Per capita meat and fish consumption in Lesotho
Lesotho: Per capita meat and fish consumption was 7.5 kilograms per year per capita in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
7.5 kilograms per year per capita
Change on year
up 762.1%
World rank
149th
of 192 countries
All-time high
10.54 kilograms per year per capita
in 2014
All-time low
0.5279 kilograms per year per capita
in 1981
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Per capita meat and fish consumption in Lesotho, 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
In 2023, per capita meat and fish consumption in Lesotho stood at 7.5 kilograms per year per capita.
The figure is up 762.1% on the previous year and up 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, per capita meat and fish consumption in Lesotho peaked at 10.54 kilograms per year per capita in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.5279 kilograms per year per capita, in 1981.
That places Lesotho 149th out of 192 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Per capita meat and fish consumption in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | kilograms per year per capita | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.6048 kilograms per year per capita | — |
| 1962 | 0.6092 kilograms per year per capita | +0.7% |
| 1963 | 0.6021 kilograms per year per capita | -1.2% |
| 1964 | 0.6067 kilograms per year per capita | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 0.6117 kilograms per year per capita | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 0.529 kilograms per year per capita | -13.5% |
| 1967 | 0.6268 kilograms per year per capita | +18.5% |
| 1968 | 0.6376 kilograms per year per capita | +1.7% |
| 1969 | 0.6478 kilograms per year per capita | +1.6% |
| 1970 | 0.6581 kilograms per year per capita | +1.6% |
| 1971 | 0.6786 kilograms per year per capita | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 0.6583 kilograms per year per capita | -3.0% |
| 1973 | 0.6495 kilograms per year per capita | -1.3% |
| 1974 | 0.6316 kilograms per year per capita | -2.7% |
| 1975 | 0.6059 kilograms per year per capita | -4.1% |
| 1976 | 0.5922 kilograms per year per capita | -2.3% |
| 1977 | 0.5811 kilograms per year per capita | -1.9% |
| 1978 | 0.561 kilograms per year per capita | -3.5% |
| 1979 | 0.5409 kilograms per year per capita | -3.6% |
| 1980 | 0.539 kilograms per year per capita | -0.4% |
| 1981 | 0.5279 kilograms per year per capita | -2.1% |
| 1982 | 1.8 kilograms per year per capita | +240.5% |
| 1983 | 3.24 kilograms per year per capita | +80.1% |
| 1984 | 3.17 kilograms per year per capita | -2.1% |
| 1985 | 2.18 kilograms per year per capita | -31.3% |
| 1986 | 2.46 kilograms per year per capita | +12.9% |
| 1987 | 2.98 kilograms per year per capita | +21.2% |
| 1988 | 2.94 kilograms per year per capita | -1.4% |
| 1989 | 2.9 kilograms per year per capita | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 2.91 kilograms per year per capita | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 2.86 kilograms per year per capita | -1.7% |
| 1992 | 2.72 kilograms per year per capita | -5.0% |
| 1993 | 2.63 kilograms per year per capita | -3.5% |
| 1994 | 2.8 kilograms per year per capita | +6.7% |
| 1995 | 2.82 kilograms per year per capita | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 2.84 kilograms per year per capita | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 2.86 kilograms per year per capita | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 2.9 kilograms per year per capita | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 3.03 kilograms per year per capita | +4.5% |
| 2000 | 3.2 kilograms per year per capita | +5.4% |
| 2001 | 3.27 kilograms per year per capita | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 3.39 kilograms per year per capita | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 3.51 kilograms per year per capita | +3.5% |
| 2004 | 3.66 kilograms per year per capita | +4.2% |
| 2005 | 3.77 kilograms per year per capita | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 3.86 kilograms per year per capita | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 3.92 kilograms per year per capita | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 3.52 kilograms per year per capita | -10.1% |
| 2009 | 3.75 kilograms per year per capita | +6.5% |
| 2010 | 6.29 kilograms per year per capita | +67.9% |
| 2011 | 6.65 kilograms per year per capita | +5.7% |
| 2012 | 6.97 kilograms per year per capita | +4.8% |
| 2013 | 7.09 kilograms per year per capita | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 10.54 kilograms per year per capita | +48.7% |
| 2015 | 9.49 kilograms per year per capita | -10.0% |
| 2016 | 7.51 kilograms per year per capita | -20.9% |
| 2017 | 6.23 kilograms per year per capita | -17.0% |
| 2018 | 8.51 kilograms per year per capita | +36.6% |
| 2019 | 0.9 kilograms per year per capita | -89.4% |
| 2020 | 1.7 kilograms per year per capita | +88.9% |
| 2021 | 1.27 kilograms per year per capita | -25.3% |
| 2022 | 0.87 kilograms per year per capita | -31.5% |
| 2023 | 7.5 kilograms per year per capita | +762.1% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 7.5 kilograms per year per capita is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 7.71 kilograms per year per capita, 97% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 7.5 kilograms per year per capita is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.66 kilograms per year per capita, 1.6× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Per capita meat and fish consumption in Lesotho 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +762.1% | 0.87 kilograms per year per capita | 7.5 kilograms per year per capita |
| 1982 | +240.5% | 0.5279 kilograms per year per capita | 1.8 kilograms per year per capita |
| 2019 | -89.4% | 8.51 kilograms per year per capita | 0.9 kilograms per year per capita |
| 2020 | +88.9% | 0.9 kilograms per year per capita | 1.7 kilograms per year per capita |
| 1983 | +80.1% | 1.8 kilograms per year per capita | 3.24 kilograms per year per capita |
| 2010 | +67.9% | 3.75 kilograms per year per capita | 6.29 kilograms per year per capita |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.6084 kilograms per year per capita | 0.529 kilograms per year per capita | 0.6478 kilograms per year per capita | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.6157 kilograms per year per capita | 0.5409 kilograms per year per capita | 0.6786 kilograms per year per capita | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.27 kilograms per year per capita | 0.5279 kilograms per year per capita | 3.24 kilograms per year per capita | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.84 kilograms per year per capita | 2.63 kilograms per year per capita | 3.03 kilograms per year per capita | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.58 kilograms per year per capita | 3.2 kilograms per year per capita | 3.92 kilograms per year per capita | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.02 kilograms per year per capita | 0.9 kilograms per year per capita | 10.54 kilograms per year per capita | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.83 kilograms per year per capita | 0.87 kilograms per year per capita | 7.5 kilograms per year per capita | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 146 Namibia 7.77 kilograms per year per capita compare
- 147 Uzbekistan 7.65 kilograms per year per capita compare
- 148 Mongolia 7.65 kilograms per year per capita compare
- 150 Angola 7.41 kilograms per year per capita compare
- 151 Laos 7.41 kilograms per year per capita compare
- 152 Nepal 6.8 kilograms per year per capita compare
More agriculture & rural data for Lesotho
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.38 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0649 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 70.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.6715 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0005 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5533 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 5.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.0% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is per capita meat and fish consumption in Lesotho?
- Per capita meat and fish consumption in Lesotho was 7.5 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 per capita meat and fish consumption recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 10.54 kilograms per year per capita in 2014.
- What is the lowest per capita meat and fish consumption recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5279 kilograms per year per capita in 1981.
- How does Lesotho rank for per capita meat and fish consumption?
- Lesotho ranks 149th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is per capita meat and fish consumption rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho 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 Per capita meat and fish consumption. 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
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.