Beef and Buffalo Meat, primary — Producing Animals/Slaughtered in South Africa
South Africa: Beef and Buffalo Meat, primary — Producing Animals/Slaughtered was 3.16 million An in 2024. ▲ Rising
Beef and Buffalo Meat, primary — Producing Animals/Slaughtered in South Africa, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in An.
Analysis
In 2024, beef and buffalo meat, primary — producing animals/slaughtered in South Africa stood at 3.16 million An.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 6.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, beef and buffalo meat, primary — producing animals/slaughtered in South Africa peaked at 3.64 million An in 2016 and was at its lowest, 2.05 million An, in 1970.
South Africa ranks 28th of 250 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Beef and Buffalo Meat, primary — Producing Animals/Slaughtered in South Africa, year by year
| Year | An | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.20 million An | — |
| 1962 | 2.24 million An | +2.0% |
| 1963 | 2.28 million An | +1.6% |
| 1964 | 2.41 million An | +5.9% |
| 1965 | 2.45 million An | +1.5% |
| 1966 | 2.48 million An | +1.3% |
| 1967 | 2.20 million An | -11.2% |
| 1968 | 2.10 million An | -4.5% |
| 1969 | 2.10 million An | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 2.05 million An | -2.3% |
| 1971 | 2.23 million An | +8.9% |
| 1972 | 2.44 million An | +9.2% |
| 1973 | 2.61 million An | +7.0% |
| 1974 | 2.56 million An | -2.0% |
| 1975 | 2.31 million An | -9.8% |
| 1976 | 2.56 million An | +11.1% |
| 1977 | 2.69 million An | +5.1% |
| 1978 | 2.99 million An | +10.9% |
| 1979 | 3.35 million An | +12.0% |
| 1980 | 3.01 million An | -10.2% |
| 1981 | 2.59 million An | -14.0% |
| 1982 | 2.69 million An | +3.8% |
| 1983 | 2.93 million An | +9.1% |
| 1984 | 2.99 million An | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 2.95 million An | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 2.83 million An | -4.3% |
| 1987 | 2.78 million An | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 2.33 million An | -16.1% |
| 1989 | 2.32 million An | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 2.67 million An | +14.7% |
| 1991 | 2.95 million An | +10.7% |
| 1992 | 3.08 million An | +4.3% |
| 1993 | 3.07 million An | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 2.72 million An | -11.3% |
| 1995 | 2.18 million An | -19.9% |
| 1996 | 2.24 million An | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 2.18 million An | -2.6% |
| 1998 | 2.16 million An | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 2.26 million An | +4.9% |
| 2000 | 2.72 million An | +20.1% |
| 2001 | 2.22 million An | -18.3% |
| 2002 | 2.54 million An | +14.2% |
| 2003 | 2.52 million An | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 2.67 million An | +6.3% |
| 2005 | 2.79 million An | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 3.05 million An | +9.6% |
| 2007 | 3.10 million An | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 2.91 million An | -6.2% |
| 2009 | 2.87 million An | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 2.90 million An | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 2.92 million An | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 2.90 million An | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 3.15 million An | +8.7% |
| 2014 | 3.37 million An | +7.1% |
| 2015 | 3.56 million An | +5.8% |
| 2016 | 3.64 million An | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 3.50 million An | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 3.31 million An | -5.5% |
| 2019 | 3.09 million An | -6.7% |
| 2020 | 3.24 million An | +4.8% |
| 2021 | 3.27 million An | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 3.21 million An | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 3.16 million An | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 3.16 million An | +0.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 3.16 million An is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 300,000 An, 10.5× the median. (51 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 3.16 million An is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 250,645 An, 12.6× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.27 million An | 2.10 million An | 2.48 million An | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.58 million An | 2.05 million An | 3.35 million An | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.74 million An | 2.32 million An | 3.01 million An | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.55 million An | 2.16 million An | 3.08 million An | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.74 million An | 2.22 million An | 3.10 million An | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.23 million An | 2.90 million An | 3.64 million An | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.21 million An | 3.16 million An | 3.27 million An | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.1917 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0002 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 1.49 hectares per person (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is beef and buffalo meat, primary — producing animals/slaughtered in South Africa?
- Beef and buffalo meat, primary — producing animals/slaughtered in South Africa was 3.16 million An in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest beef and buffalo meat, primary — producing animals/slaughtered recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 3.64 million An in 2016.
- What is the lowest beef and buffalo meat, primary — producing animals/slaughtered recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.05 million An in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank for beef and buffalo meat, primary — producing animals/slaughtered?
- South Africa ranks 28th out of 250 countries with data for 2024.
- Is beef and buffalo meat, primary — producing animals/slaughtered rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.1%. 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, published as part of Beef and Buffalo Meat, primary — Producing Animals/Slaughtered. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO).
About this data
This dataset provides annual statistics on crop and livestock production across countries and territories. For crops, data are provided on area harvested, production quantities and yields. For livestock, data are provided on animal stocks, numbers of producing and slaughtered animals, and the production of meat, milk, eggs and other livestock products. The dataset also includes information on production quantities for selected processed products, such as vegetable oils, sugar, fibres, beer, wine and major dairy products.