Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Malawi
Malawi: Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat was 673,338 animals in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Malawi, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in animals.
Analysis
In 2024, yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Malawi stood at 673,338 animals. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.4% on the previous year and up 87.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Malawi peaked at 673,338 animals in 2024 and was at its lowest, 32,800 animals, in 1961.
Malawi ranks 66th of 198 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Malawi, year by year
| Year | animals | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 32,800 animals | — |
| 1962 | 35,900 animals | +9.5% |
| 1963 | 40,400 animals | +12.5% |
| 1964 | 39,600 animals | -2.0% |
| 1965 | 39,700 animals | +0.3% |
| 1966 | 42,459 animals | +6.9% |
| 1967 | 51,190 animals | +20.6% |
| 1968 | 54,372 animals | +6.2% |
| 1969 | 55,816 animals | +2.7% |
| 1970 | 56,187 animals | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 57,022 animals | +1.5% |
| 1972 | 55,248 animals | -3.1% |
| 1973 | 60,332 animals | +9.2% |
| 1974 | 65,542 animals | +8.6% |
| 1975 | 65,561 animals | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 61,252 animals | -6.6% |
| 1977 | 69,279 animals | +13.1% |
| 1978 | 70,599 animals | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 72,424 animals | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 79,000 animals | +9.1% |
| 1981 | 86,145 animals | +9.0% |
| 1982 | 90,001 animals | +4.5% |
| 1983 | 75,296 animals | -16.3% |
| 1984 | 75,530 animals | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 50,902 animals | -32.6% |
| 1986 | 80,105 animals | +57.4% |
| 1987 | 76,986 animals | -3.9% |
| 1988 | 80,000 animals | +3.9% |
| 1989 | 77,000 animals | -3.8% |
| 1990 | 83,450 animals | +8.4% |
| 1991 | 84,770 animals | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 86,110 animals | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 88,000 animals | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 75,000 animals | -14.8% |
| 1995 | 75,000 animals | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 110,000 animals | +46.7% |
| 1997 | 60,000 animals | -45.5% |
| 1998 | 71,000 animals | +18.3% |
| 1999 | 71,000 animals | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 85,000 animals | +19.7% |
| 2001 | 95,000 animals | +11.8% |
| 2002 | 202,457 animals | +113.1% |
| 2003 | 209,412 animals | +3.4% |
| 2004 | 204,970 animals | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 213,622 animals | +4.2% |
| 2006 | 218,435 animals | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 239,926 animals | +9.8% |
| 2008 | 244,418 animals | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 242,109 animals | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 294,215 animals | +21.5% |
| 2011 | 308,636 animals | +4.9% |
| 2012 | 323,044 animals | +4.7% |
| 2013 | 342,006 animals | +5.9% |
| 2014 | 359,776 animals | +5.2% |
| 2015 | 381,798 animals | +6.1% |
| 2016 | 382,211 animals | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 412,872 animals | +8.0% |
| 2018 | 451,998 animals | +9.5% |
| 2019 | 509,748 animals | +12.8% |
| 2020 | 529,461 animals | +3.9% |
| 2021 | 547,325 animals | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 604,929 animals | +10.5% |
| 2023 | 632,700 animals | +4.6% |
| 2024 | 673,338 animals | +6.4% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 673,338 animals is above the median for low income countries, which is 467,376 animals, 1.4× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 673,338 animals is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 250,645 animals, 2.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Malawi changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +113.1% | 95,000 animals | 202,457 animals |
| 1986 | +57.4% | 50,902 animals | 80,105 animals |
| 1997 | -45.5% | 110,000 animals | 60,000 animals |
| 1996 | +46.7% | 75,000 animals | 110,000 animals |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 43,582 animals | 32,800 animals | 55,816 animals | 9 |
| 1970s | 63,345 animals | 55,248 animals | 72,424 animals | 10 |
| 1980s | 77,096 animals | 50,902 animals | 90,001 animals | 10 |
| 1990s | 80,433 animals | 60,000 animals | 110,000 animals | 10 |
| 2000s | 195,535 animals | 85,000 animals | 244,418 animals | 10 |
| 2010s | 376,630 animals | 294,215 animals | 509,748 animals | 10 |
| 2020s | 597,551 animals | 529,461 animals | 673,338 animals | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More agriculture & rural data for Malawi
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 24.6 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.3003 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 201.66 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 2.19 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0012 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.8241 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 30.0% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 30.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Malawi?
- Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Malawi was 673,338 animals 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 yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 673,338 animals in 2024.
- What is the lowest yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 32,800 animals in 1961.
- How does Malawi rank for yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat?
- Malawi ranks 66th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 87.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi 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 Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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