Soybean production in South Africa
South Africa: Soybean production was 1.85 million tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1.85 million tonnes
Change on year
down 33.3%
World rank
12th
of 116 countries
All-time high
2.77 million tonnes
in 2023
All-time low
2,000 tonnes
in 1972
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Soybean production in South Africa, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for soybean production in South Africa is 1.85 million tonnes, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 33.3% on the previous year and up 94.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, soybean production in South Africa peaked at 2.77 million tonnes in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2,000 tonnes, in 1972.
South Africa ranks 12th of 116 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Soybean production in South Africa, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2,631 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 2,631 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 2,359 tonnes | -10.3% |
| 1964 | 3,000 tonnes | +27.2% |
| 1965 | 3,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 2,800 tonnes | -6.7% |
| 1967 | 4,500 tonnes | +60.7% |
| 1968 | 4,100 tonnes | -8.9% |
| 1969 | 7,300 tonnes | +78.0% |
| 1970 | 7,700 tonnes | +5.5% |
| 1971 | 2,900 tonnes | -62.3% |
| 1972 | 2,000 tonnes | -31.0% |
| 1973 | 4,600 tonnes | +130.0% |
| 1974 | 21,400 tonnes | +365.2% |
| 1975 | 22,700 tonnes | +6.1% |
| 1976 | 17,900 tonnes | -21.1% |
| 1977 | 29,700 tonnes | +65.9% |
| 1978 | 40,100 tonnes | +35.0% |
| 1979 | 26,400 tonnes | -34.2% |
| 1980 | 39,900 tonnes | +51.1% |
| 1981 | 27,600 tonnes | -30.8% |
| 1982 | 21,448 tonnes | -22.3% |
| 1983 | 28,700 tonnes | +33.8% |
| 1984 | 38,900 tonnes | +35.5% |
| 1985 | 39,900 tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 37,900 tonnes | -5.0% |
| 1987 | 34,900 tonnes | -7.9% |
| 1988 | 65,300 tonnes | +87.1% |
| 1989 | 78,600 tonnes | +20.4% |
| 1990 | 118,200 tonnes | +50.4% |
| 1991 | 126,000 tonnes | +6.6% |
| 1992 | 62,900 tonnes | -50.1% |
| 1993 | 68,600 tonnes | +9.1% |
| 1994 | 63,100 tonnes | -8.0% |
| 1995 | 58,200 tonnes | -7.8% |
| 1996 | 80,000 tonnes | +37.5% |
| 1997 | 98,000 tonnes | +22.5% |
| 1998 | 215,000 tonnes | +119.4% |
| 1999 | 199,000 tonnes | -7.4% |
| 2000 | 153,925 tonnes | -22.7% |
| 2001 | 226,210 tonnes | +47.0% |
| 2002 | 223,000 tonnes | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 136,520 tonnes | -38.8% |
| 2004 | 220,000 tonnes | +61.1% |
| 2005 | 272,500 tonnes | +23.9% |
| 2006 | 424,000 tonnes | +55.6% |
| 2007 | 205,000 tonnes | -51.7% |
| 2008 | 282,000 tonnes | +37.6% |
| 2009 | 516,000 tonnes | +83.0% |
| 2010 | 566,000 tonnes | +9.7% |
| 2011 | 710,000 tonnes | +25.4% |
| 2012 | 650,000 tonnes | -8.5% |
| 2013 | 784,500 tonnes | +20.7% |
| 2014 | 948,000 tonnes | +20.8% |
| 2015 | 1.07 million tonnes | +12.9% |
| 2016 | 742,000 tonnes | -30.7% |
| 2017 | 1.32 million tonnes | +77.4% |
| 2018 | 1.54 million tonnes | +17.0% |
| 2019 | 1.17 million tonnes | -24.0% |
| 2020 | 1.25 million tonnes | +6.4% |
| 2021 | 1.90 million tonnes | +52.3% |
| 2022 | 2.23 million tonnes | +17.6% |
| 2023 | 2.77 million tonnes | +24.2% |
| 2024 | 1.85 million tonnes | -33.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.85 million tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 31,555 tonnes, 58.6× the median. (33 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.85 million tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 69,291 tonnes, 26.7× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Soybean 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +365.2% | 4,600 tonnes | 21,400 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3,591 tonnes | 2,359 tonnes | 7,300 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 17,540 tonnes | 2,000 tonnes | 40,100 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 41,315 tonnes | 21,448 tonnes | 78,600 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 108,900 tonnes | 58,200 tonnes | 215,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 265,916 tonnes | 136,520 tonnes | 516,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 949,684 tonnes | 566,000 tonnes | 1.54 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.00 million tonnes | 1.25 million tonnes | 2.77 million tonnes | 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 soybean production in South Africa?
- Soybean production in South Africa was 1.85 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 soybean production recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2.77 million tonnes in 2023.
- What is the lowest soybean production recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,000 tonnes in 1972.
- How does South Africa rank for soybean production?
- South Africa ranks 12th out of 116 countries with data for 2024.
- Is soybean production rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 94.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa 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 Soybean 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
Soybean production is measured in tonnes.