Agricultural output in South Africa
South Africa: Agricultural output was 22.04 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
22.04 billion constant 2014-2016 US$
Change on year
down 4.0%
World rank
33rd
of 159 countries
All-time high
23.07 billion constant 2014-2016 US$
in 2022
All-time low
7.40 billion constant 2014-2016 US$
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Agricultural output in South Africa, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2014-2016 US$.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 22.04 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ for agricultural output in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.0% on the previous year and up 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural output in South Africa peaked at 23.07 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ in 2022 and was at its lowest, 7.40 billion constant 2014-2016 US$, in 1961.
South Africa ranks 33rd of 159 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Agricultural output in South Africa, year by year
| Year | constant 2014-2016 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 7.40 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | — |
| 1962 | 7.43 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +0.5% |
| 1963 | 7.80 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +4.9% |
| 1964 | 7.51 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -3.7% |
| 1965 | 7.97 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +6.1% |
| 1966 | 8.27 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +3.8% |
| 1967 | 9.72 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +17.4% |
| 1968 | 8.83 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -9.1% |
| 1969 | 9.26 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +4.8% |
| 1970 | 9.07 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -2.0% |
| 1971 | 9.84 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +8.5% |
| 1972 | 10.37 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +5.5% |
| 1973 | 8.97 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -13.5% |
| 1974 | 10.52 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +17.2% |
| 1975 | 10.30 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -2.1% |
| 1976 | 10.28 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 10.70 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +4.1% |
| 1978 | 11.25 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +5.1% |
| 1979 | 11.10 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -1.3% |
| 1980 | 11.58 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +4.4% |
| 1981 | 12.62 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +8.9% |
| 1982 | 11.70 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -7.2% |
| 1983 | 10.45 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -10.7% |
| 1984 | 11.17 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +6.9% |
| 1985 | 11.69 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +4.7% |
| 1986 | 11.55 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 12.16 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +5.3% |
| 1988 | 12.40 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 13.01 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +4.9% |
| 1990 | 12.78 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 13.25 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +3.7% |
| 1992 | 11.20 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -15.5% |
| 1993 | 12.42 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +10.9% |
| 1994 | 12.85 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +3.4% |
| 1995 | 11.42 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -11.2% |
| 1996 | 13.22 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +15.8% |
| 1997 | 14.03 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +6.1% |
| 1998 | 12.77 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -9.0% |
| 1999 | 13.77 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +7.9% |
| 2000 | 14.40 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +4.6% |
| 2001 | 13.80 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -4.2% |
| 2002 | 14.57 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +5.6% |
| 2003 | 14.57 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 14.89 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 15.71 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +5.5% |
| 2006 | 15.06 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -4.1% |
| 2007 | 15.46 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 17.43 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +12.7% |
| 2009 | 17.18 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 17.64 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 17.55 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 18.15 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +3.4% |
| 2013 | 19.24 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +6.0% |
| 2014 | 20.28 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +5.4% |
| 2015 | 19.97 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 18.91 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -5.3% |
| 2017 | 21.09 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +11.5% |
| 2018 | 20.86 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 20.85 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 22.25 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +6.7% |
| 2021 | 22.73 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 23.07 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 22.94 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 22.04 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | -4.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 22.04 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.86 billion constant 2014-2016 US$, 4.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 22.04 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.26 billion constant 2014-2016 US$, 5.2× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8.24 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 7.40 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 9.72 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 9 |
| 1970s | 10.24 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 8.97 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 11.25 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.83 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 10.45 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 13.01 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.77 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 11.20 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 14.03 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.31 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 13.80 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 17.43 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.46 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 17.55 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 21.09 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.61 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 22.04 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 23.07 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 30 Ukraine 26.80 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ compare
- 31 Poland 24.88 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ compare
- 32 Malaysia 22.94 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ compare
- 34 Ethiopia 21.64 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ compare
- 35 Kenya 20.95 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ compare
- 36 Ghana 18.60 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ compare
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0283 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 186.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.812 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3618 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural output in South Africa?
- Agricultural output in South Africa was 22.04 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest agricultural output recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 23.07 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ in 2022.
- What is the lowest agricultural output recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.40 billion constant 2014-2016 US$ in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for agricultural output?
- South Africa ranks 33rd out of 159 countries with data for 2024.
- Is agricultural output rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.6%. 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 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Agricultural output. 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
Total agricultural output is the sum of crop and livestock products. This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in living costs between countries.