Wheat production in South Africa
South Africa: Wheat production was 1.92 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
1.92 million
Change on year
down 6.1%
World rank
41st
of 126 countries
All-time high
3.62 million
in 1988
All-time low
548,000
in 1966
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Wheat production in South Africa, 1961–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for wheat production in South Africa is 1.92 million, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 6.1% on the previous year and up 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, wheat production in South Africa peaked at 3.62 million in 1988 and was at its lowest, 548,000, in 1966.
That places South Africa 41st out of 126 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Wheat production in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 871,000 | — |
| 1962 | 705,000 | -19.1% |
| 1963 | 880,000 | +24.8% |
| 1964 | 1.06 million | +20.5% |
| 1965 | 656,000 | -38.1% |
| 1966 | 548,000 | -16.5% |
| 1967 | 1.08 million | +96.5% |
| 1968 | 1.25 million | +15.8% |
| 1969 | 1.32 million | +5.5% |
| 1970 | 1.40 million | +6.1% |
| 1971 | 1.67 million | +19.6% |
| 1972 | 1.75 million | +4.6% |
| 1973 | 1.87 million | +7.2% |
| 1974 | 1.60 million | -14.7% |
| 1975 | 1.79 million | +12.3% |
| 1976 | 2.25 million | +25.4% |
| 1977 | 1.88 million | -16.4% |
| 1978 | 1.69 million | -10.0% |
| 1979 | 2.09 million | +23.3% |
| 1980 | 1.47 million | -29.5% |
| 1981 | 2.36 million | +60.1% |
| 1982 | 2.44 million | +3.7% |
| 1983 | 1.78 million | -27.0% |
| 1984 | 2.35 million | +31.5% |
| 1985 | 1.69 million | -27.8% |
| 1986 | 2.33 million | +37.8% |
| 1987 | 3.15 million | +35.2% |
| 1988 | 3.62 million | +14.8% |
| 1989 | 2.01 million | -44.5% |
| 1990 | 1.71 million | -15.0% |
| 1991 | 2.14 million | +25.3% |
| 1992 | 1.32 million | -38.2% |
| 1993 | 1.98 million | +49.8% |
| 1994 | 1.84 million | -7.2% |
| 1995 | 1.98 million | +7.4% |
| 1996 | 2.71 million | +37.2% |
| 1997 | 2.43 million | -10.4% |
| 1998 | 1.89 million | -22.1% |
| 1999 | 1.73 million | -8.4% |
| 2000 | 2.43 million | +40.1% |
| 2001 | 2.50 million | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 2.44 million | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 1.55 million | -36.5% |
| 2004 | 1.69 million | +9.1% |
| 2005 | 1.91 million | +12.9% |
| 2006 | 2.10 million | +10.5% |
| 2007 | 1.91 million | -9.5% |
| 2008 | 2.13 million | +11.8% |
| 2009 | 1.96 million | -8.1% |
| 2010 | 1.43 million | -27.0% |
| 2011 | 2.00 million | +40.2% |
| 2012 | 1.92 million | -4.5% |
| 2013 | 1.87 million | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 1.75 million | -6.4% |
| 2015 | 1.44 million | -17.7% |
| 2016 | 1.91 million | +32.6% |
| 2017 | 1.53 million | -19.6% |
| 2018 | 1.87 million | +21.7% |
| 2019 | 1.53 million | -17.8% |
| 2020 | 2.12 million | +38.1% |
| 2021 | 2.29 million | +7.8% |
| 2022 | 2.11 million | -7.7% |
| 2023 | 2.05 million | -2.8% |
| 2024 | 1.92 million | -6.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.92 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 981,240, 2.0× the median. (32 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.92 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 16,417, 117.3× the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 928,889 | 548,000 | 1.32 million | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.80 million | 1.40 million | 2.25 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.32 million | 1.47 million | 3.62 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.97 million | 1.32 million | 2.71 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.06 million | 1.55 million | 2.50 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.73 million | 1.43 million | 2.00 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.10 million | 1.92 million | 2.29 million | 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 wheat production in South Africa?
- Wheat production in South Africa was 1.92 million in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest wheat production recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 3.62 million in 1988.
- What is the lowest wheat production recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 548,000 in 1966.
- How does South Africa rank for wheat production?
- South Africa ranks 41st out of 126 countries with data for 2024.
- Is wheat production rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.0%. 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 Wheat 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).