Tobacco production in South Africa
South Africa: Tobacco production was 11,231 tonnes in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
11,231 tonnes
Change on year
up 18.0%
World rank
37th
of 146 countries
All-time high
47,707 tonnes
in 1979
All-time low
9,041 tonnes
in 2008
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Tobacco 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 tobacco production in South Africa is 11,231 tonnes, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 18.0% on the previous year and down 12.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tobacco production in South Africa peaked at 47,707 tonnes in 1979 and was at its lowest, 9,041 tonnes, in 2008.
South Africa ranks 37th of 146 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Tobacco production in South Africa, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 26,200 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 24,400 tonnes | -6.9% |
| 1963 | 28,200 tonnes | +15.6% |
| 1964 | 31,200 tonnes | +10.6% |
| 1965 | 27,400 tonnes | -12.2% |
| 1966 | 22,100 tonnes | -19.3% |
| 1967 | 27,200 tonnes | +23.1% |
| 1968 | 38,150 tonnes | +40.3% |
| 1969 | 37,800 tonnes | -0.9% |
| 1970 | 34,400 tonnes | -9.0% |
| 1971 | 32,400 tonnes | -5.8% |
| 1972 | 31,000 tonnes | -4.3% |
| 1973 | 29,200 tonnes | -5.8% |
| 1974 | 33,700 tonnes | +15.4% |
| 1975 | 27,500 tonnes | -18.4% |
| 1976 | 32,100 tonnes | +16.7% |
| 1977 | 40,530 tonnes | +26.3% |
| 1978 | 43,970 tonnes | +8.5% |
| 1979 | 47,707 tonnes | +8.5% |
| 1980 | 34,600 tonnes | -27.5% |
| 1981 | 27,737 tonnes | -19.8% |
| 1982 | 34,230 tonnes | +23.4% |
| 1983 | 38,690 tonnes | +13.0% |
| 1984 | 35,500 tonnes | -8.2% |
| 1985 | 37,300 tonnes | +5.1% |
| 1986 | 32,200 tonnes | -13.7% |
| 1987 | 27,200 tonnes | -15.5% |
| 1988 | 29,500 tonnes | +8.5% |
| 1989 | 36,900 tonnes | +25.1% |
| 1990 | 27,400 tonnes | -25.7% |
| 1991 | 30,290 tonnes | +10.5% |
| 1992 | 34,980 tonnes | +15.5% |
| 1993 | 30,390 tonnes | -13.1% |
| 1994 | 19,460 tonnes | -36.0% |
| 1995 | 20,570 tonnes | +5.7% |
| 1996 | 21,520 tonnes | +4.6% |
| 1997 | 26,420 tonnes | +22.8% |
| 1998 | 31,490 tonnes | +19.2% |
| 1999 | 30,100 tonnes | -4.4% |
| 2000 | 29,700 tonnes | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 33,990 tonnes | +14.4% |
| 2002 | 33,020 tonnes | -2.9% |
| 2003 | 37,400 tonnes | +13.3% |
| 2004 | 25,200 tonnes | -32.6% |
| 2005 | 23,550 tonnes | -6.5% |
| 2006 | 14,850 tonnes | -36.9% |
| 2007 | 12,810 tonnes | -13.7% |
| 2008 | 9,041 tonnes | -29.4% |
| 2009 | 9,565 tonnes | +5.8% |
| 2010 | 12,300 tonnes | +28.6% |
| 2011 | 15,000 tonnes | +22.0% |
| 2012 | 17,010 tonnes | +13.4% |
| 2013 | 15,200 tonnes | -10.6% |
| 2014 | 12,876 tonnes | -15.3% |
| 2015 | 14,380 tonnes | +11.7% |
| 2016 | 14,700 tonnes | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 14,800 tonnes | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 15,600 tonnes | +5.4% |
| 2019 | 15,000 tonnes | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 15,100 tonnes | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 11,500 tonnes | -23.8% |
| 2022 | 10,000 tonnes | -13.0% |
| 2023 | 9,514 tonnes | -4.9% |
| 2024 | 11,231 tonnes | +18.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 11,231 tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3,319 tonnes, 3.4× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 11,231 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2,288 tonnes, 4.9× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 29,183 tonnes | 22,100 tonnes | 38,150 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 35,251 tonnes | 27,500 tonnes | 47,707 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 33,386 tonnes | 27,200 tonnes | 38,690 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 27,262 tonnes | 19,460 tonnes | 34,980 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 22,913 tonnes | 9,041 tonnes | 37,400 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 14,687 tonnes | 12,300 tonnes | 17,010 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 11,469 tonnes | 9,514 tonnes | 15,100 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 tobacco production in South Africa?
- Tobacco production in South Africa was 11,231 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 tobacco production recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 47,707 tonnes in 1979.
- What is the lowest tobacco production recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 9,041 tonnes in 2008.
- How does South Africa rank for tobacco production?
- South Africa ranks 37th out of 146 countries with data for 2024.
- Is tobacco production rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Tobacco 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
Tobacco production is measured in tonnes.