All sugar crops production in South Africa
In 2024 South Africa produced 16.7 million t of all sugar crops, the 19th largest in the world (0.75% of the world total). Over ten years it fell by 5.7%. The record was 23.9 million t in 2000. Area harvested: 242,267 ha, yield 69.1 t/ha.
- Production, 2024
- 16.7 million t
- World rank
- 19 of 137
- 10-year change
- −5.7%
- Record
- 23.9 million t
- 2000
All sugar crops in South Africa, 1961–2024 (tonnes)
South Africa compared with the world, 2024
- Share of world total
- 0.75%
- 0.82% in 2014
- Yield, t/ha
- 69.1
- world 70.9 (−2.5%)
- kg per person
- 262
- world 274
- 10-year change
- −5.7%
- world +3.5%
Position in the world ranking
| # | Country | Tonnes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Philippines | 18,694,653 | 0.84% |
| 18 | Poland | 18,430,330 | 0.82% |
| 19 | South Africa | 16,741,000 | 0.75% |
| 20 | Iran | 14,239,057 | 0.64% |
| 21 | Ukraine | 12,798,210 | 0.57% |
Map of world production of sugar crops
Share of the world total; South Africa is outlined. Small island states are not drawn at this scale.
By year
| Year | Tonnes | Change | Area harvested, ha | Yield, t/ha |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 16,741,000 | −6.7% | 242,267 | 69.10 |
| 2023 | 17,944,000 | +0.2% | 264,487 | 67.84 |
| 2022 | 17,911,000 | +4.1% | 258,403 | 69.31 |
| 2021 | 17,199,000 | −5.6% | 239,152 | 71.92 |
| 2020 | 18,220,000 | −5.3% | 249,250 | 73.10 |
| 2019 | 19,242,000 | −0.3% | 275,942 | 69.73 |
| 2018 | 19,301,688 | +11% | 276,840 | 69.72 |
| 2017 | 17,388,177 | +15% | 253,912 | 68.48 |
| 2016 | 15,074,610 | +1.4% | 249,920 | 60.32 |
| 2015 | 14,861,401 | −16% | 258,490 | 57.49 |
| 2014 | 17,755,537 | −11% | 272,930 | 65.06 |
| 2013 | 20,032,969 | +16% | 265,939 | 75.33 |
| 2012 | 17,278,000 | +2.8% | 257,094 | 67.20 |
| 2011 | 16,800,277 | +4.9% | 252,804 | 66.46 |
| 2010 | 16,015,649 | −14% | 271,080 | 59.08 |
| 2009 | 18,655,088 | −3.1% | 278,133 | 67.07 |
| 2008 | 19,255,404 | −2.4% | 287,380 | 67.00 |
| 2007 | 19,723,916 | −2.7% | 307,380 | 64.17 |
| 2006 | 20,278,603 | −3.7% | 305,600 | 66.36 |
| 2005 | 21,052,266 | +10% | 318,856 | 66.02 |
| 2004 | 19,094,760 | −6.5% | 316,010 | 60.42 |
| 2003 | 20,418,932 | −11% | 325,956 | 62.64 |
| 2002 | 23,012,554 | +8.8% | 321,234 | 71.64 |
| 2001 | 21,156,536 | −11% | 325,704 | 64.96 |
| 2000 | 23,876,162 | +13% | 322,858 | 73.95 |
| 1999 | 21,223,100 | −7.4% | 313,294 | 67.74 |
| 1998 | 22,930,324 | +3.5% | 316,357 | 72.48 |
| 1997 | 22,154,776 | +5.7% | 296,576 | 74.70 |
| 1996 | 20,950,896 | +25% | 299,655 | 69.92 |
| 1995 | 16,713,650 | +6.6% | 273,112 | 61.20 |
| 1994 | 15,683,277 | +39% | 284,237 | 55.18 |
| 1993 | 11,244,445 | −13% | 269,677 | 41.70 |
| 1992 | 12,955,409 | −35% | 268,301 | 48.29 |
| 1991 | 20,077,969 | +11% | 276,015 | 72.74 |
| 1990 | 18,083,488 | −2.7% | 264,687 | 68.32 |
| 1989 | 18,587,000 | −6.2% | 258,495 | 71.90 |
| 1988 | 19,811,008 | −5.8% | 276,420 | 71.67 |
| 1987 | 21,021,008 | +15% | 274,254 | 76.65 |
| 1986 | 18,252,000 | −2.9% | 275,727 | 66.20 |
| 1985 | 18,803,008 | −16% | 266,440 | 70.57 |
| 1984 | 22,356,000 | +67% | 273,014 | 81.89 |
| 1983 | 13,422,876 | −31% | 232,027 | 57.85 |
| 1982 | 19,339,488 | −1.0% | 266,289 | 72.63 |
| 1981 | 19,532,128 | +39% | 257,562 | 75.83 |
| 1980 | 14,062,204 | −24% | 212,627 | 66.14 |
| 1979 | 18,412,000 | −2.7% | 218,101 | 84.42 |
| 1978 | 18,931,776 | −0.4% | 212,136 | 89.24 |
| 1977 | 19,009,024 | −1.1% | 217,073 | 87.57 |
| 1976 | 19,220,608 | +14% | 201,400 | 95.43 |
| 1975 | 16,813,536 | −0.5% | 186,569 | 90.12 |
| 1974 | 16,895,328 | +9.3% | 187,350 | 90.18 |
| 1973 | 15,453,687 | −8.0% | 180,684 | 85.53 |
| 1972 | 16,804,640 | +0.3% | 180,404 | 93.15 |
| 1971 | 16,751,114 | +38% | 183,237 | 91.42 |
| 1970 | 12,143,897 | −18% | 165,444 | 73.40 |
| 1969 | 14,787,864 | +7.8% | 184,727 | 80.05 |
| 1968 | 13,719,694 | −19% | 182,118 | 75.33 |
| 1967 | 16,913,456 | +20% | 200,125 | 84.51 |
| 1966 | 14,102,760 | +68% | 173,907 | 81.09 |
| 1965 | 8,406,000 | −21% | 152,190 | 55.23 |
| 1964 | 10,661,000 | +7.3% | 132,856 | 80.24 |
| 1963 | 9,939,000 | +1.9% | 121,033 | 82.12 |
| 1962 | 9,751,000 | +15% | 96,000 | 101.57 |
| 1961 | 8,513,000 | — | 96,000 | 88.68 |
Questions and answers
What is the production of sugar crops in South Africa?
South Africa produced 16.7 million t in 2024, 0.75% of the world total, according to FAOSTAT.
Where does South Africa rank in the world for production of sugar crops?
South Africa ranked 19th of 137 countries in 2024. The largest producer was Brazil with 34.0% of the world total.
How has the production of sugar crops in South Africa changed?
It fell by 5.7% between 2014 and 2024, compared with +3.5% for the world. The record was 23.9 million t in 2000.
What is the yield of sugar crops in South Africa?
69.1 tonnes per hectare in 2024 (16.7 million t from 242,267 ha), against a world average of 70.9 t/ha.
Where does this data come from?
From FAOSTAT, the statistics database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 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.