Net food imports by crop - Soybeans in South Africa

South Africa: Net food imports by crop - Soybeans was 7,359 in 2019. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2019)
7,359
Change on year
up 4.4%
World rank
53rd
of 165 countries
All-time high
270,589
in 2016
All-time low
-61,356
in 1997
Years of data
59
1961–2019

Net food imports by crop - Soybeans in South Africa, 1961–2019

-100.0k0100.0k200.0k300.0k196119902019

Source: FAOSTAT. Available at: http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for net food imports by crop - soybeans in South Africa is 7,359, measured in 2019.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.4% on the previous year and up 1,499.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, net food imports by crop - soybeans in South Africa peaked at 270,589 in 2016 and was at its lowest, -61,356, in 1997.

That places South Africa 53rd out of 165 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Net food imports by crop - Soybeans in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Net food imports by crop - Soybeans in South Africa, 1961 to 2019.
Year Value Change
1961 -2 —
1962 -180 +8900.0%
1963 -2,805 +1458.3%
1964 -27 -99.0%
1965 -5,392 +19870.4%
1966 -9 -99.8%
1967 -66 +633.3%
1968 -45 -31.8%
1969 -38 -15.6%
1970 -24 -36.8%
1971 -23 -4.2%
1972 2,711 -11887.0%
1973 597 -78.0%
1974 1,488 +149.2%
1975 554 -62.8%
1976 -9,620 -1836.5%
1977 -6,615 -31.2%
1978 -19,962 +201.8%
1979 -40,694 +103.9%
1980 -34,960 -14.1%
1981 190 -100.5%
1982 7,603 +3901.6%
1983 3,005 -60.5%
1984 -25,000 -931.9%
1985 -57,249 +129.0%
1986 -16,504 -71.2%
1987 -3 -100.0%
1988 -22,284 +742700.0%
1989 14 -100.1%
1990 212 +1414.3%
1991 5,134 +2321.7%
1992 166,150 +3136.3%
1993 183,410 +10.4%
1994 117,167 -36.1%
1995 121,135 +3.4%
1996 -6,582 -105.4%
1997 -61,356 +832.2%
1998 16,931 -127.6%
1999 18,133 +7.1%
2000 93,695 +416.7%
2001 13,799 -85.3%
2002 33,146 +140.2%
2003 23,274 -29.8%
2004 18,106 -22.2%
2005 14,608 -19.3%
2006 10,398 -28.8%
2007 117,827 +1033.2%
2008 17,951 -84.8%
2009 460 -97.4%
2010 2,355 +412.0%
2011 988 -58.0%
2012 981 -0.7%
2013 4,144 +322.4%
2014 103,468 +2396.8%
2015 181,914 +75.8%
2016 270,589 +48.7%
2017 31,101 -88.5%
2018 7,046 -77.3%
2019 7,359 +4.4%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 7,359 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1,314, 5.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Net food imports by crop - Soybeans 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.

YearChange FromTo
1988 -742700.0% -3 -22,284
1965 -19870.4% -27 -5,392
1972 +11887.0% -23 2,711
1962 -8900.0% -2 -180
1982 +3901.6% 190 7,603
1992 +3136.3% 5,134 166,150

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s -951.56 -5,392 -2 9
1970s -7,159 -40,694 2,711 10
1980s -14,519 -57,249 7,603 10
1990s 56,033 -61,356 183,410 10
2000s 34,326 460 117,827 10
2010s 60,994 981 270,589 10

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 50 Bosnia and Herzegovina 9,634 compare
  2. 51 Azerbaijan 9,559 compare
  3. 52 Rwanda 8,557 compare
  4. 54 Tanzania 7,100 compare
  5. 55 Botswana 5,235 compare
  6. 56 Libya 4,859 compare

See the full ranking of 165 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is net food imports by crop - soybeans in South Africa?
Net food imports by crop - soybeans in South Africa was 7,359 in 2019, according to FAOSTAT. Available at: http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data.
What is the highest net food imports by crop - soybeans recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 270,589 in 2016.
What is the lowest net food imports by crop - soybeans recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was -61,356 in 1997.
How does South Africa rank for net food imports by crop - soybeans?
South Africa ranks 53rd out of 165 countries with data for 2019.
Is net food imports by crop - soybeans rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 1,499.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from FAOSTAT. Available at: http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data, published as part of Net food imports by crop - Soybeans. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Net food imports by crop - Soybeans in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on FAOSTAT. Available at: http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data. Retrieved 13 November 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/net-food-imports-by-crop-soybeans/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Net food imports by crop - Soybeans
Source
FAOSTAT. Available at: http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
165 places, 6,626 data points, 1961–2019
Last refreshed

Net food imports are generated from FAOSTAT, taking Export level (tonnes) from the Import level (tonnes) [both under Trade: Crops and Livestock Products]. Net food imports are a proxy for the country's vulnerability to global food prices.