Lettuce yields in South Africa
South Africa: Lettuce yields was 15.33 tonnes per hectare in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
15.33 tonnes per hectare
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
63rd
of 111 countries
All-time high
22.08 tonnes per hectare
in 1982
All-time low
10.43 tonnes per hectare
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Lettuce yields in South Africa, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes per hectare.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 15.33 tonnes per hectare for lettuce yields in 2024.
The figure is down 2.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lettuce yields in South Africa peaked at 22.08 tonnes per hectare in 1982 and was at its lowest, 10.43 tonnes per hectare, in 1961.
South Africa ranks 63rd of 111 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Lettuce yields in South Africa, year by year
| Year | tonnes per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 10.43 tonnes per hectare | — |
| 1962 | 11.05 tonnes per hectare | +6.0% |
| 1963 | 13.71 tonnes per hectare | +24.1% |
| 1964 | 13.7 tonnes per hectare | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 13.7 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 13.61 tonnes per hectare | -0.7% |
| 1967 | 13.61 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 16.33 tonnes per hectare | +20.0% |
| 1969 | 18.07 tonnes per hectare | +10.7% |
| 1970 | 18 tonnes per hectare | -0.4% |
| 1971 | 18.33 tonnes per hectare | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 15.86 tonnes per hectare | -13.5% |
| 1973 | 15.86 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 18 tonnes per hectare | +13.5% |
| 1975 | 18.18 tonnes per hectare | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 19.09 tonnes per hectare | +5.0% |
| 1977 | 17.03 tonnes per hectare | -10.8% |
| 1978 | 19.59 tonnes per hectare | +15.0% |
| 1979 | 21.57 tonnes per hectare | +10.1% |
| 1980 | 20 tonnes per hectare | -7.3% |
| 1981 | 20 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 22.08 tonnes per hectare | +10.4% |
| 1983 | 14.76 tonnes per hectare | -33.2% |
| 1984 | 15.8 tonnes per hectare | +7.1% |
| 1985 | 15.39 tonnes per hectare | -2.6% |
| 1986 | 16 tonnes per hectare | +4.0% |
| 1987 | 16 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 15 tonnes per hectare | -6.2% |
| 1989 | 15.26 tonnes per hectare | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 11.95 tonnes per hectare | -21.7% |
| 1991 | 15.05 tonnes per hectare | +25.9% |
| 1992 | 14.85 tonnes per hectare | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 14.76 tonnes per hectare | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 14.6 tonnes per hectare | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 14.25 tonnes per hectare | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 14.48 tonnes per hectare | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 14.59 tonnes per hectare | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 14.55 tonnes per hectare | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 14.29 tonnes per hectare | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 13.95 tonnes per hectare | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 14.9 tonnes per hectare | +6.8% |
| 2002 | 15.59 tonnes per hectare | +4.6% |
| 2003 | 16.33 tonnes per hectare | +4.8% |
| 2004 | 17.59 tonnes per hectare | +7.7% |
| 2005 | 18.64 tonnes per hectare | +6.0% |
| 2006 | 18.46 tonnes per hectare | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 14.86 tonnes per hectare | -19.5% |
| 2008 | 14.91 tonnes per hectare | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 15.45 tonnes per hectare | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 15.82 tonnes per hectare | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 15.83 tonnes per hectare | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 15.7 tonnes per hectare | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 15.72 tonnes per hectare | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 15.74 tonnes per hectare | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 15.46 tonnes per hectare | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 15.32 tonnes per hectare | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 15.36 tonnes per hectare | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 15.43 tonnes per hectare | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 15.51 tonnes per hectare | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 15.6 tonnes per hectare | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 15.5 tonnes per hectare | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 15.35 tonnes per hectare | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 15.34 tonnes per hectare | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 15.33 tonnes per hectare | -0.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 15.33 tonnes per hectare is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 16 tonnes per hectare, 96% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 15.33 tonnes per hectare is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 15.33 tonnes per hectare, 1.0× the median. (13 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Lettuce yields in South Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | -33.2% | 22.08 tonnes per hectare | 14.76 tonnes per hectare |
| 1991 | +25.9% | 11.95 tonnes per hectare | 15.05 tonnes per hectare |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.8 tonnes per hectare | 10.43 tonnes per hectare | 18.07 tonnes per hectare | 9 |
| 1970s | 18.15 tonnes per hectare | 15.86 tonnes per hectare | 21.57 tonnes per hectare | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.03 tonnes per hectare | 14.76 tonnes per hectare | 22.08 tonnes per hectare | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.34 tonnes per hectare | 11.95 tonnes per hectare | 15.05 tonnes per hectare | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.07 tonnes per hectare | 13.95 tonnes per hectare | 18.64 tonnes per hectare | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.59 tonnes per hectare | 15.32 tonnes per hectare | 15.83 tonnes per hectare | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.42 tonnes per hectare | 15.33 tonnes per hectare | 15.6 tonnes per hectare | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0283 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 186.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.812 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3618 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lettuce yields in South Africa?
- Lettuce yields in South Africa was 15.33 tonnes per hectare in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest lettuce yields recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 22.08 tonnes per hectare in 1982.
- What is the lowest lettuce yields recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.43 tonnes per hectare in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for lettuce yields?
- South Africa ranks 63rd out of 111 countries with data for 2024.
- Is lettuce yields rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa 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 Lettuce yields. 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).
About this data
Yield is the amount produced per unit of land used, measured in tonnes per hectare.