Seed cotton production in Afghanistan
In 2024 Afghanistan produced 120,508 t of seed cotton, the 28th largest in the world (0.17% of the world total). Over ten years it grew by 181%. The record was 164,000 t in 1975. Area harvested: 91,205 ha, yield 1.3 t/ha.
The 2024 figure is imputed by FAO.
- Production, 2024
- 120,508 t
- World rank
- 28 of 83
- 10-year change
- +181%
- Record
- 164,000 t
- 1975
Seed cotton in Afghanistan, 1961–2024 (tonnes)
Afghanistan compared with the world, 2024
- Share of world total
- 0.17%
- 0.06% in 2014
- Yield, t/ha
- 1.3
- world 2.4 (−44%)
- kg per person
- 2.83
- world 8.92
- 10-year change
- +181%
- world −4.3%
Position in the world ranking
| # | Country | Tonnes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Ethiopia | 178,704 | 0.25% |
| 27 | Uganda | 149,308 | 0.21% |
| 28 | Afghanistan | 120,508 | 0.17% |
| 29 | Iran | 120,000 | 0.16% |
| 30 | Syria | 93,144 | 0.13% |
Map of world production of seed cotton
Share of the world total; Afghanistan is outlined. Small island states are not drawn at this scale.
By year
| Year | Tonnes | Change | Area harvested, ha | Yield, t/ha |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 120,508 | −1.6% | 91,205 | 1.32 |
| 2023 | 122,455 | +69% | 93,630 | 1.31 |
| 2022 | 72,493 | −6.7% | 54,896 | 1.32 |
| 2021 | 77,680 | +4.9% | 56,882 | 1.37 |
| 2020 | 74,062 | +1.3% | 56,740 | 1.31 |
| 2019 | 73,120 | +27% | 49,371 | 1.48 |
| 2018 | 57,450 | +56% | 39,496 | 1.45 |
| 2017 | 36,770 | −38% | 31,845 | 1.15 |
| 2016 | 58,996 | +17% | 51,102 | 1.15 |
| 2015 | 50,482 | +18% | 42,124 | 1.20 |
| 2014 | 42,829 | +1.6% | 35,000 | 1.22 |
| 2013 | 42,173 | +16% | 36,300 | 1.16 |
| 2012 | 36,300 | +10% | 33,000 | 1.10 |
| 2011 | 33,000 | 0.0% | 33,000 | 1.00 |
| 2010 | 33,000 | −23% | 33,000 | 1.00 |
| 2009 | 42,872 | +22% | 33,000 | 1.30 |
| 2008 | 35,000 | −0.1% | 35,000 | 1.00 |
| 2007 | 35,051 | +9.5% | 35,000 | 1.00 |
| 2006 | 32,000 | −3.0% | 31,950 | 1.00 |
| 2005 | 33,000 | +18% | 30,000 | 1.10 |
| 2004 | 28,000 | −15% | 25,500 | 1.10 |
| 2003 | 33,000 | −42% | 30,000 | 1.10 |
| 2002 | 57,000 | 0.0% | 50,000 | 1.14 |
| 2001 | 57,000 | 0.0% | 50,000 | 1.14 |
| 2000 | 57,000 | −16% | 50,000 | 1.14 |
| 1999 | 68,000 | 0.0% | 60,000 | 1.13 |
| 1998 | 68,000 | 0.0% | 60,000 | 1.13 |
| 1997 | 68,000 | 0.0% | 60,000 | 1.13 |
| 1996 | 68,000 | 0.0% | 60,000 | 1.13 |
| 1995 | 68,000 | 0.0% | 60,000 | 1.13 |
| 1994 | 68,000 | 0.0% | 60,000 | 1.13 |
| 1993 | 68,000 | 0.0% | 60,000 | 1.13 |
| 1992 | 68,000 | 0.0% | 60,000 | 1.13 |
| 1991 | 68,000 | +134% | 60,000 | 1.13 |
| 1990 | 29,000 | −19% | 28,000 | 1.04 |
| 1989 | 36,000 | −20% | 55,000 | 0.65 |
| 1988 | 45,000 | +13% | 45,000 | 1.00 |
| 1987 | 40,000 | −38% | 40,000 | 1.00 |
| 1986 | 65,000 | +16% | 69,300 | 0.94 |
| 1985 | 56,000 | −20% | 75,000 | 0.75 |
| 1984 | 70,000 | +37% | 68,000 | 1.03 |
| 1983 | 51,000 | +11% | 68,000 | 0.75 |
| 1982 | 46,000 | −26% | 66,700 | 0.69 |
| 1981 | 62,000 | −7.5% | 73,000 | 0.85 |
| 1980 | 67,000 | −38% | 45,000 | 1.49 |
| 1979 | 108,000 | −20% | 84,000 | 1.29 |
| 1978 | 135,000 | −3.6% | 112,000 | 1.21 |
| 1977 | 140,000 | −14% | 128,000 | 1.09 |
| 1976 | 163,000 | −0.6% | 128,000 | 1.27 |
| 1975 | 164,000 | +10% | 112,000 | 1.46 |
| 1974 | 149,000 | +34% | 138,000 | 1.08 |
| 1973 | 111,000 | +85% | 74,800 | 1.48 |
| 1972 | 60,000 | −7.7% | 51,600 | 1.16 |
| 1971 | 65,000 | −17% | 54,000 | 1.20 |
| 1970 | 78,000 | −11% | 54,300 | 1.44 |
| 1969 | 88,000 | +21% | 55,000 | 1.60 |
| 1968 | 73,000 | +2.8% | 54,600 | 1.34 |
| 1967 | 71,000 | +13% | 52,800 | 1.34 |
| 1966 | 63,000 | −18% | 48,000 | 1.31 |
| 1965 | 77,000 | −3.8% | 80,939 | 0.95 |
| 1964 | 80,000 | −29% | 121,408 | 0.66 |
| 1963 | 113,000 | +41% | 121,408 | 0.93 |
| 1962 | 80,000 | +53% | 91,056 | 0.88 |
| 1961 | 52,300 | — | 76,892 | 0.68 |
Questions and answers
What is the production of seed cotton in Afghanistan?
Afghanistan produced 120,508 t in 2024, 0.17% of the world total, according to FAOSTAT.
Where does Afghanistan rank in the world for production of seed cotton?
Afghanistan ranked 28th of 83 countries in 2024. The largest producer was China with 25.7% of the world total.
How has the production of seed cotton in Afghanistan changed?
It rose by 181% between 2014 and 2024, compared with −4.3% for the world. The record was 164,000 t in 1975.
What is the yield of seed cotton in Afghanistan?
1.3 tonnes per hectare in 2024 (120,508 t from 91,205 ha), against a world average of 2.4 t/ha.
Where does this data come from?
From FAOSTAT, the statistics database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; the 2024 figure for Afghanistan is imputed by FAO. Shares, ranks and per-person figures are calculated by Husfarm.
Other large producers
Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products. Accessed on 4 November 2026. fao.org/faostat. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Charts, rankings and changes calculated by Husfarm.