Share of cereals allocated to human food in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Share of cereals allocated to human food was 51.3% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of cereals allocated to human food in Saudi Arabia, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of cereals allocated to human food in Saudi Arabia is 51.3%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 34.4% on the previous year and up 76.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of cereals allocated to human food in Saudi Arabia peaked at 90.4% in 1964 and was at its lowest, 25.1%, in 1986.
That places Saudi Arabia 120th out of 192 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Share of cereals allocated to human food in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 89.9% | — |
| 1962 | 90.3% | +0.5% |
| 1963 | 90.1% | -0.3% |
| 1964 | 90.4% | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 90.1% | -0.3% |
| 1966 | 90.1% | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 89.9% | -0.3% |
| 1968 | 88.7% | -1.2% |
| 1969 | 88.6% | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 89.2% | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 88.1% | -1.3% |
| 1972 | 87.3% | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 87.2% | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 86.6% | -0.7% |
| 1975 | 88.2% | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 84.2% | -4.5% |
| 1977 | 79.1% | -6.1% |
| 1978 | 73.5% | -7.1% |
| 1979 | 55.5% | -24.4% |
| 1980 | 51.4% | -7.4% |
| 1981 | 41.5% | -19.2% |
| 1982 | 32.7% | -21.2% |
| 1983 | 36.5% | +11.6% |
| 1984 | 30.3% | -17.1% |
| 1985 | 29.7% | -1.7% |
| 1986 | 25.1% | -15.5% |
| 1987 | 29.2% | +16.2% |
| 1988 | 38.8% | +32.9% |
| 1989 | 37.7% | -2.8% |
| 1990 | 48.0% | +27.2% |
| 1991 | 46.5% | -3.1% |
| 1992 | 43.4% | -6.7% |
| 1993 | 33.7% | -22.2% |
| 1994 | 35.4% | +5.0% |
| 1995 | 36.4% | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 37.3% | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 36.6% | -1.8% |
| 1998 | 45.5% | +24.2% |
| 1999 | 37.7% | -17.0% |
| 2000 | 35.9% | -4.8% |
| 2001 | 47.2% | +31.4% |
| 2002 | 44.6% | -5.7% |
| 2003 | 37.0% | -17.0% |
| 2004 | 53.4% | +44.3% |
| 2005 | 36.3% | -32.1% |
| 2006 | 32.3% | -10.8% |
| 2007 | 33.7% | +4.1% |
| 2008 | 32.7% | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 38.3% | +17.1% |
| 2010 | 36.1% | -5.8% |
| 2011 | 37.8% | +4.7% |
| 2012 | 33.3% | -11.8% |
| 2013 | 29.0% | -12.9% |
| 2014 | 35.4% | +22.2% |
| 2015 | 36.9% | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 34.4% | -6.8% |
| 2017 | 31.9% | -7.1% |
| 2018 | 33.9% | +6.1% |
| 2019 | 43.6% | +28.7% |
| 2020 | 43.2% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 38.1% | -11.6% |
| 2022 | 38.2% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 51.3% | +34.4% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 51.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 38.1%, 1.3× the median. (63 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 51.3% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 61.8%, 83% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 89.8% | 88.6% | 90.4% | 9 |
| 1970s | 81.9% | 55.5% | 89.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 35.3% | 25.1% | 51.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 40.0% | 33.7% | 48.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.1% | 32.3% | 53.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.2% | 29.0% | 43.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.7% | 38.1% | 51.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 117 Grenada 52.9% compare
- 118 East Timor 51.5% compare
- 119 El Salvador 51.4% compare
- 121 Japan 50.5% compare
- 122 Montenegro 49.6% compare
- 123 Namibia 49.0% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Saudi Arabia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0259 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 894.48 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 3.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1539 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.6% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.6% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.6% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of cereals allocated to human food in Saudi Arabia?
- Share of cereals allocated to human food in Saudi Arabia was 51.3% 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 90.4% in 1964.
- What is the lowest share of cereals allocated to human food recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.1% in 1986.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for share of cereals allocated to human food?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 120th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of cereals allocated to human food rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 76.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.