Cereal seed quantity in South Africa
South Africa: Cereal seed quantity was 80,403 FAO, metric tonnes in 2011. ▼ Falling
Cereal seed quantity in South Africa, 1961–2011
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Measured in FAO, metric tonnes.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 80,403 FAO, metric tonnes for cereal seed quantity in 2011.
The figure is up 1.7% on the previous year and down 40.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cereal seed quantity in South Africa peaked at 222,974 FAO, metric tonnes in 1981 and was at its lowest, 76,465 FAO, metric tonnes, in 2009.
South Africa ranks 15th of 50 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Cereal seed quantity in South Africa, year by year
| Year | FAO, metric tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 161,935 FAO, metric tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 176,801 FAO, metric tonnes | +9.2% |
| 1963 | 161,616 FAO, metric tonnes | -8.6% |
| 1964 | 157,196 FAO, metric tonnes | -2.7% |
| 1965 | 144,076 FAO, metric tonnes | -8.3% |
| 1966 | 173,636 FAO, metric tonnes | +20.5% |
| 1967 | 203,806 FAO, metric tonnes | +17.4% |
| 1968 | 214,426 FAO, metric tonnes | +5.2% |
| 1969 | 216,609 FAO, metric tonnes | +1.0% |
| 1970 | 213,659 FAO, metric tonnes | -1.4% |
| 1971 | 215,944 FAO, metric tonnes | +1.1% |
| 1972 | 215,469 FAO, metric tonnes | -0.2% |
| 1973 | 192,306 FAO, metric tonnes | -10.8% |
| 1974 | 191,722 FAO, metric tonnes | -0.3% |
| 1975 | 192,986 FAO, metric tonnes | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 187,735 FAO, metric tonnes | -2.7% |
| 1977 | 192,067 FAO, metric tonnes | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 199,016 FAO, metric tonnes | +3.6% |
| 1979 | 177,773 FAO, metric tonnes | -10.7% |
| 1980 | 202,041 FAO, metric tonnes | +13.7% |
| 1981 | 222,974 FAO, metric tonnes | +10.4% |
| 1982 | 196,564 FAO, metric tonnes | -11.8% |
| 1983 | 205,559 FAO, metric tonnes | +4.6% |
| 1984 | 206,096 FAO, metric tonnes | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 205,551 FAO, metric tonnes | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 194,906 FAO, metric tonnes | -5.2% |
| 1987 | 207,891 FAO, metric tonnes | +6.7% |
| 1988 | 198,041 FAO, metric tonnes | -4.7% |
| 1989 | 178,861 FAO, metric tonnes | -9.7% |
| 1990 | 171,913 FAO, metric tonnes | -3.9% |
| 1991 | 128,984 FAO, metric tonnes | -25.0% |
| 1992 | 152,302 FAO, metric tonnes | +18.1% |
| 1993 | 151,753 FAO, metric tonnes | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 165,066 FAO, metric tonnes | +8.8% |
| 1995 | 163,070 FAO, metric tonnes | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 172,120 FAO, metric tonnes | +5.5% |
| 1997 | 125,359 FAO, metric tonnes | -27.2% |
| 1998 | 118,413 FAO, metric tonnes | -5.5% |
| 1999 | 133,649 FAO, metric tonnes | +12.9% |
| 2000 | 138,089 FAO, metric tonnes | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 135,621 FAO, metric tonnes | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 131,023 FAO, metric tonnes | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 136,962 FAO, metric tonnes | +4.5% |
| 2004 | 134,947 FAO, metric tonnes | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 131,472 FAO, metric tonnes | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 100,364 FAO, metric tonnes | -23.7% |
| 2007 | 94,193 FAO, metric tonnes | -6.1% |
| 2008 | 86,659 FAO, metric tonnes | -8.0% |
| 2009 | 76,465 FAO, metric tonnes | -11.8% |
| 2010 | 79,063 FAO, metric tonnes | +3.4% |
| 2011 | 80,403 FAO, metric tonnes | +1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 178,900 FAO, metric tonnes | 144,076 FAO, metric tonnes | 216,609 FAO, metric tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 197,868 FAO, metric tonnes | 177,773 FAO, metric tonnes | 215,944 FAO, metric tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 201,848 FAO, metric tonnes | 178,861 FAO, metric tonnes | 222,974 FAO, metric tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 148,263 FAO, metric tonnes | 118,413 FAO, metric tonnes | 172,120 FAO, metric tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 116,580 FAO, metric tonnes | 76,465 FAO, metric tonnes | 138,089 FAO, metric tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 79,733 FAO, metric tonnes | 79,063 FAO, metric tonnes | 80,403 FAO, metric tonnes | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 12 Democratic Republic of Congo 91,047 FAO, metric tonnes compare
- 13 Kenya 85,453 FAO, metric tonnes compare
- 14 Cote d'Ivoire 81,084 FAO, metric tonnes compare
- 16 Guinea 70,730 FAO, metric tonnes compare
- 17 Burkina Faso 67,641 FAO, metric tonnes compare
- 18 Uganda 64,948 FAO, metric tonnes compare
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 cereal seed quantity in South Africa?
- Cereal seed quantity in South Africa was 80,403 FAO, metric tonnes in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.
- What is the highest cereal seed quantity recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 222,974 FAO, metric tonnes in 1981.
- What is the lowest cereal seed quantity recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 76,465 FAO, metric tonnes in 2009.
- How does South Africa rank for cereal seed quantity?
- South Africa ranks 15th out of 50 countries with data for 2011.
- Is cereal seed quantity rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site, published as part of Cereal seed quantity (FAO, metric tonnes). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Data include the amounts of the commodity in question set aside for sowing or planting (or generally for reproduction purposes, e.g. sugar cane planted, potatoes for seed, eggs for hatching and fish for bait, whether domestically produced or imported) during the reference period. Account is taken of double or successive sowing or planting whenever it occurs. The data of seed include also, when it is the case, the quantities necessary for sowing or planting the area relating to crops harvested green for fodder or for food.(e.g. green peas, green beans, maize for forage) Data for seed element are stored in tonnes (t). Whenever official data were not available, seed figures have been estimated either as a percentage of supply (e.g. eggs for hatching) or by multiplying a seed rate with the area under the crop of the subsequent year.