Barley — Yield in South Africa
South Africa: Barley — Yield was 3,714 kg/ha in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Barley — Yield in South Africa, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in kg/ha.
Analysis
In 2024, barley — yield in South Africa stood at 3,714 kg/ha.
That represents a change of up 6.0% on the previous year and up 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, barley — yield in South Africa peaked at 4,150 kg/ha in 2020 and was at its lowest, 344.8 kg/ha, in 1969.
That places South Africa 39th out of 104 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Barley — Yield in South Africa, year by year
| Year | kg/ha | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 620.7 kg/ha | — |
| 1962 | 693.5 kg/ha | +11.7% |
| 1963 | 528.6 kg/ha | -23.8% |
| 1964 | 796.6 kg/ha | +50.7% |
| 1965 | 500 kg/ha | -37.2% |
| 1966 | 612.9 kg/ha | +22.6% |
| 1967 | 653.8 kg/ha | +6.7% |
| 1968 | 578.1 kg/ha | -11.6% |
| 1969 | 344.8 kg/ha | -40.4% |
| 1970 | 750 kg/ha | +117.5% |
| 1971 | 695.7 kg/ha | -7.2% |
| 1972 | 647.1 kg/ha | -7.0% |
| 1973 | 524.6 kg/ha | -18.9% |
| 1974 | 940.3 kg/ha | +79.2% |
| 1975 | 932.4 kg/ha | -0.8% |
| 1976 | 829.5 kg/ha | -11.0% |
| 1977 | 1,178 kg/ha | +42.0% |
| 1978 | 1,378 kg/ha | +17.0% |
| 1979 | 1,318 kg/ha | -4.3% |
| 1980 | 882.4 kg/ha | -33.0% |
| 1981 | 1,536 kg/ha | +74.1% |
| 1982 | 1,719 kg/ha | +11.9% |
| 1983 | 1,949 kg/ha | +13.4% |
| 1984 | 1,988 kg/ha | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 2,535 kg/ha | +27.5% |
| 1986 | 2,187 kg/ha | -13.7% |
| 1987 | 2,800 kg/ha | +28.0% |
| 1988 | 1,575 kg/ha | -43.8% |
| 1989 | 2,742 kg/ha | +74.1% |
| 1990 | 2,382 kg/ha | -13.1% |
| 1991 | 1,259 kg/ha | -47.1% |
| 1992 | 2,008 kg/ha | +59.4% |
| 1993 | 2,009 kg/ha | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 2,292 kg/ha | +14.1% |
| 1995 | 2,400 kg/ha | +4.7% |
| 1996 | 1,386 kg/ha | -42.3% |
| 1997 | 1,379 kg/ha | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 1,921 kg/ha | +39.3% |
| 1999 | 892.8 kg/ha | -53.5% |
| 2000 | 1,833 kg/ha | +105.3% |
| 2001 | 1,929 kg/ha | +5.2% |
| 2002 | 2,550 kg/ha | +32.2% |
| 2003 | 2,850 kg/ha | +11.8% |
| 2004 | 2,224 kg/ha | -22.0% |
| 2005 | 2,500 kg/ha | +12.4% |
| 2006 | 2,629 kg/ha | +5.1% |
| 2007 | 3,033 kg/ha | +15.4% |
| 2008 | 2,813 kg/ha | -7.2% |
| 2009 | 2,889 kg/ha | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 2,347 kg/ha | -18.8% |
| 2011 | 3,893 kg/ha | +65.9% |
| 2012 | 3,508 kg/ha | -9.9% |
| 2013 | 3,290 kg/ha | -6.2% |
| 2014 | 3,548 kg/ha | +7.8% |
| 2015 | 3,542 kg/ha | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 4,002 kg/ha | +13.0% |
| 2017 | 3,360 kg/ha | -16.1% |
| 2018 | 3,542 kg/ha | +5.4% |
| 2019 | 2,614 kg/ha | -26.2% |
| 2020 | 4,150 kg/ha | +58.7% |
| 2021 | 3,526 kg/ha | -15.0% |
| 2022 | 2,990 kg/ha | -15.2% |
| 2023 | 3,504 kg/ha | +17.2% |
| 2024 | 3,714 kg/ha | +6.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 3,714 kg/ha is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2,457 kg/ha, 1.5× the median. (27 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 3,714 kg/ha is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3,093 kg/ha, 1.2× the median. (9 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 592.11 kg/ha | 344.8 kg/ha | 796.6 kg/ha | 9 |
| 1970s | 919.28 kg/ha | 524.6 kg/ha | 1,378 kg/ha | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,991 kg/ha | 882.4 kg/ha | 2,800 kg/ha | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,793 kg/ha | 892.8 kg/ha | 2,400 kg/ha | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,525 kg/ha | 1,833 kg/ha | 3,033 kg/ha | 10 |
| 2010s | 3,365 kg/ha | 2,347 kg/ha | 4,002 kg/ha | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,577 kg/ha | 2,990 kg/ha | 4,150 kg/ha | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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 barley — yield in South Africa?
