Sunflower seed production in South Africa
South Africa: Sunflower seed production was 632,000 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
632,000 tonnes
Change on year
down 12.2%
World rank
14th
of 85 countries
All-time high
1.21 million tonnes
in 1999
All-time low
78,000 tonnes
in 1965
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Sunflower seed 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 sunflower seed production in South Africa is 632,000 tonnes, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 12.2% on the previous year and down 24.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sunflower seed production in South Africa peaked at 1.21 million tonnes in 1999 and was at its lowest, 78,000 tonnes, in 1965.
That places South Africa 14th out of 85 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.
Sunflower seed production in South Africa, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 113,000 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 100,000 tonnes | -11.5% |
| 1963 | 102,000 tonnes | +2.0% |
| 1964 | 83,000 tonnes | -18.6% |
| 1965 | 78,000 tonnes | -6.0% |
| 1966 | 105,000 tonnes | +34.6% |
| 1967 | 110,000 tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1968 | 85,000 tonnes | -22.7% |
| 1969 | 93,000 tonnes | +9.4% |
| 1970 | 100,000 tonnes | +7.5% |
| 1971 | 138,000 tonnes | +38.0% |
| 1972 | 157,000 tonnes | +13.8% |
| 1973 | 253,000 tonnes | +61.1% |
| 1974 | 263,000 tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1975 | 221,000 tonnes | -16.0% |
| 1976 | 271,000 tonnes | +22.6% |
| 1977 | 481,000 tonnes | +77.5% |
| 1978 | 454,000 tonnes | -5.6% |
| 1979 | 315,000 tonnes | -30.6% |
| 1980 | 333,000 tonnes | +5.7% |
| 1981 | 530,000 tonnes | +59.2% |
| 1982 | 261,000 tonnes | -50.8% |
| 1983 | 218,000 tonnes | -16.5% |
| 1984 | 186,000 tonnes | -14.7% |
| 1985 | 244,000 tonnes | +31.2% |
| 1986 | 278,000 tonnes | +13.9% |
| 1987 | 385,000 tonnes | +38.5% |
| 1988 | 438,000 tonnes | +13.8% |
| 1989 | 444,000 tonnes | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 649,000 tonnes | +46.2% |
| 1991 | 621,000 tonnes | -4.3% |
| 1992 | 183,000 tonnes | -70.5% |
| 1993 | 349,944 tonnes | +91.2% |
| 1994 | 366,367 tonnes | +4.7% |
| 1995 | 538,946 tonnes | +47.1% |
| 1996 | 783,830 tonnes | +45.4% |
| 1997 | 467,970 tonnes | -40.3% |
| 1998 | 584,486 tonnes | +24.9% |
| 1999 | 1.21 million tonnes | +107.4% |
| 2000 | 566,798 tonnes | -53.3% |
| 2001 | 690,882 tonnes | +21.9% |
| 2002 | 966,543 tonnes | +39.9% |
| 2003 | 682,165 tonnes | -29.4% |
| 2004 | 648,000 tonnes | -5.0% |
| 2005 | 620,000 tonnes | -4.3% |
| 2006 | 520,000 tonnes | -16.1% |
| 2007 | 300,000 tonnes | -42.3% |
| 2008 | 872,000 tonnes | +190.7% |
| 2009 | 801,000 tonnes | -8.1% |
| 2010 | 490,000 tonnes | -38.8% |
| 2011 | 860,000 tonnes | +75.5% |
| 2012 | 522,000 tonnes | -39.3% |
| 2013 | 557,000 tonnes | +6.7% |
| 2014 | 832,000 tonnes | +49.4% |
| 2015 | 663,000 tonnes | -20.3% |
| 2016 | 755,000 tonnes | +13.9% |
| 2017 | 874,000 tonnes | +15.8% |
| 2018 | 862,000 tonnes | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 678,000 tonnes | -21.3% |
| 2020 | 788,500 tonnes | +16.3% |
| 2021 | 678,000 tonnes | -14.0% |
| 2022 | 845,550 tonnes | +24.7% |
| 2023 | 720,000 tonnes | -14.8% |
| 2024 | 632,000 tonnes | -12.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 632,000 tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 25,000 tonnes, 25.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 632,000 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 17,195 tonnes, 36.8× the median. (14 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Sunflower seed 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | +190.7% | 300,000 tonnes | 872,000 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 96,556 tonnes | 78,000 tonnes | 113,000 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 265,300 tonnes | 100,000 tonnes | 481,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 331,700 tonnes | 186,000 tonnes | 530,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 575,703 tonnes | 183,000 tonnes | 1.21 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 666,739 tonnes | 300,000 tonnes | 966,543 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 709,300 tonnes | 490,000 tonnes | 874,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 732,810 tonnes | 632,000 tonnes | 845,550 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 sunflower seed production in South Africa?
- Sunflower seed production in South Africa was 632,000 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.21 million tonnes in 1999.
- What is the lowest sunflower seed production recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 78,000 tonnes in 1965.
- How does South Africa rank for sunflower seed production?
- South Africa ranks 14th out of 85 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sunflower seed production rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.0%. 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 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.