Share of cereals allocated to human food in USSR
USSR: Share of cereals allocated to human food was 29.6% in 1991. ▼ Falling
Share of cereals allocated to human food in USSR, 1961–1991
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
USSR recorded 29.6% for share of cereals allocated to human food in 1991.
The figure is up 17.4% on the previous year and up 6.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of cereals allocated to human food in USSR peaked at 64.6% in 1961 and was at its lowest, 25.2%, in 1990.
USSR ranks 161st of 192 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 31 years of available data.
Share of cereals allocated to human food in USSR, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 64.6% | — |
| 1962 | 59.9% | -7.3% |
| 1963 | 60.8% | +1.5% |
| 1964 | 54.2% | -10.9% |
| 1965 | 46.8% | -13.7% |
| 1966 | 45.6% | -2.4% |
| 1967 | 43.5% | -4.8% |
| 1968 | 40.7% | -6.3% |
| 1969 | 38.0% | -6.7% |
| 1970 | 35.8% | -5.8% |
| 1971 | 36.2% | +1.2% |
| 1972 | 33.2% | -8.3% |
| 1973 | 32.6% | -1.9% |
| 1974 | 32.5% | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 34.1% | +4.9% |
| 1976 | 30.3% | -11.3% |
| 1977 | 27.5% | -9.1% |
| 1978 | 28.4% | +3.2% |
| 1979 | 27.8% | -2.0% |
| 1980 | 28.0% | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 27.8% | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 28.5% | +2.7% |
| 1983 | 29.0% | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 28.8% | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 27.7% | -3.6% |
| 1986 | 25.9% | -6.5% |
| 1987 | 26.8% | +3.3% |
| 1988 | 27.5% | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 26.2% | -4.7% |
| 1990 | 25.2% | -3.9% |
| 1991 | 29.6% | +17.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 50.4% | 38.0% | 64.6% | 9 |
| 1970s | 31.9% | 27.5% | 36.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 27.6% | 25.9% | 29.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 27.4% | 25.2% | 29.6% | 2 |
Countries ranked near USSR
More agriculture & rural data for USSR
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- Meat of sheep, fresh or chilled — Production, annual growth rate -8.73 % change on previous year (1991)
- Meat of sheep, fresh or chilled — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual growth 0 % change on previous year (1991)
- Meat of goat, fresh or chilled — Producing Animals/Slaughtered -21.05 % change on previous year (1991)
- Meat of goat, fresh or chilled — Production, annual growth rate -19.74 % change on previous year (1991)
- Meat of goat, fresh or chilled — Yield/Carcass Weight, annual growth 0 % change on previous year (1991)
- Meat of chickens, fresh or chilled — Producing Animals/Slaughtered -5.82 % change on previous year (1991)
- Meat of chickens, fresh or chilled — Production, annual growth rate -5.81 % change on previous year (1991)
- Maize (corn) — Yield, annual growth rate -5.46 % change on previous year (1991)
- Maize (corn) — Production, annual growth rate -0.9612 % change on previous year (1991)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of cereals allocated to human food in USSR?
- Share of cereals allocated to human food in USSR was 29.6% in 1991, 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 USSR?
- The highest recorded value was 64.6% in 1961.
- What is the lowest share of cereals allocated to human food recorded in USSR?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.2% in 1990.
- How does USSR rank for share of cereals allocated to human food?
- USSR ranks 161st out of 192 countries with data for 1991.
- Is share of cereals allocated to human food rising or falling in USSR?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this USSR 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.
Download this data
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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.