- Barley — yield in South Africa was 3,714 kg/ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest barley — yield recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 4,150 kg/ha in 2020.
- What is the lowest barley — yield recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 344.8 kg/ha in 1969.
- How does South Africa rank for barley — yield?
- South Africa ranks 39th out of 104 countries with data for 2024.
- Is barley — yield rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Barley — Yield. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Crop and livestock statistics are recorded for 278 products, covering the following categories: 1) CROPS PRIMARY: Cereals, Citrus Fruit, Fibre Crops, Fruit, Oil Crops, Oil Crops and Cakes in Oil Equivalent, Pulses, Roots and Tubers, Sugar Crops, Treenuts and Vegetables. Data are expressed in terms of area harvested, production quantity and yield. Cereals: Area and production data on cereals relate to crops harvested for dry grain only. Cereal crops harvested for hay or harvested green for food, feed or silage or used for grazing are therefore excluded. 2) CROPS PROCESSED: Beer of barley; Cotton lint; Cottonseed; Margarine, short; Molasses; Oil, coconut (copra); Oil, cottonseed; Oil, groundnut; Oil, linseed; Oil, maize; Oil, olive, virgin; Oil, palm; Oil, palm kernel; Oil, rapeseed; Oil, safflower; Oil, sesame; Oil, soybean; Oil, sunflower; Palm kernels; Sugar Raw Centrifugal; Wine. 3) LIVE ANIMALS: Animals live n.e.s.; Asses; Beehives; Buffaloes; Camelids, other; Camels; Cattle; Chickens; Ducks; Geese and guinea fowls; Goats; Horses; Mules; Pigeons, other birds; Pigs; Rabbits and hares; Rodents, other; Sheep; Turkeys. 4) LIVESTOCK PRIMARY: Beeswax; Eggs (various types); Hides buffalo, fresh; Hides, cattle, fresh; Honey, natural; Meat (ass, bird nes, buffalo, camel, cattle, chicken, duck, game, goat, goose and guinea fowl, horse, mule, Meat nes, meat other camelids, Meat other rodents, pig, rabbit, sheep, turkey); Milk (buffalo, camel, cow, goat, sheep); Offals, nes; Silk-worm cocoons, reelable; Skins (goat, sheep); Snails, not sea; Wool, greasy. 5) LIVESTOCK PROCESSED: Butter (of milk from sheep, goat, buffalo, cow); Cheese (of milk from goat, buffalo, sheep, cow milk); Cheese of skimmed cow milk; Cream fresh; Ghee (cow and buffalo milk); Lard; Milk (dry buttermilk, skimmed condensed, skimmed cow, skimmed dried, skimmed evaporated, whole condensed, whole dried, whole evaporated); Silk raw; Tallow; Whey (condensed and dry); Yoghurt.