Crop residue removal — Cropland nitrogen per unit area in South Africa
South Africa: Crop residue removal — Cropland nitrogen per unit area was 19.06 kg/ha in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Crop residue removal — Cropland nitrogen per unit area in South Africa, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in kg/ha.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 19.06 kg/ha for crop residue removal — cropland nitrogen per unit area in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 12.5% on the previous year and up 123.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, crop residue removal — cropland nitrogen per unit area in South Africa peaked at 19.06 kg/ha in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2.38 kg/ha, in 1992.
That places South Africa 33rd out of 186 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Crop residue removal — Cropland nitrogen per unit area in South Africa, year by year
| Year | kg/ha | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.14 kg/ha | — |
| 1962 | 3.24 kg/ha | +3.4% |
| 1963 | 3.19 kg/ha | -1.6% |
| 1964 | 2.54 kg/ha | -20.3% |
| 1965 | 2.63 kg/ha | +3.4% |
| 1966 | 2.89 kg/ha | +9.9% |
| 1967 | 4.86 kg/ha | +68.3% |
| 1968 | 2.8 kg/ha | -42.5% |
| 1969 | 2.94 kg/ha | +5.2% |
| 1970 | 3.26 kg/ha | +11.0% |
| 1971 | 4.19 kg/ha | +28.5% |
| 1972 | 4.46 kg/ha | +6.3% |
| 1973 | 2.67 kg/ha | -40.1% |
| 1974 | 5.34 kg/ha | +99.8% |
| 1975 | 4.53 kg/ha | -15.1% |
| 1976 | 3.78 kg/ha | -16.6% |
| 1977 | 4.86 kg/ha | +28.7% |
| 1978 | 5.12 kg/ha | +5.3% |
| 1979 | 4.31 kg/ha | -15.8% |
| 1980 | 5.61 kg/ha | +30.3% |
| 1981 | 7.21 kg/ha | +28.4% |
| 1982 | 4.41 kg/ha | -38.8% |
| 1983 | 2.57 kg/ha | -41.9% |
| 1984 | 2.81 kg/ha | +9.6% |
| 1985 | 4.33 kg/ha | +53.9% |
| 1986 | 4.26 kg/ha | -1.6% |
| 1987 | 4.24 kg/ha | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 4.37 kg/ha | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 6.14 kg/ha | +40.7% |
| 1990 | 5.14 kg/ha | -16.4% |
| 1991 | 5.09 kg/ha | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 2.38 kg/ha | -53.2% |
| 1993 | 5.31 kg/ha | +123.1% |
| 1994 | 6.36 kg/ha | +19.6% |
| 1995 | 3.39 kg/ha | -46.7% |
| 1996 | 5.72 kg/ha | +68.6% |
| 1997 | 5.27 kg/ha | -7.8% |
| 1998 | 5.05 kg/ha | -4.2% |
| 1999 | 4.96 kg/ha | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 6.07 kg/ha | +22.5% |
| 2001 | 5.13 kg/ha | -15.5% |
| 2002 | 5.77 kg/ha | +12.5% |
| 2003 | 5.17 kg/ha | -10.5% |
| 2004 | 5.57 kg/ha | +7.7% |
| 2005 | 6.53 kg/ha | +17.3% |
| 2006 | 5.95 kg/ha | -8.9% |
| 2007 | 5.15 kg/ha | -13.4% |
| 2008 | 7.19 kg/ha | +39.5% |
| 2009 | 7.58 kg/ha | +5.3% |
| 2010 | 7.29 kg/ha | -3.7% |
| 2011 | 7.46 kg/ha | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 8.23 kg/ha | +10.3% |
| 2013 | 8.53 kg/ha | +3.7% |
| 2014 | 10.48 kg/ha | +22.9% |
| 2015 | 8.37 kg/ha | -20.2% |
| 2016 | 8.8 kg/ha | +5.1% |
| 2017 | 13.45 kg/ha | +52.9% |
| 2018 | 12.72 kg/ha | -5.4% |
| 2019 | 11.72 kg/ha | -7.8% |
| 2020 | 14.79 kg/ha | +26.1% |
| 2021 | 16.93 kg/ha | +14.5% |
| 2022 | 16.94 kg/ha | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 19.06 kg/ha | +12.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.14 kg/ha | 2.54 kg/ha | 4.86 kg/ha | 9 |
| 1970s | 4.25 kg/ha | 2.67 kg/ha | 5.34 kg/ha | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.6 kg/ha | 2.57 kg/ha | 7.21 kg/ha | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.87 kg/ha | 2.38 kg/ha | 6.36 kg/ha | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.01 kg/ha | 5.13 kg/ha | 7.58 kg/ha | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.71 kg/ha | 7.29 kg/ha | 13.45 kg/ha | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.93 kg/ha | 14.79 kg/ha | 19.06 kg/ha | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More environment data for South Africa
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 5.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 8.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.275 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.05 °C (2025)
- Other paper and paperboard — Import quantity, annual growth rate 9.67 % change on previous year (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per capita 0.0074 t per person (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard — Import value, annual growth rate -4.84 % change on previous year (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard — Import value, per capita 0.0081 1000 USD per person (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard, not elsewhere specified — Import -37.67 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is crop residue removal — cropland nitrogen per unit area in South Africa?
- Crop residue removal — cropland nitrogen per unit area in South Africa was 19.06 kg/ha in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest crop residue removal — cropland nitrogen per unit area recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 19.06 kg/ha in 2023.
- What is the lowest crop residue removal — cropland nitrogen per unit area recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.38 kg/ha in 1992.
- How does South Africa rank for crop residue removal — cropland nitrogen per unit area?
- South Africa ranks 33rd out of 186 countries with data for 2023.
- Is crop residue removal — cropland nitrogen per unit area rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 123.4%. 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 Crop residue removal — Cropland nitrogen per unit area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The Cropland Nutrient balance domain contains information on the flows of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium from mineral fertilizer, manure applied, atmospheric deposition, crop removal, and biological fixation over cropland and per unit area of cropland. The flows are aggregated to total inputs and total outputs, from which the overall nutrient balance and nutrient use efficiency on cropland are calculated. Statistics are disseminated in units of tonnes and in kg/ha, as appropriate. Nutrient use efficiency is expressed as a fraction (%).