Meat production in Malawi
Malawi: Meat production was 703,100 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
703,100 tonnes
Change on year
up 5.5%
World rank
62nd
of 202 countries
All-time high
703,100 tonnes
in 2024
All-time low
12,586 tonnes
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Meat production in Malawi, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 703,100 tonnes for meat production in 2024. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
The figure is up 5.5% on the previous year and up 165.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, meat production in Malawi peaked at 703,100 tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 12,586 tonnes, in 1961.
Malawi ranks 62nd of 202 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.
Meat production in Malawi, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 12,586 tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 13,208 tonnes | +4.9% |
| 1963 | 14,702 tonnes | +11.3% |
| 1964 | 15,055 tonnes | +2.4% |
| 1965 | 14,831 tonnes | -1.5% |
| 1966 | 15,436 tonnes | +4.1% |
| 1967 | 18,107 tonnes | +17.3% |
| 1968 | 19,102 tonnes | +5.5% |
| 1969 | 22,658 tonnes | +18.6% |
| 1970 | 22,310 tonnes | -1.5% |
| 1971 | 21,702 tonnes | -2.7% |
| 1972 | 22,741 tonnes | +4.8% |
| 1973 | 23,607 tonnes | +3.8% |
| 1974 | 25,248 tonnes | +7.0% |
| 1975 | 25,180 tonnes | -0.3% |
| 1976 | 26,855 tonnes | +6.7% |
| 1977 | 28,849 tonnes | +7.4% |
| 1978 | 30,357 tonnes | +5.2% |
| 1979 | 29,277 tonnes | -3.6% |
| 1980 | 31,353 tonnes | +7.1% |
| 1981 | 36,855 tonnes | +17.5% |
| 1982 | 38,320 tonnes | +4.0% |
| 1983 | 35,937 tonnes | -6.2% |
| 1984 | 35,481 tonnes | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 31,036 tonnes | -12.5% |
| 1986 | 40,936 tonnes | +31.9% |
| 1987 | 41,827 tonnes | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 40,305 tonnes | -3.6% |
| 1989 | 40,557 tonnes | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 41,836 tonnes | +3.2% |
| 1991 | 44,470 tonnes | +6.3% |
| 1992 | 45,797 tonnes | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 45,075 tonnes | -1.6% |
| 1994 | 43,026 tonnes | -4.5% |
| 1995 | 47,444 tonnes | +10.3% |
| 1996 | 55,806 tonnes | +17.6% |
| 1997 | 51,573 tonnes | -7.6% |
| 1998 | 54,414 tonnes | +5.5% |
| 1999 | 56,209 tonnes | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 62,767 tonnes | +11.7% |
| 2001 | 65,499 tonnes | +4.4% |
| 2002 | 54,156 tonnes | -17.3% |
| 2003 | 57,277 tonnes | +5.8% |
| 2004 | 62,450 tonnes | +9.0% |
| 2005 | 60,219 tonnes | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 67,500 tonnes | +12.1% |
| 2007 | 83,340 tonnes | +23.5% |
| 2008 | 102,322 tonnes | +22.8% |
| 2009 | 115,683 tonnes | +13.1% |
| 2010 | 112,344 tonnes | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 162,922 tonnes | +45.0% |
| 2012 | 207,475 tonnes | +27.3% |
| 2013 | 238,939 tonnes | +15.2% |
| 2014 | 265,334 tonnes | +11.0% |
| 2015 | 309,727 tonnes | +16.7% |
| 2016 | 325,654 tonnes | +5.1% |
| 2017 | 411,687 tonnes | +26.4% |
| 2018 | 561,944 tonnes | +36.5% |
| 2019 | 482,685 tonnes | -14.1% |
| 2020 | 583,726 tonnes | +20.9% |
| 2021 | 554,724 tonnes | -5.0% |
| 2022 | 532,104 tonnes | -4.1% |
| 2023 | 666,673 tonnes | +25.3% |
| 2024 | 703,100 tonnes | +5.5% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 703,100 tonnes is above the median for low income countries, which is 230,430 tonnes, 3.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 703,100 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 169,373 tonnes, 4.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 16,187 tonnes | 12,586 tonnes | 22,658 tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 25,612 tonnes | 21,702 tonnes | 30,357 tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 37,261 tonnes | 31,036 tonnes | 41,827 tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 48,565 tonnes | 41,836 tonnes | 56,209 tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 73,121 tonnes | 54,156 tonnes | 115,683 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 307,871 tonnes | 112,344 tonnes | 561,944 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 608,065 tonnes | 532,104 tonnes | 703,100 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
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 meat production in Malawi?
- Meat production in Malawi was 703,100 tonnes 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 meat production recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 703,100 tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest meat production recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 12,586 tonnes in 1961.
- How does Malawi rank for meat production?
- Malawi ranks 62nd out of 202 countries with data for 2024.
- Is meat production rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 165.0%. 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) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Meat production. 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
Expressed in tonnes. Includes cattle, poultry, sheep/mutton, goat, pigmeat, and wild game.