Potato production in Malawi
Malawi: Potato production was 1.46 million tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1.46 million tonnes
Change on year
down 3.9%
World rank
37th
of 160 countries
All-time high
4.54 million tonnes
in 2013
All-time low
60,000 tonnes
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Potato 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
Malawi recorded 1.46 million tonnes for potato production in 2024.
That represents a change of down 3.9% on the previous year and up 42.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, potato production in Malawi peaked at 4.54 million tonnes in 2013 and was at its lowest, 60,000 tonnes, in 1961.
That places Malawi 37th out of 160 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Potato production in Malawi, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 60,000 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 62,000 tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1963 | 64,000 tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1964 | 66,000 tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1965 | 68,000 tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1966 | 70,000 tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1967 | 78,000 tonnes | +11.4% |
| 1968 | 80,000 tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 84,368 tonnes | +5.5% |
| 1970 | 86,182 tonnes | +2.2% |
| 1971 | 83,461 tonnes | -3.2% |
| 1972 | 85,275 tonnes | +2.2% |
| 1973 | 235,000 tonnes | +175.6% |
| 1974 | 240,000 tonnes | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 245,000 tonnes | +2.1% |
| 1976 | 250,000 tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1977 | 255,000 tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1978 | 260,000 tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1979 | 260,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 270,000 tonnes | +3.8% |
| 1981 | 280,000 tonnes | +3.7% |
| 1982 | 285,000 tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1983 | 290,000 tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 295,000 tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 300,000 tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 310,000 tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 320,000 tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 330,000 tonnes | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 340,000 tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 350,000 tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1991 | 360,000 tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 350,000 tonnes | -2.8% |
| 1993 | 370,000 tonnes | +5.7% |
| 1994 | 350,000 tonnes | -5.4% |
| 1995 | 397,214 tonnes | +13.5% |
| 1996 | 702,891 tonnes | +77.0% |
| 1997 | 975,013 tonnes | +38.7% |
| 1998 | 1.55 million tonnes | +59.3% |
| 1999 | 1.84 million tonnes | +18.5% |
| 2000 | 2.04 million tonnes | +10.7% |
| 2001 | 2.85 million tonnes | +40.0% |
| 2002 | 1.40 million tonnes | -50.8% |
| 2003 | 1.88 million tonnes | +34.2% |
| 2004 | 2.18 million tonnes | +15.8% |
| 2005 | 1.49 million tonnes | -31.9% |
| 2006 | 2.31 million tonnes | +55.4% |
| 2007 | 2.86 million tonnes | +23.8% |
| 2008 | 2.99 million tonnes | +4.7% |
| 2009 | 3.43 million tonnes | +14.5% |
| 2010 | 3.67 million tonnes | +7.2% |
| 2011 | 3.61 million tonnes | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 4.15 million tonnes | +14.9% |
| 2013 | 4.54 million tonnes | +9.2% |
| 2014 | 1.02 million tonnes | -77.4% |
| 2015 | 1.07 million tonnes | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 1.04 million tonnes | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 1.23 million tonnes | +17.6% |
| 2018 | 1.13 million tonnes | -8.2% |
| 2019 | 1.11 million tonnes | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 1.32 million tonnes | +18.4% |
| 2021 | 1.42 million tonnes | +7.7% |
| 2022 | 1.44 million tonnes | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 1.52 million tonnes | +5.1% |
| 2024 | 1.46 million tonnes | -3.9% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 1.46 million tonnes is above the median for low income countries, which is 413,319 tonnes, 3.5× the median. (19 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 1.46 million tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 190,510 tonnes, 7.7× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Potato 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | +175.6% | 85,275 tonnes | 235,000 tonnes |
| 2014 | -77.4% | 4.54 million tonnes | 1.02 million tonnes |
| 1996 | +77.0% | 397,214 tonnes | 702,891 tonnes |
| 1998 | +59.3% | 975,013 tonnes | 1.55 million tonnes |
| 2002 | -50.8% | 2.85 million tonnes | 1.40 million tonnes |
| 2006 | +55.4% | 1.49 million tonnes | 2.31 million tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 70,263 tonnes | 60,000 tonnes | 84,368 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 199,992 tonnes | 83,461 tonnes | 260,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 302,000 tonnes | 270,000 tonnes | 340,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 724,824 tonnes | 350,000 tonnes | 1.84 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.34 million tonnes | 1.40 million tonnes | 3.43 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.26 million tonnes | 1.02 million tonnes | 4.54 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.43 million tonnes | 1.32 million tonnes | 1.52 million 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 potato production in Malawi?
- Potato production in Malawi was 1.46 million 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 potato production recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 4.54 million tonnes in 2013.
- What is the lowest potato production recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 60,000 tonnes in 1961.
- How does Malawi rank for potato production?
- Malawi ranks 37th out of 160 countries with data for 2024.
- Is potato production rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.3%. 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 Potato 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
Potato production is measured in tonnes.