Cereal production in Zambia
Zambia: Cereal production was 3.66 million metric tons in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
3.66 million metric tons
Change on year
up 19.7%
World rank
73rd
of 181 countries
All-time high
3.95 million metric tons
in 2021
All-time low
608,801 metric tons
in 1992
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Cereal production in Zambia, 1961–2023
Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in metric tons.
Analysis
In 2023, cereal production in Zambia stood at 3.66 million metric tons.
The figure is up 19.7% on the previous year and up 26.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cereal production in Zambia peaked at 3.95 million metric tons in 2021 and was at its lowest, 608,801 metric tons, in 1992.
Zambia ranks 73rd of 181 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.
Cereal production in Zambia, year by year
| Year | metric tons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 766,608 metric tons | — |
| 1962 | 748,934 metric tons | -2.3% |
| 1963 | 676,717 metric tons | -9.6% |
| 1964 | 773,214 metric tons | +14.3% |
| 1965 | 816,214 metric tons | +5.6% |
| 1966 | 892,081 metric tons | +9.3% |
| 1967 | 893,199 metric tons | +0.1% |
| 1968 | 823,391 metric tons | -7.8% |
| 1969 | 830,637 metric tons | +0.9% |
| 1970 | 687,555 metric tons | -17.2% |
| 1971 | 1.07 million metric tons | +55.0% |
| 1972 | 1.38 million metric tons | +29.5% |
| 1973 | 1.03 million metric tons | -25.6% |
| 1974 | 1.24 million metric tons | +20.3% |
| 1975 | 1.62 million metric tons | +30.8% |
| 1976 | 1.74 million metric tons | +7.9% |
| 1977 | 1.74 million metric tons | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 1.47 million metric tons | -15.3% |
| 1979 | 936,139 metric tons | -36.3% |
| 1980 | 984,244 metric tons | +5.1% |
| 1981 | 1.05 million metric tons | +6.8% |
| 1982 | 797,960 metric tons | -24.1% |
| 1983 | 982,959 metric tons | +23.2% |
| 1984 | 924,702 metric tons | -5.9% |
| 1985 | 1.19 million metric tons | +29.0% |
| 1986 | 1.32 million metric tons | +10.6% |
| 1987 | 1.16 million metric tons | -12.2% |
| 1988 | 2.06 million metric tons | +77.5% |
| 1989 | 1.97 million metric tons | -4.3% |
| 1990 | 1.21 million metric tons | -38.5% |
| 1991 | 1.22 million metric tons | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 608,801 metric tons | -50.2% |
| 1993 | 1.76 million metric tons | +188.5% |
| 1994 | 1.19 million metric tons | -32.4% |
| 1995 | 870,488 metric tons | -26.7% |
| 1996 | 1.57 million metric tons | +80.7% |
| 1997 | 1.14 million metric tons | -27.7% |
| 1998 | 797,593 metric tons | -29.9% |
| 1999 | 1.00 million metric tons | +25.8% |
| 2000 | 1.21 million metric tons | +20.4% |
| 2001 | 950,274 metric tons | -21.3% |
| 2002 | 752,881 metric tons | -20.8% |
| 2003 | 1.36 million metric tons | +80.8% |
| 2004 | 1.38 million metric tons | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 1.07 million metric tons | -22.7% |
| 2006 | 1.60 million metric tons | +50.3% |
| 2007 | 1.54 million metric tons | -4.2% |
| 2008 | 1.39 million metric tons | -9.2% |
| 2009 | 2.20 million metric tons | +57.5% |
| 2010 | 3.10 million metric tons | +40.9% |
| 2011 | 3.38 million metric tons | +9.0% |
| 2012 | 3.21 million metric tons | -4.9% |
| 2013 | 2.90 million metric tons | -9.6% |
| 2014 | 3.65 million metric tons | +25.9% |
| 2015 | 2.90 million metric tons | -20.6% |
| 2016 | 3.11 million metric tons | +7.3% |
| 2017 | 3.90 million metric tons | +25.2% |
| 2018 | 2.60 million metric tons | -33.2% |
| 2019 | 2.23 million metric tons | -14.5% |
| 2020 | 3.69 million metric tons | +65.8% |
| 2021 | 3.95 million metric tons | +7.2% |
| 2022 | 3.06 million metric tons | -22.7% |
| 2023 | 3.66 million metric tons | +19.7% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 3.66 million metric tons is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.89 million metric tons, 1.9× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 3.66 million metric tons is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.10 million metric tons, 1.7× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cereal production in Zambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +188.5% | 608,801 metric tons | 1.76 million metric tons |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 802,333 metric tons | 676,717 metric tons | 893,199 metric tons | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.29 million metric tons | 687,555 metric tons | 1.74 million metric tons | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.24 million metric tons | 797,960 metric tons | 2.06 million metric tons | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.14 million metric tons | 608,801 metric tons | 1.76 million metric tons | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.35 million metric tons | 752,881 metric tons | 2.20 million metric tons | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.10 million metric tons | 2.23 million metric tons | 3.90 million metric tons | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.59 million metric tons | 3.06 million metric tons | 3.95 million metric tons | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More agriculture & rural data for Zambia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 65.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0411 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 54.11 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5408 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 4.1% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 4.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.4% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cereal production in Zambia?
- Cereal production in Zambia was 3.66 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 3.95 million metric tons in 2021.
- What is the lowest cereal production recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 608,801 metric tons in 1992.
- How does Zambia rank for cereal production?
- Zambia ranks 73rd out of 181 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cereal production rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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.