Share of cereals allocated to animal feed in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Share of cereals allocated to animal feed was 51.9% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Share of cereals allocated to animal feed in United Kingdom, 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 animal feed in United Kingdom stood at 51.9%. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 11.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of cereals allocated to animal feed in United Kingdom peaked at 68.2% in 1972 and was at its lowest, 51.9%, in 2023.
That places United Kingdom 58th 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 animal feed in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 61.7% | — |
| 1962 | 66.7% | +8.0% |
| 1963 | 64.1% | -3.8% |
| 1964 | 63.7% | -0.7% |
| 1965 | 65.5% | +2.7% |
| 1966 | 63.7% | -2.6% |
| 1967 | 66.4% | +4.1% |
| 1968 | 67.4% | +1.5% |
| 1969 | 66.7% | -1.1% |
| 1970 | 66.4% | -0.5% |
| 1971 | 67.3% | +1.4% |
| 1972 | 68.2% | +1.3% |
| 1973 | 66.1% | -3.0% |
| 1974 | 67.5% | +2.2% |
| 1975 | 65.2% | -3.4% |
| 1976 | 65.9% | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 65.7% | -0.3% |
| 1978 | 65.9% | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 65.0% | -1.4% |
| 1980 | 63.9% | -1.6% |
| 1981 | 61.7% | -3.4% |
| 1982 | 65.7% | +6.5% |
| 1983 | 65.3% | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 65.3% | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 63.0% | -3.6% |
| 1986 | 64.7% | +2.7% |
| 1987 | 63.5% | -1.8% |
| 1988 | 61.7% | -2.9% |
| 1989 | 61.6% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 61.6% | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 58.7% | -4.7% |
| 1992 | 57.6% | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 57.6% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 60.4% | +4.8% |
| 1995 | 58.8% | -2.7% |
| 1996 | 58.9% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 60.3% | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 59.3% | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 59.9% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 58.9% | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 61.5% | +4.4% |
| 2002 | 58.8% | -4.3% |
| 2003 | 59.8% | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 59.7% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 59.4% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 59.1% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 58.4% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 53.3% | -8.7% |
| 2009 | 56.9% | +6.8% |
| 2010 | 54.7% | -3.9% |
| 2011 | 56.0% | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 59.0% | +5.4% |
| 2013 | 58.9% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 54.7% | -7.2% |
| 2015 | 54.3% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 55.2% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 55.4% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 55.4% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 53.1% | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 54.7% | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 55.5% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 52.6% | -5.2% |
| 2023 | 51.9% | -1.2% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 51.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 56.3%, 92% of the median. (63 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 51.9% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 60.3%, 86% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 65.1% | 61.7% | 67.4% | 9 |
| 1970s | 66.3% | 65.0% | 68.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 63.6% | 61.6% | 65.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 59.3% | 57.6% | 61.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.6% | 53.3% | 61.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 55.7% | 53.1% | 59.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.7% | 51.9% | 55.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More agriculture & rural data for United Kingdom
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.2731 % 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 0.0861 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.8055 % 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 0.2384 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0064 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 368.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.1852 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of cereals allocated to animal feed in United Kingdom?
- Share of cereals allocated to animal feed in United Kingdom was 51.9% 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 68.2% in 1972.
- What is the lowest share of cereals allocated to animal feed recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 51.9% in 2023.
- How does United Kingdom rank for share of cereals allocated to animal feed?
- United Kingdom ranks 58th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of cereals allocated to animal feed rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.