Cereals, primary — Area harvested in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Cereals, primary — Area harvested was 230,134 ha in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Cereals, primary — Area harvested in Saudi Arabia, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in ha.
Analysis
In 2024, cereals, primary — area harvested in Saudi Arabia stood at 230,134 ha.
That represents a change of down 28.5% on the previous year and down 23.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cereals, primary — area harvested in Saudi Arabia peaked at 1.13 million ha in 1993 and was at its lowest, 153,949 ha, in 1972.
Saudi Arabia ranks 117th of 178 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.
Cereals, primary — Area harvested in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | ha | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 273,500 ha | — |
| 1962 | 273,600 ha | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 287,289 ha | +5.0% |
| 1964 | 294,300 ha | +2.4% |
| 1965 | 305,300 ha | +3.7% |
| 1966 | 311,500 ha | +2.0% |
| 1967 | 311,619 ha | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 378,866 ha | +21.6% |
| 1969 | 323,918 ha | -14.5% |
| 1970 | 339,000 ha | +4.7% |
| 1971 | 428,283 ha | +26.3% |
| 1972 | 153,949 ha | -64.1% |
| 1973 | 200,715 ha | +30.4% |
| 1974 | 411,165 ha | +104.9% |
| 1975 | 345,154 ha | -16.1% |
| 1976 | 428,044 ha | +24.0% |
| 1977 | 391,414 ha | -8.6% |
| 1978 | 404,923 ha | +3.5% |
| 1979 | 437,890 ha | +8.1% |
| 1980 | 453,072 ha | +3.5% |
| 1981 | 274,344 ha | -39.4% |
| 1982 | 261,949 ha | -4.5% |
| 1983 | 316,424 ha | +20.8% |
| 1984 | 446,241 ha | +41.0% |
| 1985 | 630,297 ha | +41.2% |
| 1986 | 640,821 ha | +1.7% |
| 1987 | 713,448 ha | +11.3% |
| 1988 | 894,572 ha | +25.4% |
| 1989 | 962,137 ha | +7.6% |
| 1990 | 974,551 ha | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 1.09 million ha | +11.7% |
| 1992 | 1.12 million ha | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 1.13 million ha | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 1.07 million ha | -5.4% |
| 1995 | 705,226 ha | -34.0% |
| 1996 | 563,212 ha | -20.1% |
| 1997 | 656,378 ha | +16.5% |
| 1998 | 621,825 ha | -5.3% |
| 1999 | 686,373 ha | +10.4% |
| 2000 | 616,368 ha | -10.2% |
| 2001 | 659,115 ha | +6.9% |
| 2002 | 704,804 ha | +6.9% |
| 2003 | 697,306 ha | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 682,180 ha | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 632,549 ha | -7.3% |
| 2006 | 602,875 ha | -4.7% |
| 2007 | 577,940 ha | -4.1% |
| 2008 | 465,724 ha | -19.4% |
| 2009 | 325,371 ha | -30.1% |
| 2010 | 284,169 ha | -12.7% |
| 2011 | 257,875 ha | -9.3% |
| 2012 | 210,023 ha | -18.6% |
| 2013 | 164,474 ha | -21.7% |
| 2014 | 302,139 ha | +83.7% |
| 2015 | 289,608 ha | -4.1% |
| 2016 | 277,005 ha | -4.4% |
| 2017 | 265,188 ha | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 245,988 ha | -7.2% |
| 2019 | 244,265 ha | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 259,567 ha | +6.3% |
| 2021 | 185,646 ha | -28.5% |
| 2022 | 213,661 ha | +15.1% |
| 2023 | 321,885 ha | +50.7% |
| 2024 | 230,134 ha | -28.5% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 230,134 ha is below the median for high income countries, which is 280,960 ha, 82% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 230,134 ha is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 148,486 ha, 1.5× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cereals, primary — Area harvested in Saudi Arabia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +104.9% | 200,715 ha | 411,165 ha |
| 2014 | +83.7% | 164,474 ha | 302,139 ha |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 306,655 ha | 273,500 ha | 378,866 ha | 9 |
