Sorghum — Area harvested in South Africa
South Africa: Sorghum — Area harvested was 42,100 ha in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Sorghum — Area harvested in South Africa, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in ha.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 42,100 ha for sorghum — area harvested in 2024.
That represents a change of up 23.8% on the previous year and down 46.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sorghum — area harvested in South Africa peaked at 640,000 ha in 1967 and was at its lowest, 28,800 ha, in 2018.
That places South Africa 47th out of 120 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Sorghum — Area harvested in South Africa, year by year
| Year | ha | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 328,000 ha | — |
| 1962 | 264,000 ha | -19.5% |
| 1963 | 501,000 ha | +89.8% |
| 1964 | 366,000 ha | -26.9% |
| 1965 | 483,000 ha | +32.0% |
| 1966 | 456,000 ha | -5.6% |
| 1967 | 640,000 ha | +40.4% |
| 1968 | 266,000 ha | -58.4% |
| 1969 | 255,000 ha | -4.1% |
| 1970 | 328,000 ha | +28.6% |
| 1971 | 380,000 ha | +15.9% |
| 1972 | 322,000 ha | -15.3% |
| 1973 | 214,000 ha | -33.5% |
| 1974 | 336,000 ha | +57.0% |
| 1975 | 254,000 ha | -24.4% |
| 1976 | 213,000 ha | -16.1% |
| 1977 | 283,000 ha | +32.9% |
| 1978 | 284,000 ha | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 250,000 ha | -12.0% |
| 1980 | 264,000 ha | +5.6% |
| 1981 | 219,000 ha | -17.0% |
| 1982 | 215,000 ha | -1.8% |
| 1983 | 247,000 ha | +14.9% |
| 1984 | 323,000 ha | +30.8% |
| 1985 | 354,000 ha | +9.6% |
| 1986 | 388,000 ha | +9.6% |
| 1987 | 401,000 ha | +3.4% |
| 1988 | 326,000 ha | -18.7% |
| 1989 | 228,000 ha | -30.1% |
| 1990 | 196,000 ha | -14.0% |
| 1991 | 166,000 ha | -15.3% |
| 1992 | 191,000 ha | +15.1% |
| 1993 | 239,000 ha | +25.1% |
| 1994 | 227,000 ha | -5.0% |
| 1995 | 143,000 ha | -37.0% |
| 1996 | 174,120 ha | +21.8% |
| 1997 | 161,000 ha | -7.5% |
| 1998 | 131,277 ha | -18.5% |
| 1999 | 98,900 ha | -24.7% |
| 2000 | 142,200 ha | +43.8% |
| 2001 | 88,000 ha | -38.1% |
| 2002 | 75,250 ha | -14.5% |
| 2003 | 95,497 ha | +26.9% |
| 2004 | 130,000 ha | +36.1% |
| 2005 | 86,500 ha | -33.5% |
| 2006 | 37,150 ha | -57.1% |
| 2007 | 69,000 ha | +85.7% |
| 2008 | 86,800 ha | +25.8% |
| 2009 | 85,500 ha | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 86,675 ha | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 69,200 ha | -20.2% |
| 2012 | 48,550 ha | -29.8% |
| 2013 | 62,620 ha | +29.0% |
| 2014 | 78,750 ha | +25.8% |
| 2015 | 70,500 ha | -10.5% |
| 2016 | 48,500 ha | -31.2% |
| 2017 | 42,350 ha | -12.7% |
| 2018 | 28,800 ha | -32.0% |
| 2019 | 50,500 ha | +75.3% |
| 2020 | 42,500 ha | -15.8% |
| 2021 | 49,200 ha | +15.8% |
| 2022 | 37,200 ha | -24.4% |
| 2023 | 34,000 ha | -8.6% |
| 2024 | 42,100 ha | +23.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 395,444 ha | 255,000 ha | 640,000 ha | 9 |
| 1970s | 286,400 ha | 213,000 ha | 380,000 ha | 10 |
| 1980s | 296,500 ha | 215,000 ha | 401,000 ha | 10 |
| 1990s | 172,730 ha | 98,900 ha | 239,000 ha | 10 |
| 2000s | 89,590 ha | 37,150 ha | 142,200 ha | 10 |
| 2010s | 58,644 ha | 28,800 ha | 86,675 ha | 10 |
| 2020s | 41,000 ha | 34,000 ha | 49,200 ha | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- 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)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3618 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture share gdp 2.83 (2025)
- Value added in the agricultural sector as of gdp vs gdp per capita 2.83 (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sorghum — area harvested in South Africa?
- Sorghum — area harvested in South Africa was 42,100 ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest sorghum — area harvested recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 640,000 ha in 1967.
- What is the lowest sorghum — area harvested recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 28,800 ha in 2018.
- How does South Africa rank for sorghum — area harvested?
- South Africa ranks 47th out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sorghum — area harvested rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 46.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Sorghum — Area harvested. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Crop and livestock statistics are recorded for 278 products, covering the following categories: 1) CROPS PRIMARY: Cereals, Citrus Fruit, Fibre Crops, Fruit, Oil Crops, Oil Crops and Cakes in Oil Equivalent, Pulses, Roots and Tubers, Sugar Crops, Treenuts and Vegetables. Data are expressed in terms of area harvested, production quantity and yield. Cereals: Area and production data on cereals relate to crops harvested for dry grain only. Cereal crops harvested for hay or harvested green for food, feed or silage or used for grazing are therefore excluded. 2) CROPS PROCESSED: Beer of barley; Cotton lint; Cottonseed; Margarine, short; Molasses; Oil, coconut (copra); Oil, cottonseed; Oil, groundnut; Oil, linseed; Oil, maize; Oil, olive, virgin; Oil, palm; Oil, palm kernel; Oil, rapeseed; Oil, safflower; Oil, sesame; Oil, soybean; Oil, sunflower; Palm kernels; Sugar Raw Centrifugal; Wine. 3) LIVE ANIMALS: Animals live n.e.s.; Asses; Beehives; Buffaloes; Camelids, other; Camels; Cattle; Chickens; Ducks; Geese and guinea fowls; Goats; Horses; Mules; Pigeons, other birds; Pigs; Rabbits and hares; Rodents, other; Sheep; Turkeys. 4) LIVESTOCK PRIMARY: Beeswax; Eggs (various types); Hides buffalo, fresh; Hides, cattle, fresh; Honey, natural; Meat (ass, bird nes, buffalo, camel, cattle, chicken, duck, game, goat, goose and guinea fowl, horse, mule, Meat nes, meat other camelids, Meat other rodents, pig, rabbit, sheep, turkey); Milk (buffalo, camel, cow, goat, sheep); Offals, nes; Silk-worm cocoons, reelable; Skins (goat, sheep); Snails, not sea; Wool, greasy. 5) LIVESTOCK PROCESSED: Butter (of milk from sheep, goat, buffalo, cow); Cheese (of milk from goat, buffalo, sheep, cow milk); Cheese of skimmed cow milk; Cream fresh; Ghee (cow and buffalo milk); Lard; Milk (dry buttermilk, skimmed condensed, skimmed cow, skimmed dried, skimmed evaporated, whole condensed, whole dried, whole evaporated); Silk raw; Tallow; Whey (condensed and dry); Yoghurt.