Share of cereals allocated to animal feed in South Africa
South Africa: Share of cereals allocated to animal feed was 41.3% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Share of cereals allocated to animal feed in South Africa, 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 South Africa is 41.3%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.1% on the previous year and up 7.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of cereals allocated to animal feed in South Africa peaked at 44.4% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 20.1%, in 1965.
That places South Africa 83rd out of 192 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 27.2% | — |
| 1962 | 25.8% | -5.3% |
| 1963 | 25.5% | -1.0% |
| 1964 | 20.9% | -18.0% |
| 1965 | 20.1% | -4.0% |
| 1966 | 32.9% | +63.5% |
| 1967 | 32.2% | -1.9% |
| 1968 | 34.2% | +6.2% |
| 1969 | 35.3% | +3.2% |
| 1970 | 37.0% | +4.8% |
| 1971 | 33.3% | -10.2% |
| 1972 | 35.5% | +6.6% |
| 1973 | 36.5% | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 38.7% | +5.9% |
| 1975 | 38.7% | -0.0% |
| 1976 | 38.7% | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 37.0% | -4.5% |
| 1978 | 34.5% | -6.9% |
| 1979 | 35.9% | +4.2% |
| 1980 | 35.2% | -1.9% |
| 1981 | 36.6% | +3.9% |
| 1982 | 36.6% | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 40.3% | +10.2% |
| 1984 | 41.1% | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 40.6% | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 36.6% | -9.9% |
| 1987 | 35.5% | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 34.5% | -2.8% |
| 1989 | 37.7% | +9.1% |
| 1990 | 35.6% | -5.5% |
| 1991 | 34.4% | -3.5% |
| 1992 | 34.4% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 34.5% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 33.6% | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 33.7% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 29.3% | -13.1% |
| 1997 | 30.2% | +3.1% |
| 1998 | 32.9% | +9.0% |
| 1999 | 32.7% | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 30.2% | -7.8% |
| 2001 | 28.3% | -6.4% |
| 2002 | 24.1% | -14.8% |
| 2003 | 23.8% | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 26.3% | +10.2% |
| 2005 | 31.0% | +17.9% |
| 2006 | 32.3% | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 32.1% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 31.6% | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 32.3% | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 34.7% | +7.4% |
| 2011 | 36.0% | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 38.0% | +5.5% |
| 2013 | 38.5% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 39.9% | +3.7% |
| 2015 | 40.3% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 40.5% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 40.7% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 41.2% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 43.0% | +4.5% |
| 2020 | 41.7% | -3.2% |
| 2021 | 44.4% | +6.7% |
| 2022 | 44.4% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 41.3% | -7.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 41.3% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 41.5%, 99% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 41.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.3%, 4.4× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of cereals allocated to animal feed in South Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | +63.5% | 20.1% | 32.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 28.3% | 20.1% | 35.3% | 9 |
| 1970s | 36.6% | 33.3% | 38.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 37.5% | 34.5% | 41.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 33.1% | 29.3% | 35.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.2% | 23.8% | 32.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.3% | 34.7% | 43.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.9% | 41.3% | 44.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % 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 0.1917 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0002 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 1.49 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0283 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 186.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.812 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of cereals allocated to animal feed in South Africa?
- Share of cereals allocated to animal feed in South Africa was 41.3% 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 animal feed recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 44.4% in 2021.
- What is the lowest share of cereals allocated to animal feed recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.1% in 1965.
- How does South Africa rank for share of cereals allocated to animal feed?
- South Africa ranks 83rd out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of cereals allocated to animal feed rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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.
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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.