Fish and seafood production in Malawi
Malawi: Fish and seafood production was 181,000 tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Fish and seafood production in Malawi, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 181,000 tonnes for fish and seafood production in 2023.
That represents a change of up 56.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fish and seafood production in Malawi peaked at 231,000 tonnes in 2018 and was at its lowest, 14,300 tonnes, in 1961.
That places Malawi 70th out of 191 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
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 | 27,056 tonnes | 14,300 tonnes | 38,200 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 65,847 tonnes | 47,000 tonnes | 74,900 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 68,079 tonnes | 51,400 tonnes | 88,600 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 59,591 tonnes | 41,340 tonnes | 74,100 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 59,047 tonnes | 41,190 tonnes | 74,290 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 146,500 tonnes | 85,000 tonnes | 231,000 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 181,000 tonnes | 181,000 tonnes | 181,000 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 67 Sweden 196,000 tonnes compare
- 68 Papua New Guinea 190,000 tonnes compare
- 69 Saudi Arabia 182,000 tonnes compare
- 71 Finland 179,000 tonnes compare
- 72 Uzbekistan 172,000 tonnes compare
- 73 Zambia 168,000 tonnes compare
More agriculture & rural data for Malawi
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 4.48 billion current US$ (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 30.0% (2025)
- Rural population 18.31 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 2.2% (2025)
- Rural population 82.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.9% (2024)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 30.0% (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 30.0% (2025)
- Land under cereal production 2.04 million hectares (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fish and seafood production in Malawi?
- Fish and seafood production in Malawi was 181,000 tonnes 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 production recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 231,000 tonnes in 2018.
- What is the lowest fish and seafood production recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 14,300 tonnes in 1961.
- How does Malawi rank for fish and seafood production?
- Malawi ranks 70th out of 191 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fish and seafood production rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 56.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 production. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Fish and seafood production is measured as the sum of seafood from wild catch and fish farming (aquaculture).