Share of cereals allocated to animal feed in China
China: Share of cereals allocated to animal feed was 42.7% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Share of cereals allocated to animal feed in China, 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 animal feed in China is 42.7%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 36.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of cereals allocated to animal feed in China peaked at 42.7% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 20.2%, in 1965.
China ranks 79th of 192 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Share of cereals allocated to animal feed in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 22.9% | — |
| 1962 | 20.4% | -11.2% |
| 1963 | 22.6% | +10.7% |
| 1964 | 22.5% | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 20.2% | -10.2% |
| 1966 | 24.3% | +20.6% |
| 1967 | 25.4% | +4.2% |
| 1968 | 24.3% | -4.1% |
| 1969 | 24.0% | -1.5% |
| 1970 | 24.9% | +3.9% |
| 1971 | 25.4% | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 23.6% | -7.0% |
| 1973 | 26.0% | +10.0% |
| 1974 | 26.9% | +3.4% |
| 1975 | 27.6% | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 27.6% | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 27.6% | -0.0% |
| 1978 | 28.2% | +2.0% |
| 1979 | 29.1% | +3.4% |
| 1980 | 29.4% | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 27.5% | -6.3% |
| 1982 | 26.4% | -4.2% |
| 1983 | 27.3% | +3.4% |
| 1984 | 27.4% | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 23.2% | -15.3% |
| 1986 | 24.0% | +3.5% |
| 1987 | 23.1% | -3.8% |
| 1988 | 23.7% | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 22.9% | -3.5% |
| 1990 | 23.5% | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 26.5% | +12.7% |
| 1992 | 28.2% | +6.2% |
| 1993 | 29.5% | +4.7% |
| 1994 | 31.9% | +8.1% |
| 1995 | 31.4% | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 31.2% | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 32.0% | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 31.9% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 32.8% | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 33.6% | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 33.6% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 33.9% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 33.7% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 32.5% | -3.6% |
| 2005 | 32.8% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 32.7% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 33.4% | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 35.1% | +4.9% |
| 2009 | 36.0% | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 31.4% | -12.7% |
| 2011 | 31.7% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 33.0% | +3.9% |
| 2013 | 31.3% | -5.2% |
| 2014 | 30.5% | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 33.9% | +11.3% |
| 2016 | 35.4% | +4.3% |
| 2017 | 36.9% | +4.2% |
| 2018 | 37.6% | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 37.8% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 40.2% | +6.2% |
| 2021 | 40.8% | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 42.1% | +3.3% |
| 2023 | 42.7% | +1.3% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 42.7% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 41.5%, 1.0× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- China's 42.7% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 20.2%, 2.1× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 23.0% | 20.2% | 25.4% | 9 |
| 1970s | 26.7% | 23.6% | 29.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 25.5% | 22.9% | 29.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 29.9% | 23.5% | 32.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 33.7% | 32.5% | 36.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.9% | 30.5% | 37.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.4% | 40.2% | 42.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More agriculture & rural data for China
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.0314 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.0951 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.0082 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.3742 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 1.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0666 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 923.03 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.48 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of cereals allocated to animal feed in China?
- Share of cereals allocated to animal feed in China was 42.7% 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 animal feed recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 42.7% in 2023.
- What is the lowest share of cereals allocated to animal feed recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.2% in 1965.
- How does China rank for share of cereals allocated to animal feed?
- China ranks 79th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of cereals allocated to animal feed rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China 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 animal feed. 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 animal feed, relative to the total used for human food, animal feed, and industrial purposes. This excludes cereals used for seed, processing, and losses.