Wheat production in South Africa
South Africa: Wheat production was 2.00 million metric tons in 2011. ▲ Rising
Latest (2011)
2.00 million metric tons
Change on year
up 40.2%
World rank
5th
of 32 countries
All-time high
3.62 million metric tons
in 1988
All-time low
548,000 metric tons
in 1966
Years of data
51
1961–2011
Wheat production in South Africa, 1961–2011
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Measured in metric tons.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 2.00 million metric tons for wheat production in 2011.
The figure is up 40.2% on the previous year and down 19.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, wheat production in South Africa peaked at 3.62 million metric tons in 1988 and was at its lowest, 548,000 metric tons, in 1966.
That places South Africa 5th out of 32 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Wheat production in South Africa, year by year
| Year | metric tons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 871,000 metric tons | — |
| 1962 | 705,000 metric tons | -19.1% |
| 1963 | 880,000 metric tons | +24.8% |
| 1964 | 1.06 million metric tons | +20.5% |
| 1965 | 656,000 metric tons | -38.1% |
| 1966 | 548,000 metric tons | -16.5% |
| 1967 | 1.08 million metric tons | +96.5% |
| 1968 | 1.25 million metric tons | +15.8% |
| 1969 | 1.32 million metric tons | +5.5% |
| 1970 | 1.40 million metric tons | +6.1% |
| 1971 | 1.67 million metric tons | +19.6% |
| 1972 | 1.75 million metric tons | +4.6% |
| 1973 | 1.87 million metric tons | +7.2% |
| 1974 | 1.60 million metric tons | -14.7% |
| 1975 | 1.79 million metric tons | +12.3% |
| 1976 | 2.25 million metric tons | +25.4% |
| 1977 | 1.88 million metric tons | -16.4% |
| 1978 | 1.69 million metric tons | -10.0% |
| 1979 | 2.09 million metric tons | +23.3% |
| 1980 | 1.47 million metric tons | -29.5% |
| 1981 | 2.36 million metric tons | +60.1% |
| 1982 | 2.44 million metric tons | +3.7% |
| 1983 | 1.78 million metric tons | -27.0% |
| 1984 | 2.35 million metric tons | +31.5% |
| 1985 | 1.69 million metric tons | -27.8% |
| 1986 | 2.33 million metric tons | +37.8% |
| 1987 | 3.15 million metric tons | +35.2% |
| 1988 | 3.62 million metric tons | +14.8% |
| 1989 | 2.01 million metric tons | -44.5% |
| 1990 | 1.71 million metric tons | -15.0% |
| 1991 | 2.14 million metric tons | +25.3% |
| 1992 | 1.32 million metric tons | -38.2% |
| 1993 | 1.98 million metric tons | +49.8% |
| 1994 | 1.84 million metric tons | -7.2% |
| 1995 | 1.98 million metric tons | +7.4% |
| 1996 | 2.71 million metric tons | +37.2% |
| 1997 | 2.43 million metric tons | -10.4% |
| 1998 | 1.89 million metric tons | -22.1% |
| 1999 | 1.73 million metric tons | -8.4% |
| 2000 | 2.43 million metric tons | +40.1% |
| 2001 | 2.50 million metric tons | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 2.44 million metric tons | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 1.55 million metric tons | -36.5% |
| 2004 | 1.69 million metric tons | +9.1% |
| 2005 | 1.91 million metric tons | +12.9% |
| 2006 | 2.10 million metric tons | +10.5% |
| 2007 | 1.91 million metric tons | -9.5% |
| 2008 | 2.13 million metric tons | +11.8% |
| 2009 | 1.96 million metric tons | -8.1% |
| 2010 | 1.43 million metric tons | -27.0% |
| 2011 | 2.00 million metric tons | +40.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 928,889 metric tons | 548,000 metric tons | 1.32 million metric tons | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.80 million metric tons | 1.40 million metric tons | 2.25 million metric tons | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.32 million metric tons | 1.47 million metric tons | 3.62 million metric tons | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.97 million metric tons | 1.32 million metric tons | 2.71 million metric tons | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.06 million metric tons | 1.55 million metric tons | 2.50 million metric tons | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.72 million metric tons | 1.43 million metric tons | 2.00 million metric tons | 2 |
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 wheat production in South Africa?
- Wheat production in South Africa was 2.00 million metric tons in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.
- What is the highest wheat production recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 3.62 million metric tons in 1988.
- What is the lowest wheat production recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 548,000 metric tons in 1966.
- How does South Africa rank for wheat production?
- South Africa ranks 5th out of 32 countries with data for 2011.
- Is wheat production rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.9%. 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, electronic files and web site, published as part of Wheat production (metric tons). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Production data on wheat relate to crop harvested for dry grain only. Crop harvested for hay or harvested green for food, feed, or silage and those used for grazing are excluded.