Share of cereals allocated to human food vs. GDP per capita in India
India: Share of cereals allocated to human food vs. GDP per capita was 85.6% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of cereals allocated to human food vs. GDP per capita in India, 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 India is 85.6%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and down 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of cereals allocated to human food vs. gdp per capita in India peaked at 99.0% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 84.6%, in 2022.
That places India 53rd out of 192 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 98.7% | — |
| 1962 | 98.7% | -0.0% |
| 1963 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 98.9% | +0.1% |
| 1965 | 98.8% | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 98.9% | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 98.9% | -0.0% |
| 1968 | 98.6% | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 98.8% | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 98.8% | -0.0% |
| 1971 | 98.5% | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 98.7% | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 98.7% | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 98.8% | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 98.7% | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 98.5% | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 98.8% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 98.8% | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 98.8% | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 98.8% | -0.0% |
| 1984 | 98.8% | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 98.9% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 98.8% | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 99.0% | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 98.9% | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 98.9% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 97.6% | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 97.4% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 96.9% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 96.4% | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 96.2% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 96.2% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 96.2% | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 96.1% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 96.2% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 96.1% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 96.2% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 95.8% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 96.3% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 95.7% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 95.9% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 95.8% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 95.7% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 95.2% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 95.2% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 95.4% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 95.1% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 95.0% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 94.5% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 93.9% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 93.6% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 94.1% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 93.4% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 92.6% | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 92.1% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 91.5% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 89.6% | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 86.8% | -3.1% |
| 2022 | 84.6% | -2.5% |
| 2023 | 85.6% | +1.2% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 85.6% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 75.2%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- India's 85.6% is below the median for South Asia, which is 88.3%, 97% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 98.8% | 98.6% | 98.9% | 9 |
| 1970s | 98.7% | 98.5% | 98.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 98.8% | 98.8% | 99.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 96.5% | 96.1% | 97.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 95.7% | 95.2% | 96.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 93.6% | 91.5% | 95.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 86.7% | 84.6% | 89.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
More agriculture & rural data for India
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -2.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1623 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 438.73 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4067 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6431 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 16.2% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 16.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of cereals allocated to human food vs. gdp per capita in India?
- Share of cereals allocated to human food vs. gdp per capita in India was 85.6% 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 99.0% in 1987.
- What is the lowest share of cereals allocated to human food vs. gdp per capita recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 84.6% in 2022.
- How does India rank for share of cereals allocated to human food vs. gdp per capita?
- India ranks 53rd out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of cereals allocated to human food vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India 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.