Share of cereals allocated to industrial uses in South Korea
South Korea: Share of cereals allocated to industrial uses was 1.9% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Share of cereals allocated to industrial uses in South Korea, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 1.9% for share of cereals allocated to industrial uses in 2023.
The figure is up 12.3% on the previous year and up 150.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of cereals allocated to industrial uses in South Korea peaked at 2.6% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1986.
That places South Korea 77th out of 181 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of cereals allocated to industrial uses in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.1% | — |
| 1962 | 0.1% | -27.5% |
| 1963 | 0.1% | +28.0% |
| 1964 | 0.1% | +17.0% |
| 1965 | 0.1% | -5.6% |
| 1966 | 0.1% | +34.5% |
| 1967 | 0.3% | +126.4% |
| 1968 | 0.2% | -28.9% |
| 1969 | 0.3% | +53.5% |
| 1970 | 0.5% | +72.7% |
| 1971 | 0.6% | +23.3% |
| 1972 | 0.6% | +4.1% |
| 1973 | 0.7% | +13.5% |
| 1974 | 0.5% | -33.9% |
| 1975 | 0.6% | +20.3% |
| 1976 | 0.8% | +39.6% |
| 1977 | 1.1% | +31.7% |
| 1978 | 1.4% | +32.6% |
| 1979 | 1.5% | +4.1% |
| 1980 | 1.5% | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 0.3% | -79.0% |
| 1982 | 0.3% | +8.3% |
| 1983 | 0.5% | +37.8% |
| 1984 | 0.2% | -64.9% |
| 1985 | 0.2% | -4.6% |
| 1986 | 0.0% | -67.8% |
| 1987 | 0.1% | +19.8% |
| 1988 | 0.1% | -14.2% |
| 1989 | 0.2% | +243.1% |
| 1990 | 0.6% | +257.1% |
| 1991 | 0.5% | -24.7% |
| 1992 | 0.5% | +8.2% |
| 1993 | 0.3% | -32.6% |
| 1994 | 0.3% | -17.2% |
| 1995 | 0.2% | -20.3% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 0.3% | +11.4% |
| 1998 | 0.2% | -8.2% |
| 1999 | 0.4% | +60.6% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 0.4% | +5.4% |
| 2002 | 0.7% | +60.7% |
| 2003 | 0.7% | +5.7% |
| 2004 | 1.4% | +105.8% |
| 2005 | 1.1% | -24.9% |
| 2006 | 1.3% | +17.6% |
| 2007 | 0.9% | -28.0% |
| 2008 | 0.4% | -54.2% |
| 2009 | 0.4% | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 0.9% | +126.2% |
| 2011 | 1.2% | +27.8% |
| 2012 | 1.1% | -8.2% |
| 2013 | 0.8% | -29.5% |
| 2014 | 0.9% | +14.7% |
| 2015 | 1.0% | +14.5% |
| 2016 | 1.3% | +31.4% |
| 2017 | 2.6% | +95.9% |
| 2018 | 2.0% | -23.0% |
| 2019 | 1.7% | -17.5% |
| 2020 | 1.8% | +7.2% |
| 2021 | 1.7% | -5.8% |
| 2022 | 1.7% | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 1.9% | +12.3% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 1.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.5%, 76% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 1.9% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.1%, 1.8× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of cereals allocated to industrial uses in South Korea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | +257.1% | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| 1989 | +243.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.8% | 0.5% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.3% | 0.0% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8% | 0.4% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.4% | 0.8% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.8% | 1.7% | 1.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More agriculture & rural data for South Korea
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 0.2516 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0146 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 530.46 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.1591 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1883 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.8% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.9% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of cereals allocated to industrial uses in South Korea?
- Share of cereals allocated to industrial uses in South Korea was 1.9% 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 industrial uses recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.6% in 2017.
- What is the lowest share of cereals allocated to industrial uses recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1986.
- How does South Korea rank for share of cereals allocated to industrial uses?
- South Korea ranks 77th out of 181 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of cereals allocated to industrial uses rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 150.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea 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 industrial uses. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of cereals available for domestic consumption – after accounting for trade – that is allocated to other purposes (primarily industrial uses such as biofuel production), relative to the total allocated to human food, animal feed, and other uses. This excludes cereals used for seed, processing, and losses.