Sunflower seed production in China
China: Sunflower seed production was 2.35 million tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
2.35 million tonnes
Change on year
up 9.9%
World rank
5th
of 85 countries
All-time high
3.15 million tonnes
in 2017
All-time low
61,000 tonnes
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Sunflower seed production in China, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
China recorded 2.35 million tonnes for sunflower seed production in 2024.
The figure is up 9.9% on the previous year and down 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sunflower seed production in China peaked at 3.15 million tonnes in 2017 and was at its lowest, 61,000 tonnes, in 1961.
China ranks 5th of 85 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Sunflower seed production in China, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 61,000 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 66,000 tonnes | +8.2% |
| 1963 | 66,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 66,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 66,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 66,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 70,000 tonnes | +6.1% |
| 1968 | 70,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 73,000 tonnes | +4.3% |
| 1970 | 70,000 tonnes | -4.1% |
| 1971 | 70,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 65,000 tonnes | -7.1% |
| 1973 | 70,000 tonnes | +7.7% |
| 1974 | 70,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 80,000 tonnes | +14.3% |
| 1976 | 100,000 tonnes | +25.0% |
| 1977 | 170,000 tonnes | +70.0% |
| 1978 | 279,000 tonnes | +64.1% |
| 1979 | 339,700 tonnes | +21.8% |
| 1980 | 909,700 tonnes | +167.8% |
| 1981 | 1.33 million tonnes | +46.4% |
| 1982 | 1.29 million tonnes | -3.5% |
| 1983 | 1.34 million tonnes | +4.2% |
| 1984 | 1.70 million tonnes | +27.1% |
| 1985 | 1.73 million tonnes | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 1.54 million tonnes | -10.9% |
| 1987 | 1.24 million tonnes | -19.6% |
| 1988 | 1.18 million tonnes | -4.9% |
| 1989 | 1.06 million tonnes | -9.8% |
| 1990 | 1.34 million tonnes | +25.8% |
| 1991 | 1.42 million tonnes | +6.2% |
| 1992 | 1.47 million tonnes | +3.6% |
| 1993 | 1.28 million tonnes | -13.0% |
| 1994 | 1.37 million tonnes | +6.7% |
| 1995 | 1.27 million tonnes | -7.2% |
| 1996 | 1.42 million tonnes | +11.9% |
| 1997 | 1.18 million tonnes | -17.2% |
| 1998 | 1.47 million tonnes | +24.6% |
| 1999 | 1.76 million tonnes | +20.5% |
| 2000 | 1.95 million tonnes | +10.7% |
| 2001 | 1.48 million tonnes | -24.4% |
| 2002 | 1.95 million tonnes | +31.7% |
| 2003 | 1.74 million tonnes | -10.4% |
| 2004 | 1.55 million tonnes | -11.0% |
| 2005 | 1.93 million tonnes | +24.3% |
| 2006 | 1.80 million tonnes | -6.5% |
| 2007 | 1.19 million tonnes | -34.2% |
| 2008 | 1.79 million tonnes | +51.0% |
| 2009 | 1.96 million tonnes | +9.1% |
| 2010 | 2.30 million tonnes | +17.5% |
| 2011 | 2.31 million tonnes | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 2.32 million tonnes | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 2.42 million tonnes | +4.3% |
| 2014 | 2.49 million tonnes | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 2.70 million tonnes | +8.3% |
| 2016 | 2.61 million tonnes | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 3.15 million tonnes | +20.7% |
| 2018 | 2.49 million tonnes | -20.8% |
| 2019 | 2.66 million tonnes | +6.8% |
| 2020 | 2.57 million tonnes | -3.5% |
| 2021 | 2.15 million tonnes | -16.2% |
| 2022 | 1.74 million tonnes | -19.2% |
| 2023 | 2.14 million tonnes | +22.8% |
| 2024 | 2.35 million tonnes | +9.9% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 2.35 million tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 25,000 tonnes, 93.9× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Sunflower seed production in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +167.8% | 339,700 tonnes | 909,700 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 67,111 tonnes | 61,000 tonnes | 73,000 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 131,370 tonnes | 65,000 tonnes | 339,700 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.33 million tonnes | 909,700 tonnes | 1.73 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.40 million tonnes | 1.18 million tonnes | 1.76 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.73 million tonnes | 1.19 million tonnes | 1.96 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.55 million tonnes | 2.30 million tonnes | 3.15 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.19 million tonnes | 1.74 million tonnes | 2.57 million tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sunflower seed production in China?
- Sunflower seed production in China was 2.35 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 sunflower seed production recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 3.15 million tonnes in 2017.
- What is the lowest sunflower seed production recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 61,000 tonnes in 1961.
- How does China rank for sunflower seed production?
- China ranks 5th out of 85 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sunflower seed production rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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 Sunflower seed 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
Sunflower seed production is measured in tonnes.