Cotton yield in South Africa
South Africa: Cotton yield was 2.65 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
2.65
Change on year
up 8.2%
World rank
18th
of 100 countries
All-time high
4.07
in 2010
All-time low
0.4615
in 1967
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Cotton yield in South Africa, 1961–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 2.65 for cotton yield in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.2% on the previous year and down 16.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cotton yield in South Africa peaked at 4.07 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.4615, in 1967.
That places South Africa 18th out of 100 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.8735 | 0.4615 | 1.34 | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.24 | 0.4621 | 2.25 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.01 | 0.6611 | 1.4 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.1 | 0.851 | 1.3 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.17 | 1.21 | 3.33 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.16 | 2.06 | 4.07 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.51 | 2.3 | 2.65 | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 12.08 billion current US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 2.8% (2025)
- Rural population 23.43 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 0.8% (2025)
- Rural population 36.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Value added in the agricultural sector as of gdp vs gdp per capita 2.83 (2025)
- Agriculture share gdp 2.83 (2025)
- Land under cereal production 3.36 million hectares (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cotton yield in South Africa?
- Cotton yield in South Africa was 2.65 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cotton yield recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 4.07 in 2010.
- What is the lowest cotton yield recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4615 in 1967.
- How does South Africa rank for cotton yield?
- South Africa ranks 18th out of 100 countries with data for 2024.
- Is cotton yield rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Cotton yield. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).