Sweet potato production in South Africa

South Africa: Sweet potato production was 70,564 in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
70,564
Change on year
down 6.8%
World rank
50th
of 120 countries
All-time high
91,666
in 2022
All-time low
35,000
in 1966
Years of data
64
1961–2024

Sweet potato production in South Africa, 1961–2024

020.0k40.0k60.0k80.0k100.0k196119922024

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for sweet potato production in South Africa is 70,564, measured in 2024.

The figure is down 6.8% on the previous year and up 12.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, sweet potato production in South Africa peaked at 91,666 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 35,000, in 1966.

South Africa ranks 50th of 120 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.

Sweet potato production in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Sweet potato production in South Africa, 1961 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1961 41,000 —
1962 44,000 +7.3%
1963 36,000 -18.2%
1964 39,000 +8.3%
1965 36,000 -7.7%
1966 35,000 -2.8%
1967 41,000 +17.1%
1968 40,000 -2.4%
1969 36,000 -10.0%
1970 43,000 +19.4%
1971 37,000 -14.0%
1972 42,000 +13.5%
1973 41,000 -2.4%
1974 43,000 +4.9%
1975 39,000 -9.3%
1976 41,000 +5.1%
1977 44,000 +7.3%
1978 44,000 +0.0%
1979 47,000 +6.8%
1980 46,000 -2.1%
1981 45,000 -2.2%
1982 44,000 -2.2%
1983 47,000 +6.8%
1984 52,000 +10.6%
1985 56,000 +7.7%
1986 51,000 -8.9%
1987 60,452 +18.5%
1988 58,750 -2.8%
1989 52,975 -9.8%
1990 53,808 +1.6%
1991 58,744 +9.2%
1992 56,688 -3.5%
1993 65,332 +15.2%
1994 65,792 +0.7%
1995 55,874 -15.1%
1996 46,453 -16.9%
1997 59,568 +28.2%
1998 58,000 -2.6%
1999 52,000 -10.3%
2000 52,053 +0.1%
2001 56,210 +8.0%
2002 52,377 -6.8%
2003 50,129 -4.3%
2004 54,797 +9.3%
2005 54,342 -0.8%
2006 46,994 -13.5%
2007 50,598 +7.7%
2008 52,496 +3.8%
2009 63,022 +20.1%
2010 65,780 +4.4%
2011 55,775 -15.2%
2012 55,400 -0.7%
2013 65,135 +17.6%
2014 62,569 -3.9%
2015 65,473 +4.6%
2016 61,658 -5.8%
2017 74,365 +20.6%
2018 86,186 +15.9%
2019 90,156 +4.6%
2020 84,120 -6.7%
2021 81,613 -3.0%
2022 91,666 +12.3%
2023 75,723 -17.4%
2024 70,564 -6.8%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 70,564 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 12,731, 5.5× the median. (33 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 70,564 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 179,140, 39% of the median. (40 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 38,667 35,000 44,000 9
1970s 42,100 37,000 47,000 10
1980s 51,318 44,000 60,452 10
1990s 57,226 46,453 65,792 10
2000s 53,302 46,994 63,022 10
2010s 68,250 55,400 90,156 10
2020s 80,737 70,564 91,666 5

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 47 Australia 89,203 compare
  2. 48 Zambia 83,542 compare
  3. 49 Uruguay 82,000 compare
  4. 51 Mexico 66,732 compare
  5. 52 Cote d'Ivoire 63,100 compare
  6. 53 Spain 62,302 compare

See the full ranking of 120 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is sweet potato production in South Africa?
Sweet potato production in South Africa was 70,564 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest sweet potato production recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 91,666 in 2022.
What is the lowest sweet potato production recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 35,000 in 1966.
How does South Africa rank for sweet potato production?
South Africa ranks 50th out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
Is sweet potato production rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 12.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Sweet potato production. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Sweet potato production in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 14 November 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/sweet-potato-production/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Sweet potato production
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
120 places, 6,871 data points, 1961–2024
Last refreshed