Herbicides — Agricultural Use in South Africa
South Africa: Herbicides — Agricultural Use was 14,368 t in 2024. ▲ Rising
Herbicides — Agricultural Use in South Africa, 1990–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in t.
Analysis
The most recent figure for herbicides — agricultural use in South Africa is 14,368 t, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.1% on the previous year and up 6.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, herbicides — agricultural use in South Africa peaked at 15,027 t in 2021 and was at its lowest, 7,318 t, in 1994.
South Africa ranks 15th of 194 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Herbicides — Agricultural Use in South Africa, year by year
| Year | t | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 7,618 t | — |
| 1991 | 7,608 t | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 7,567 t | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 7,469 t | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 7,318 t | -2.0% |
| 1995 | 7,769 t | +6.2% |
| 1996 | 8,222 t | +5.8% |
| 1997 | 8,911 t | +8.4% |
| 1998 | 9,764 t | +9.6% |
| 1999 | 10,137 t | +3.8% |
| 2000 | 10,045 t | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 9,359 t | -6.8% |
| 2002 | 9,697 t | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 9,669 t | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 9,869 t | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 10,470 t | +6.1% |
| 2006 | 10,125 t | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 10,390 t | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 11,661 t | +12.2% |
| 2009 | 11,497 t | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 11,846 t | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 11,753 t | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 12,127 t | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 12,807 t | +5.6% |
| 2014 | 13,534 t | +5.7% |
| 2015 | 13,306 t | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 12,644 t | -5.0% |
| 2017 | 13,924 t | +10.1% |
| 2018 | 13,759 t | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 13,801 t | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 14,682 t | +6.4% |
| 2021 | 15,027 t | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 14,894 t | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 14,822 t | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 14,368 t | -3.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 14,368 t is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 528.5 t, 27.2× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 14,368 t is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 317.5 t, 45.3× the median. (38 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8,238 t | 7,318 t | 10,137 t | 10 |
| 2000s | 10,278 t | 9,359 t | 11,661 t | 10 |
| 2010s | 12,950 t | 11,753 t | 13,924 t | 10 |
| 2020s | 14,759 t | 14,368 t | 15,027 t | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 12 Colombia 19,109 t compare
- 12 Syrian Arab Republic 320 t compare
- 13 Lao People's Democratic Republic 123 t compare
- 13 Spain 17,806 t compare
- 14 Germany 14,422 t compare
- 14 Timor-Leste 44 t compare
- 15 Micronesia (Federated States of) 8 t compare
- 16 Ukraine 14,222 t compare
- 16 Wallis and Futuna Islands 7 t compare
- 17 Nigeria 14,174 t compare
- 17 United Republic of Tanzania 0 t compare
- 18 Uruguay 13,574 t compare
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)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 0.2953 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is herbicides — agricultural use in South Africa?
- Herbicides — agricultural use in South Africa was 14,368 t in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest herbicides — agricultural use recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 15,027 t in 2021.
- What is the lowest herbicides — agricultural use recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 7,318 t in 1994.
- How does South Africa rank for herbicides — agricultural use?
- South Africa ranks 15th out of 194 countries with data for 2024.
- Is herbicides — agricultural use rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.2%. 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 of the United Nations, published as part of Herbicides — Agricultural Use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The FAOSTAT Pesticides Use domain contains statistics on the agricultural use of major pesticide groups and of relevant chemical families. Data are disseminated by country, with global coverage and are updated annually. The FAOSTAT Pesticides Use domain contains information on the use of major pesticide groups:1. Insecticides (Chlorinated hydrocarbons, Organo-phosphates, Carbamates-insecticides, Pyrethroids, Botanical and biological products and Others not elsewhere classified);2. Mineral Oils;3. Herbicides (Phenoxy hormone products, Triazines, Amides, Carbamates-herbicides, Dinitroanilines, Urea derivatives, Sulfonyl urea, Bipiridils, Uracil, Others not elsewhere classified);4. Fungicides and Bactericides (Inorganic, Dithiocarbamates, Benzimidazoles, Triazoles, Diazoles, Diazines, Morpholines, Others not elsewhere classified);5. Plant Growth Regulators;6. Rodenticides (Anti-coagulants, Cyanide Generators, Hypercalcaemics, Narcotics, Others not elsewhere classified);7. Other Pesticides NES (not elsewhere specified).