Beef production in Lesotho
Lesotho: Beef production was 1,042 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
1,042 tonnes
Change on year
down 8.3%
World rank
171st
of 198 countries
All-time high
12,600 tonnes
in 1988
All-time low
955.53 tonnes
in 2022
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Beef production in Lesotho, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for beef production in Lesotho is 1,042 tonnes, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.3% on the previous year and down 55.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, beef production in Lesotho peaked at 12,600 tonnes in 1988 and was at its lowest, 955.53 tonnes, in 2022.
That places Lesotho 171st out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Beef production in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 8,270 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 8,514 tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 8,273 tonnes | -2.8% |
| 1964 | 6,414 tonnes | -22.5% |
| 1965 | 7,627 tonnes | +18.9% |
| 1966 | 4,598 tonnes | -39.7% |
| 1967 | 6,173 tonnes | +34.3% |
| 1968 | 5,722 tonnes | -7.3% |
| 1969 | 6,524 tonnes | +14.0% |
| 1970 | 8,321 tonnes | +27.5% |
| 1971 | 8,400 tonnes | +0.9% |
| 1972 | 8,550 tonnes | +1.8% |
| 1973 | 9,000 tonnes | +5.3% |
| 1974 | 9,300 tonnes | +3.3% |
| 1975 | 9,000 tonnes | -3.2% |
| 1976 | 8,700 tonnes | -3.3% |
| 1977 | 9,000 tonnes | +3.4% |
| 1978 | 9,750 tonnes | +8.3% |
| 1979 | 10,500 tonnes | +7.7% |
| 1980 | 10,800 tonnes | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 10,800 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 11,700 tonnes | +8.3% |
| 1983 | 12,000 tonnes | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 12,000 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 12,300 tonnes | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 12,450 tonnes | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 12,450 tonnes | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 12,600 tonnes | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 11,385 tonnes | -9.6% |
| 1990 | 9,450 tonnes | -17.0% |
| 1991 | 2,175 tonnes | -77.0% |
| 1992 | 2,853 tonnes | +31.2% |
| 1993 | 2,695 tonnes | -5.5% |
| 1994 | 2,375 tonnes | -11.9% |
| 1995 | 2,395 tonnes | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 2,235 tonnes | -6.7% |
| 1997 | 2,506 tonnes | +12.1% |
| 1998 | 2,076 tonnes | -17.2% |
| 1999 | 3,178 tonnes | +53.1% |
| 2000 | 3,224 tonnes | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 3,403 tonnes | +5.6% |
| 2002 | 2,966 tonnes | -12.8% |
| 2003 | 3,108 tonnes | +4.8% |
| 2004 | 3,050 tonnes | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 3,245 tonnes | +6.4% |
| 2006 | 3,018 tonnes | -7.0% |
| 2007 | 3,314 tonnes | +9.8% |
| 2008 | 2,730 tonnes | -17.6% |
| 2009 | 1,953 tonnes | -28.5% |
| 2010 | 1,898 tonnes | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 2,484 tonnes | +30.9% |
| 2012 | 2,654 tonnes | +6.8% |
| 2013 | 2,517 tonnes | -5.2% |
| 2014 | 2,339 tonnes | -7.1% |
| 2015 | 2,506 tonnes | +7.1% |
| 2016 | 2,301 tonnes | -8.2% |
| 2017 | 1,987 tonnes | -13.7% |
| 2018 | 1,680 tonnes | -15.4% |
| 2019 | 1,392 tonnes | -17.1% |
| 2020 | 1,636 tonnes | +17.5% |
| 2021 | 1,034 tonnes | -36.8% |
| 2022 | 955.53 tonnes | -7.6% |
| 2023 | 1,137 tonnes | +19.0% |
| 2024 | 1,042 tonnes | -8.3% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 1,042 tonnes is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 67,309 tonnes, 2% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 1,042 tonnes is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 39,552 tonnes, 3% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Beef production in Lesotho 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | -77.0% | 9,450 tonnes | 2,175 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6,902 tonnes | 4,598 tonnes | 8,514 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 9,052 tonnes | 8,321 tonnes | 10,500 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 11,848 tonnes | 10,800 tonnes | 12,600 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 3,194 tonnes | 2,076 tonnes | 9,450 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 3,001 tonnes | 1,953 tonnes | 3,403 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,176 tonnes | 1,392 tonnes | 2,654 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,161 tonnes | 955.53 tonnes | 1,636 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More agriculture & rural data for Lesotho
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0649 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 70.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.6715 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0005 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5533 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 5.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is beef production in Lesotho?
- Beef production in Lesotho was 1,042 tonnes 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 beef production recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 12,600 tonnes in 1988.
- What is the lowest beef production recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 955.53 tonnes in 2022.
- How does Lesotho rank for beef production?
- Lesotho ranks 171st out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is beef production rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 55.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho 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 Beef production. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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