Cereal production in China
China: Cereal production was 641.73 million metric tons in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
641.73 million metric tons
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
1st
of 181 countries
All-time high
641.73 million metric tons
in 2023
All-time low
107.00 million metric tons
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Cereal production in China, 1961–2023
Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in metric tons.
Analysis
The most recent figure for cereal production in China is 641.73 million metric tons, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 15.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cereal production in China peaked at 641.73 million metric tons in 2023 and was at its lowest, 107.00 million metric tons, in 1961.
China ranks 1st of 181 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Cereal production in China, year by year
| Year | metric tons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 107.00 million metric tons | — |
| 1962 | 117.64 million metric tons | +9.9% |
| 1963 | 134.72 million metric tons | +14.5% |
| 1964 | 149.43 million metric tons | +10.9% |
| 1965 | 159.09 million metric tons | +6.5% |
| 1966 | 174.50 million metric tons | +9.7% |
| 1967 | 178.02 million metric tons | +2.0% |
| 1968 | 173.85 million metric tons | -2.3% |
| 1969 | 173.47 million metric tons | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 197.63 million metric tons | +13.9% |
| 1971 | 209.13 million metric tons | +5.8% |
| 1972 | 203.34 million metric tons | -2.8% |
| 1973 | 218.89 million metric tons | +7.6% |
| 1974 | 231.39 million metric tons | +5.7% |
| 1975 | 241.19 million metric tons | +4.2% |
| 1976 | 246.66 million metric tons | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 239.82 million metric tons | -2.8% |
| 1978 | 269.82 million metric tons | +12.5% |
| 1979 | 289.52 million metric tons | +7.3% |
| 1980 | 277.19 million metric tons | -4.3% |
| 1981 | 283.33 million metric tons | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 312.08 million metric tons | +10.1% |
| 1983 | 342.27 million metric tons | +9.7% |
| 1984 | 362.82 million metric tons | +6.0% |
| 1985 | 336.76 million metric tons | -7.2% |
| 1986 | 349.16 million metric tons | +3.7% |
| 1987 | 356.37 million metric tons | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 349.00 million metric tons | -2.1% |
| 1989 | 364.82 million metric tons | +4.5% |
| 1990 | 403.00 million metric tons | +10.5% |
| 1991 | 396.10 million metric tons | -1.7% |
| 1992 | 401.70 million metric tons | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 405.17 million metric tons | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 393.89 million metric tons | -2.8% |
| 1995 | 416.11 million metric tons | +5.6% |
| 1996 | 451.05 million metric tons | +8.4% |
| 1997 | 443.49 million metric tons | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 456.25 million metric tons | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 453.04 million metric tons | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 405.22 million metric tons | -10.6% |
| 2001 | 396.48 million metric tons | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 396.68 million metric tons | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 374.82 million metric tons | -5.5% |
| 2004 | 411.57 million metric tons | +9.8% |
| 2005 | 427.76 million metric tons | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 451.11 million metric tons | +5.5% |
| 2007 | 456.67 million metric tons | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 479.26 million metric tons | +4.9% |
| 2009 | 482.66 million metric tons | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 497.81 million metric tons | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 521.25 million metric tons | +4.7% |
| 2012 | 541.64 million metric tons | +3.9% |
| 2013 | 555.37 million metric tons | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 560.52 million metric tons | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 618.16 million metric tons | +10.3% |
| 2016 | 614.70 million metric tons | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 614.07 million metric tons | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 609.95 million metric tons | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 613.44 million metric tons | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 616.63 million metric tons | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 632.77 million metric tons | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 633.13 million metric tons | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 641.73 million metric tons | +1.4% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 641.73 million metric tons is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.47 million metric tons, 437.0× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- China's 641.73 million metric tons is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.22 million metric tons, 199.5× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 151.97 million metric tons | 107.00 million metric tons | 178.02 million metric tons | 9 |
| 1970s | 234.74 million metric tons | 197.63 million metric tons | 289.52 million metric tons | 10 |
| 1980s | 333.38 million metric tons | 277.19 million metric tons | 364.82 million metric tons | 10 |
| 1990s | 421.98 million metric tons | 393.89 million metric tons | 456.25 million metric tons | 10 |
| 2000s | 428.22 million metric tons | 374.82 million metric tons | 482.66 million metric tons | 10 |
| 2010s | 574.69 million metric tons | 497.81 million metric tons | 618.16 million metric tons | 10 |
| 2020s | 631.07 million metric tons | 616.63 million metric tons | 641.73 million metric tons | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More agriculture & rural data for China
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 1.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0666 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 923.03 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3366 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cereal production in China?
- Cereal production in China was 641.73 million metric tons in 2023, according to FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest cereal production recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 641.73 million metric tons in 2023.
- What is the lowest cereal production recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 107.00 million metric tons in 1961.
- How does China rank for cereal production?
- China ranks 1st out of 181 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cereal production rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Cereal production (metric tons). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
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 and those used for grazing are excluded.