Wheat — Yield in South Africa
South Africa: Wheat — Yield was 3,809 kg/ha in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Wheat — Yield in South Africa, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in kg/ha.
Analysis
In 2024, wheat — yield in South Africa stood at 3,809 kg/ha.
The figure is up 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, wheat — yield in South Africa peaked at 4,365 kg/ha in 2021 and was at its lowest, 482.4 kg/ha, in 1965.
South Africa ranks 47th of 124 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Wheat — Yield in South Africa, year by year
| Year | kg/ha | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 619 kg/ha | — |
| 1962 | 512.7 kg/ha | -17.2% |
| 1963 | 579.3 kg/ha | +13.0% |
| 1964 | 803.6 kg/ha | +38.7% |
| 1965 | 482.4 kg/ha | -40.0% |
| 1966 | 483.2 kg/ha | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 829.7 kg/ha | +71.7% |
| 1968 | 746.7 kg/ha | -10.0% |
| 1969 | 711.4 kg/ha | -4.7% |
| 1970 | 723.3 kg/ha | +1.7% |
| 1971 | 830.8 kg/ha | +14.9% |
| 1972 | 865.6 kg/ha | +4.2% |
| 1973 | 924 kg/ha | +6.7% |
| 1974 | 855.8 kg/ha | -7.4% |
| 1975 | 974.4 kg/ha | +13.9% |
| 1976 | 1,148 kg/ha | +17.8% |
| 1977 | 1,028 kg/ha | -10.4% |
| 1978 | 892.9 kg/ha | -13.1% |
| 1979 | 1,097 kg/ha | +22.8% |
| 1980 | 904.7 kg/ha | -17.5% |
| 1981 | 1,300 kg/ha | +43.7% |
| 1982 | 1,214 kg/ha | -6.6% |
| 1983 | 980.8 kg/ha | -19.2% |
| 1984 | 1,208 kg/ha | +23.2% |
| 1985 | 853.8 kg/ha | -29.3% |
| 1986 | 1,199 kg/ha | +40.4% |
| 1987 | 1,803 kg/ha | +50.4% |
| 1988 | 1,802 kg/ha | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 1,091 kg/ha | -39.5% |
| 1990 | 1,093 kg/ha | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 1,492 kg/ha | +36.4% |
| 1992 | 1,765 kg/ha | +18.3% |
| 1993 | 1,845 kg/ha | +4.5% |
| 1994 | 1,756 kg/ha | -4.8% |
| 1995 | 1,451 kg/ha | -17.4% |
| 1996 | 2,096 kg/ha | +44.5% |
| 1997 | 1,758 kg/ha | -16.2% |
| 1998 | 2,530 kg/ha | +43.9% |
| 1999 | 2,414 kg/ha | -4.6% |
| 2000 | 2,600 kg/ha | +7.7% |
| 2001 | 2,571 kg/ha | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 2,591 kg/ha | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 2,068 kg/ha | -20.2% |
| 2004 | 2,032 kg/ha | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 2,366 kg/ha | +16.4% |
| 2006 | 2,752 kg/ha | +16.3% |
| 2007 | 3,014 kg/ha | +9.5% |
| 2008 | 2,848 kg/ha | -5.5% |
| 2009 | 3,048 kg/ha | +7.0% |
| 2010 | 2,562 kg/ha | -15.9% |
| 2011 | 3,316 kg/ha | +29.4% |
| 2012 | 3,748 kg/ha | +13.0% |
| 2013 | 3,699 kg/ha | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 3,672 kg/ha | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 2,987 kg/ha | -18.7% |
| 2016 | 3,757 kg/ha | +25.8% |
| 2017 | 3,122 kg/ha | -16.9% |
| 2018 | 3,711 kg/ha | +18.9% |
| 2019 | 2,843 kg/ha | -23.4% |
| 2020 | 4,158 kg/ha | +46.3% |
| 2021 | 4,365 kg/ha | +5.0% |
| 2022 | 3,723 kg/ha | -14.7% |
| 2023 | 3,811 kg/ha | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 3,809 kg/ha | -0.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 3,809 kg/ha is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2,753 kg/ha, 1.4× the median. (29 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 3,809 kg/ha is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,725 kg/ha, 2.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 640.89 kg/ha | 482.4 kg/ha | 829.7 kg/ha | 9 |
| 1970s | 933.89 kg/ha | 723.3 kg/ha | 1,148 kg/ha | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,236 kg/ha | 853.8 kg/ha | 1,803 kg/ha | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,820 kg/ha | 1,093 kg/ha | 2,530 kg/ha | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,589 kg/ha | 2,032 kg/ha | 3,048 kg/ha | 10 |
| 2010s | 3,342 kg/ha | 2,562 kg/ha | 3,757 kg/ha | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,973 kg/ha | 3,723 kg/ha | 4,365 kg/ha | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 44 Republic of Korea 3,920 kg/ha compare
- 45 Norway 3,886 kg/ha compare
- 46 Belarus 3,819 kg/ha compare
- 48 Bangladesh 3,761 kg/ha compare
- 49 Switzerland 3,669 kg/ha compare
- 50 Italy 3,660 kg/ha compare
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)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is wheat — yield in South Africa?
- Wheat — yield in South Africa was 3,809 kg/ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest wheat — yield recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 4,365 kg/ha in 2021.
- What is the lowest wheat — yield recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 482.4 kg/ha in 1965.
- How does South Africa rank for wheat — yield?
- South Africa ranks 47th out of 124 countries with data for 2024.
- Is wheat — yield rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.7%. 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 Wheat — Yield. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.