Sweet potato production in South Africa
South Africa: Sweet potato production was 70,564 tonnes in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
70,564 tonnes
Change on year
down 6.8%
World rank
50th
of 120 countries
All-time high
91,666 tonnes
in 2022
All-time low
35,000 tonnes
in 1966
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Sweet potato 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 sweet potato production in South Africa is 70,564 tonnes, 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 tonnes in 2022 and was at its lowest, 35,000 tonnes, 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
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 41,000 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 44,000 tonnes | +7.3% |
| 1963 | 36,000 tonnes | -18.2% |
| 1964 | 39,000 tonnes | +8.3% |
| 1965 | 36,000 tonnes | -7.7% |
| 1966 | 35,000 tonnes | -2.8% |
| 1967 | 41,000 tonnes | +17.1% |
| 1968 | 40,000 tonnes | -2.4% |
| 1969 | 36,000 tonnes | -10.0% |
| 1970 | 43,000 tonnes | +19.4% |
| 1971 | 37,000 tonnes | -14.0% |
| 1972 | 42,000 tonnes | +13.5% |
| 1973 | 41,000 tonnes | -2.4% |
| 1974 | 43,000 tonnes | +4.9% |
| 1975 | 39,000 tonnes | -9.3% |
| 1976 | 41,000 tonnes | +5.1% |
| 1977 | 44,000 tonnes | +7.3% |
| 1978 | 44,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 47,000 tonnes | +6.8% |
| 1980 | 46,000 tonnes | -2.1% |
| 1981 | 45,000 tonnes | -2.2% |
| 1982 | 44,000 tonnes | -2.2% |
| 1983 | 47,000 tonnes | +6.8% |
| 1984 | 52,000 tonnes | +10.6% |
| 1985 | 56,000 tonnes | +7.7% |
| 1986 | 51,000 tonnes | -8.9% |
| 1987 | 60,452 tonnes | +18.5% |
| 1988 | 58,750 tonnes | -2.8% |
| 1989 | 52,975 tonnes | -9.8% |
| 1990 | 53,808 tonnes | +1.6% |
| 1991 | 58,744 tonnes | +9.2% |
| 1992 | 56,688 tonnes | -3.5% |
| 1993 | 65,332 tonnes | +15.2% |
| 1994 | 65,792 tonnes | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 55,874 tonnes | -15.1% |
| 1996 | 46,453 tonnes | -16.9% |
| 1997 | 59,568 tonnes | +28.2% |
| 1998 | 58,000 tonnes | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 52,000 tonnes | -10.3% |
| 2000 | 52,053 tonnes | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 56,210 tonnes | +8.0% |
| 2002 | 52,377 tonnes | -6.8% |
| 2003 | 50,129 tonnes | -4.3% |
| 2004 | 54,797 tonnes | +9.3% |
| 2005 | 54,342 tonnes | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 46,994 tonnes | -13.5% |
| 2007 | 50,598 tonnes | +7.7% |
| 2008 | 52,496 tonnes | +3.8% |
| 2009 | 63,022 tonnes | +20.1% |
| 2010 | 65,780 tonnes | +4.4% |
| 2011 | 55,775 tonnes | -15.2% |
| 2012 | 55,400 tonnes | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 65,135 tonnes | +17.6% |
| 2014 | 62,569 tonnes | -3.9% |
| 2015 | 65,473 tonnes | +4.6% |
| 2016 | 61,658 tonnes | -5.8% |
| 2017 | 74,365 tonnes | +20.6% |
| 2018 | 86,186 tonnes | +15.9% |
| 2019 | 90,156 tonnes | +4.6% |
| 2020 | 84,120 tonnes | -6.7% |
| 2021 | 81,613 tonnes | -3.0% |
| 2022 | 91,666 tonnes | +12.3% |
| 2023 | 75,723 tonnes | -17.4% |
| 2024 | 70,564 tonnes | -6.8% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 70,564 tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 12,731 tonnes, 5.5× the median. (33 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 70,564 tonnes is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 179,140 tonnes, 39% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 38,667 tonnes | 35,000 tonnes | 44,000 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 42,100 tonnes | 37,000 tonnes | 47,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 51,318 tonnes | 44,000 tonnes | 60,452 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 57,226 tonnes | 46,453 tonnes | 65,792 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 53,302 tonnes | 46,994 tonnes | 63,022 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 68,250 tonnes | 55,400 tonnes | 90,156 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 80,737 tonnes | 70,564 tonnes | 91,666 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 sweet potato production in South Africa?
- Sweet potato production in South Africa was 70,564 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 sweet potato production recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 91,666 tonnes in 2022.
- What is the lowest sweet potato production recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 35,000 tonnes 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 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Sweet 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
Sweet potato production is measured in tonnes.