15,000 tonnes | +6.4% |
| 1968 | 15,600 tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1969 | 16,200 tonnes | +3.8% |
| 1970 | 16,000 tonnes | -1.2% |
| 1971 | 17,000 tonnes | +6.2% |
| 1972 | 14,305 tonnes | -15.9% |
| 1973 | 19,760 tonnes | +38.1% |
| 1974 | 18,392 tonnes | -6.9% |
| 1975 | 25,214 tonnes | +37.1% |
| 1976 | 33,135 tonnes | +31.4% |
| 1977 | 30,663 tonnes | -7.5% |
| 1978 | 33,475 tonnes | +9.2% |
| 1979 | 33,576 tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 33,900 tonnes | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 37,300 tonnes | +10.0% |
| 1982 | 38,000 tonnes | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 38,900 tonnes | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 40,600 tonnes | +4.4% |
| 1985 | 43,700 tonnes | +7.6% |
| 1986 | 43,300 tonnes | -0.9% |
| 1987 | 45,300 tonnes | +4.6% |
| 1988 | 36,800 tonnes | -18.8% |
| 1989 | 36,400 tonnes | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 36,800 tonnes | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 69,946 tonnes | +90.1% |
| 1992 | 74,249 tonnes | +6.2% |
| 1993 | 66,609 tonnes | -10.3% |
| 1994 | 59,448 tonnes | -10.8% |
| 1995 | 59,603 tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 67,911 tonnes | +13.9% |
| 1997 | 74,206 tonnes | +9.3% |
| 1998 | 77,015 tonnes | +3.8% |
| 1999 | 73,060 tonnes | -5.1% |
| 2000 | 78,496 tonnes | +7.4% |
| 2001 | 79,780 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 60,022 tonnes | -24.8% |
| 2003 | 63,212 tonnes | +5.3% |
| 2004 | 84,048 tonnes | +33.0% |
| 2005 | 91,130 tonnes | +8.4% |
| 2006 | 79,372 tonnes | -12.9% |
| 2007 | 89,639 tonnes | +12.9% |
| 2008 | 100,561 tonnes | +12.2% |
| 2009 | 110,457 tonnes | +9.8% |
| 2010 | 122,002 tonnes | +10.5% |
| 2011 | 132,419 tonnes | +8.5% |
| 2012 | 146,290 tonnes | +10.5% |
| 2013 | 140,647 tonnes | -3.9% |
| 2014 | 163,218 tonnes | +16.0% |
| 2015 | 157,542 tonnes | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 174,809 tonnes | +11.0% |
| 2017 | 178,697 tonnes | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 180,176 tonnes | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 198,408 tonnes | +10.1% |
| 2020 | 201,658 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 205,041 tonnes | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 215,907 tonnes | +5.3% |
| 2023 | 224,476 tonnes | +4.0% |
| 2024 | 232,764 tonnes | +3.7% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 232,764 tonnes is below the median for low income countries, which is 411,155 tonnes, 57% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 232,764 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 188,438 tonnes, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Milk production in Malawi 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +90.1% | 36,800 tonnes | 69,946 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13,267 tonnes | 10,800 tonnes | 16,200 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 24,152 tonnes | 14,305 tonnes | 33,576 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 39,420 tonnes | 33,900 tonnes | 45,300 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 65,885 tonnes | 36,800 tonnes | 77,015 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 83,672 tonnes | 60,022 tonnes | 110,457 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 159,421 tonnes | 122,002 tonnes | 198,408 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 215,969 tonnes | 201,658 tonnes | 232,764 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More reference data data for Malawi
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1596 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3426 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5353 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.6012 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 16.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.87 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is milk production in Malawi?
- Milk production in Malawi was 232,764 tonnes in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest milk production recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 232,764 tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest milk production recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 10,800 tonnes in 1961.
- How does Malawi rank for milk production?
- Malawi ranks 121st out of 192 countries with data for 2024.
- Is milk production rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Milk 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).
About this data
Milk represents the raw equivalents of all dairy products including cheese, yoghurt, cream and milk consumed as the final product.