Share of cereals allocated to human food vs. GDP per capita in China
China: Share of cereals allocated to human food vs. GDP per capita was 47.6% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of cereals allocated to human food vs. GDP per capita in China, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of cereals allocated to human food vs. gdp per capita in China is 47.6%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 0.6% on the previous year and down 23.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of cereals allocated to human food vs. gdp per capita in China peaked at 78.2% in 1962 and was at its lowest, 47.4%, in 2021.
China ranks 126th of 192 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Share of cereals allocated to human food vs. GDP per capita in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 75.6% | — |
| 1962 | 78.2% | +3.4% |
| 1963 | 75.6% | -3.3% |
| 1964 | 75.8% | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 71.6% | -5.5% |
| 1966 | 73.9% | +3.2% |
| 1967 | 73.0% | -1.2% |
| 1968 | 74.2% | +1.7% |
| 1969 | 74.7% | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 74.1% | -0.8% |
| 1971 | 73.5% | -0.8% |
| 1972 | 75.1% | +2.2% |
| 1973 | 72.9% | -3.0% |
| 1974 | 71.9% | -1.3% |
| 1975 | 71.3% | -0.8% |
| 1976 | 71.3% | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 71.2% | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 70.6% | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 69.6% | -1.4% |
| 1980 | 69.4% | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 71.2% | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 72.2% | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 71.0% | -1.6% |
| 1984 | 70.9% | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 75.0% | +5.8% |
| 1986 | 75.1% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 72.3% | -3.7% |
| 1988 | 71.7% | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 71.8% | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 70.3% | -2.0% |
| 1991 | 68.4% | -2.7% |
| 1992 | 69.3% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 68.7% | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 67.2% | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 64.7% | -3.8% |
| 1996 | 63.5% | -1.8% |
| 1997 | 64.9% | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 64.9% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 63.9% | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 62.7% | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 61.9% | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 61.1% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 61.0% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 60.7% | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 60.2% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 59.2% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 58.1% | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 56.3% | -3.0% |
| 2009 | 55.1% | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 61.7% | +12.0% |
| 2011 | 61.7% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 60.1% | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 61.8% | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 63.6% | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 56.8% | -10.7% |
| 2016 | 54.5% | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 53.5% | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 52.6% | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 51.9% | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 51.3% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 47.4% | -7.5% |
| 2022 | 47.9% | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 47.6% | -0.6% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 47.6% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 55.5%, 86% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- China's 47.6% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 76.1%, 63% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 74.7% | 71.6% | 78.2% | 9 |
| 1970s | 72.2% | 69.6% | 75.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 72.1% | 69.4% | 75.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 66.6% | 63.5% | 70.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 59.6% | 55.1% | 62.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 57.8% | 51.9% | 63.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.6% | 47.4% | 51.3% | 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 share of cereals allocated to human food vs. gdp per capita in China?
- Share of cereals allocated to human food vs. gdp per capita in China was 47.6% in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of cereals allocated to human food vs. gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 78.2% in 1962.
- What is the lowest share of cereals allocated to human food vs. gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.4% in 2021.
- How does China rank for share of cereals allocated to human food vs. gdp per capita?
- China ranks 126th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of cereals allocated to human food vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China 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 Share of cereals allocated to human food vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of domestic cereal supply allocated to direct human food, rather than animal feed or biofuels. GDP is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs across countries.