Fish and seafood consumption per capita in Malawi
Malawi: Fish and seafood consumption per capita was 8.77 kilograms per year per capita in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
8.77 kilograms per year per capita
Change on year
down 2.6%
World rank
128th
of 192 countries
All-time high
13.97 kilograms per year per capita
in 1972
All-time low
3.56 kilograms per year per capita
in 2002
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Fish and seafood consumption per capita in Malawi, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in kilograms per year per capita.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 8.77 kilograms per year per capita for fish and seafood consumption per capita in 2023.
That represents a change of down 2.6% on the previous year and up 18.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fish and seafood consumption per capita in Malawi peaked at 13.97 kilograms per year per capita in 1972 and was at its lowest, 3.56 kilograms per year per capita, in 2002.
That places Malawi 128th 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.
Fish and seafood consumption per capita in Malawi, year by year
| Year | kilograms per year per capita | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.82 kilograms per year per capita | — |
| 1962 | 5.1 kilograms per year per capita | +33.2% |
| 1963 | 5.54 kilograms per year per capita | +8.7% |
| 1964 | 5.28 kilograms per year per capita | -4.8% |
| 1965 | 8.26 kilograms per year per capita | +56.5% |
| 1966 | 7.72 kilograms per year per capita | -6.6% |
| 1967 | 6.9 kilograms per year per capita | -10.5% |
| 1968 | 7.53 kilograms per year per capita | +9.1% |
| 1969 | 8.45 kilograms per year per capita | +12.3% |
| 1970 | 9.97 kilograms per year per capita | +18.0% |
| 1971 | 12.4 kilograms per year per capita | +24.4% |
| 1972 | 13.97 kilograms per year per capita | +12.6% |
| 1973 | 13.4 kilograms per year per capita | -4.1% |
| 1974 | 13.42 kilograms per year per capita | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 12.46 kilograms per year per capita | -7.2% |
| 1976 | 13.46 kilograms per year per capita | +8.0% |
| 1977 | 11.63 kilograms per year per capita | -13.6% |
| 1978 | 11.37 kilograms per year per capita | -2.2% |
| 1979 | 9.51 kilograms per year per capita | -16.4% |
| 1980 | 9.41 kilograms per year per capita | -1.1% |
| 1981 | 7.28 kilograms per year per capita | -22.6% |
| 1982 | 8.07 kilograms per year per capita | +10.8% |
| 1983 | 9.22 kilograms per year per capita | +14.3% |
| 1984 | 8.79 kilograms per year per capita | -4.7% |
| 1985 | 8.1 kilograms per year per capita | -7.8% |
| 1986 | 9.17 kilograms per year per capita | +13.2% |
| 1987 | 10.59 kilograms per year per capita | +15.5% |
| 1988 | 8.98 kilograms per year per capita | -15.3% |
| 1989 | 7.75 kilograms per year per capita | -13.7% |
| 1990 | 7.78 kilograms per year per capita | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 6.48 kilograms per year per capita | -16.6% |
| 1992 | 6.87 kilograms per year per capita | +5.9% |
| 1993 | 6.62 kilograms per year per capita | -3.5% |
| 1994 | 5.8 kilograms per year per capita | -12.5% |
| 1995 | 5.31 kilograms per year per capita | -8.4% |
| 1996 | 6.18 kilograms per year per capita | +16.3% |
| 1997 | 5.44 kilograms per year per capita | -12.0% |
| 1998 | 3.87 kilograms per year per capita | -28.9% |
| 1999 | 4.29 kilograms per year per capita | +10.9% |
| 2000 | 4.78 kilograms per year per capita | +11.6% |
| 2001 | 3.6 kilograms per year per capita | -24.7% |
| 2002 | 3.56 kilograms per year per capita | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 4.54 kilograms per year per capita | +27.4% |
| 2004 | 4.7 kilograms per year per capita | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 4.76 kilograms per year per capita | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 5.89 kilograms per year per capita | +23.7% |
| 2007 | 5.3 kilograms per year per capita | -9.9% |
| 2008 | 5.68 kilograms per year per capita | +7.2% |
| 2009 | 5.24 kilograms per year per capita | -7.8% |
| 2010 | 7.1 kilograms per year per capita | +35.4% |
| 2011 | 5.77 kilograms per year per capita | -18.7% |
| 2012 | 8.36 kilograms per year per capita | +44.9% |
| 2013 | 7.42 kilograms per year per capita | -11.2% |
| 2014 | 7.63 kilograms per year per capita | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 8.93 kilograms per year per capita | +17.0% |
| 2016 | 9.56 kilograms per year per capita | +7.1% |
| 2017 | 12 kilograms per year per capita | +25.5% |
| 2018 | 12.07 kilograms per year per capita | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 9.69 kilograms per year per capita | -19.7% |
| 2020 | 9.57 kilograms per year per capita | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 9.24 kilograms per year per capita | -3.4% |
| 2022 | 9 kilograms per year per capita | -2.6% |
| 2023 | 8.77 kilograms per year per capita | -2.6% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 8.77 kilograms per year per capita is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.75 kilograms per year per capita, 1.8× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 8.77 kilograms per year per capita is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 8.77 kilograms per year per capita, 1.0× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.51 kilograms per year per capita | 3.82 kilograms per year per capita | 8.45 kilograms per year per capita | 9 |
| 1970s | 12.16 kilograms per year per capita | 9.51 kilograms per year per capita | 13.97 kilograms per year per capita | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.74 kilograms per year per capita | 7.28 kilograms per year per capita | 10.59 kilograms per year per capita | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.86 kilograms per year per capita | 3.87 kilograms per year per capita | 7.78 kilograms per year per capita | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.81 kilograms per year per capita | 3.56 kilograms per year per capita | 5.89 kilograms per year per capita | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.85 kilograms per year per capita | 5.77 kilograms per year per capita | 12.07 kilograms per year per capita | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.14 kilograms per year per capita | 8.77 kilograms per year per capita | 9.57 kilograms per year per capita | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 125 Colombia 10.31 kilograms per year per capita compare
- 126 Namibia 9.67 kilograms per year per capita compare
- 127 Togo 9.58 kilograms per year per capita compare
- 129 Venezuela 8.75 kilograms per year per capita compare
- 130 India 8.73 kilograms per year per capita compare
- 131 Romania 8.7 kilograms per year per capita compare
More agriculture & rural data for Malawi
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 24.6 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.3003 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 201.66 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 2.19 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0012 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.8241 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 30.0% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 30.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fish and seafood consumption per capita in Malawi?
- Fish and seafood consumption per capita in Malawi was 8.77 kilograms per year per capita in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fish and seafood consumption per capita recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 13.97 kilograms per year per capita in 1972.
- What is the lowest fish and seafood consumption per capita recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.56 kilograms per year per capita in 2002.
- How does Malawi rank for fish and seafood consumption per capita?
- Malawi ranks 128th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fish and seafood consumption per capita rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fish and seafood consumption per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Quantity that is available for consumption at the end of the supply chain. It does not account for consumer waste, so the quantity that is actually consumed may be lower.