| 1970s | 354,054 ha | 153,949 ha | 437,890 ha | 10 |
| 1980s | 559,330 ha | 261,949 ha | 962,137 ha | 10 |
| 1990s | 861,724 ha | 563,212 ha | 1.13 million ha | 10 |
| 2000s | 596,423 ha | 325,371 ha | 704,804 ha | 10 |
| 2010s | 254,073 ha | 164,474 ha | 302,139 ha | 10 |
| 2020s | 242,179 ha | 185,646 ha | 321,885 ha | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 114 Libya 249,794 ha compare
- 115 Guinea-Bissau 242,659 ha compare
- 116 Dominican Republic 235,617 ha compare
- 118 Bosnia and Herzegovina 224,321 ha compare
- 119 Portugal 191,630 ha compare
- 120 Guyana 170,633 ha compare
More agriculture & rural data for Saudi Arabia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0259 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 894.48 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 3.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1539 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.6% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.6% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.6% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cereals, primary — area harvested in Saudi Arabia?
- Cereals, primary — area harvested in Saudi Arabia was 230,134 ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest cereals, primary — area harvested recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.13 million ha in 1993.
- What is the lowest cereals, primary — area harvested recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 153,949 ha in 1972.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for cereals, primary — area harvested?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 117th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is cereals, primary — area harvested rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Cereals, primary — Area harvested. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Crop and livestock statistics are recorded for 278 products, covering the following categories: 1) CROPS PRIMARY: Cereals, Citrus Fruit, Fibre Crops, Fruit, Oil Crops, Oil Crops and Cakes in Oil Equivalent, Pulses, Roots and Tubers, Sugar Crops, Treenuts and Vegetables. Data are expressed in terms of area harvested, production quantity and yield. Cereals: Area and 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 or used for grazing are therefore excluded. 2) CROPS PROCESSED: Beer of barley; Cotton lint; Cottonseed; Margarine, short; Molasses; Oil, coconut (copra); Oil, cottonseed; Oil, groundnut; Oil, linseed; Oil, maize; Oil, olive, virgin; Oil, palm; Oil, palm kernel; Oil, rapeseed; Oil, safflower; Oil, sesame; Oil, soybean; Oil, sunflower; Palm kernels; Sugar Raw Centrifugal; Wine. 3) LIVE ANIMALS: Animals live n.e.s.; Asses; Beehives; Buffaloes; Camelids, other; Camels; Cattle; Chickens; Ducks; Geese and guinea fowls; Goats; Horses; Mules; Pigeons, other birds; Pigs; Rabbits and hares; Rodents, other; Sheep; Turkeys. 4) LIVESTOCK PRIMARY: Beeswax; Eggs (various types); Hides buffalo, fresh; Hides, cattle, fresh; Honey, natural; Meat (ass, bird nes, buffalo, camel, cattle, chicken, duck, game, goat, goose and guinea fowl, horse, mule, Meat nes, meat other camelids, Meat other rodents, pig, rabbit, sheep, turkey); Milk (buffalo, camel, cow, goat, sheep); Offals, nes; Silk-worm cocoons, reelable; Skins (goat, sheep); Snails, not sea; Wool, greasy. 5) LIVESTOCK PROCESSED: Butter (of milk from sheep, goat, buffalo, cow); Cheese (of milk from goat, buffalo, sheep, cow milk); Cheese of skimmed cow milk; Cream fresh; Ghee (cow and buffalo milk); Lard; Milk (dry buttermilk, skimmed condensed, skimmed cow, skimmed dried, skimmed evaporated, whole condensed, whole dried, whole evaporated); Silk raw; Tallow; Whey (condensed and dry); Yoghurt.