Share of cereals allocated to human food in South Korea
South Korea: Share of cereals allocated to human food was 39.3% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of cereals allocated to human food in South Korea, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, share of cereals allocated to human food in South Korea stood at 39.3%.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and down 18.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of cereals allocated to human food in South Korea peaked at 98.2% in 1963 and was at its lowest, 39.0%, in 2022.
South Korea ranks 145th of 192 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Share of cereals allocated to human food in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 97.9% | — |
| 1962 | 98.2% | +0.3% |
| 1963 | 98.2% | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 89.4% | -9.0% |
| 1965 | 92.3% | +3.2% |
| 1966 | 93.8% | +1.7% |
| 1967 | 95.9% | +2.2% |
| 1968 | 92.8% | -3.2% |
| 1969 | 93.3% | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 91.0% | -2.5% |
| 1971 | 92.2% | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 89.7% | -2.8% |
| 1973 | 91.5% | +2.0% |
| 1974 | 93.3% | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 91.8% | -1.5% |
| 1976 | 88.2% | -4.0% |
| 1977 | 85.0% | -3.6% |
| 1978 | 79.3% | -6.7% |
| 1979 | 70.2% | -11.5% |
| 1980 | 74.1% | +5.5% |
| 1981 | 72.3% | -2.4% |
| 1982 | 71.5% | -1.1% |
| 1983 | 66.4% | -7.1% |
| 1984 | 66.8% | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 66.6% | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 65.0% | -2.3% |
| 1987 | 60.3% | -7.3% |
| 1988 | 58.9% | -2.3% |
| 1989 | 54.8% | -7.0% |
| 1990 | 58.4% | +6.6% |
| 1991 | 52.9% | -9.5% |
| 1992 | 53.1% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 52.8% | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 54.5% | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 45.1% | -17.2% |
| 1996 | 47.9% | +6.1% |
| 1997 | 50.7% | +5.9% |
| 1998 | 51.3% | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 50.2% | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 49.7% | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 49.4% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 45.8% | -7.3% |
| 2003 | 48.4% | +5.6% |
| 2004 | 49.3% | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 47.1% | -4.6% |
| 2006 | 48.0% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 49.1% | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 45.7% | -6.9% |
| 2009 | 48.3% | +5.7% |
| 2010 | 47.0% | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 47.0% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 44.8% | -4.6% |
| 2013 | 48.3% | +7.7% |
| 2014 | 41.5% | -14.2% |
| 2015 | 42.9% | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 43.7% | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 46.0% | +5.4% |
| 2018 | 44.4% | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 42.7% | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 41.5% | -2.8% |
| 2021 | 39.3% | -5.3% |
| 2022 | 39.0% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 39.3% | +0.9% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 39.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 38.1%, 1.0× the median. (63 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 39.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 76.1%, 52% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 94.7% | 89.4% | 98.2% | 9 |
| 1970s | 87.2% | 70.2% | 93.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 65.7% | 54.8% | 74.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 51.7% | 45.1% | 58.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 48.1% | 45.7% | 49.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 44.8% | 41.5% | 48.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.8% | 39.0% | 41.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More agriculture & rural data for South Korea
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 0.2516 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0146 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 530.46 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.1591 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1883 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.8% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.9% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of cereals allocated to human food in South Korea?
- Share of cereals allocated to human food in South Korea was 39.3% in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of cereals allocated to human food recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 98.2% in 1963.
- What is the lowest share of cereals allocated to human food recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.0% in 2022.
- How does South Korea rank for share of cereals allocated to human food?
- South Korea ranks 145th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of cereals allocated to human food rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea 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 Share of cereals allocated to human food. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of cereals available for domestic use – after accounting for trade – that is allocated to direct human consumption, relative to the total used for human food, animal feed, and industrial purposes. This excludes cereals used for seed, processing, and losses.