All Crops — Burning crop residues in South Africa

South Africa: All Crops — Burning crop residues was 4.87 million t in 2050. ▼ Falling

Latest (2050)
4.87 million t
World rank
19th
of 183 countries
All-time high
5.94 million t
in 1987
All-time low
2.54 million t
in 2006
Years of data
65
1961–2050

All Crops — Burning crop residues in South Africa, 1961–2050

02.0M4.0M6.0M196120052050

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in t.

Analysis

The most recent figure for all crops — burning crop residues in South Africa is 4.87 million t, measured in 2050.

Over the whole period, all crops — burning crop residues in South Africa peaked at 5.94 million t in 1987 and was at its lowest, 2.54 million t, in 2006.

South Africa ranks 19th of 183 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.

All Crops — Burning crop residues in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for All Crops — Burning crop residues (Biomass burned, dry matter) in South Africa, 1961 to 2050.
Year t Change
1961 4.74 million t
1962 4.95 million t +4.4%
1963 5.03 million t +1.4%
1964 5.05 million t +0.4%
1965 4.93 million t -2.3%
1966 4.81 million t -2.5%
1967 5.24 million t +9.0%
1968 5.52 million t +5.3%
1969 5.25 million t -4.8%
1970 5.30 million t +1.0%
1971 5.72 million t +8.0%
1972 5.89 million t +3.0%
1973 4.90 million t -16.8%
1974 5.69 million t +16.0%
1975 5.65 million t -0.7%
1976 5.90 million t +4.5%
1977 5.58 million t -5.5%
1978 5.31 million t -4.8%
1979 5.47 million t +3.0%
1980 5.35 million t -2.1%
1981 5.38 million t +0.5%
1982 5.64 million t +4.9%
1983 5.56 million t -1.5%
1984 5.79 million t +4.2%
1985 5.47 million t -5.6%
1986 5.79 million t +5.8%
1987 5.94 million t +2.7%
1988 5.72 million t -3.7%
1989 5.30 million t -7.3%
1990 4.96 million t -6.4%
1991 4.57 million t -7.9%
1992 4.65 million t +1.7%
1993 4.98 million t +7.2%
1994 5.27 million t +5.7%
1995 4.25 million t -19.3%
1996 4.47 million t +5.3%
1997 4.77 million t +6.6%
1998 4.07 million t -14.8%
1999 4.06 million t -0.2%
2000 4.60 million t +13.2%
2001 3.79 million t -17.5%
2002 4.12 million t +8.7%
2003 4.16 million t +1.1%
2004 3.74 million t -10.1%
2005 3.75 million t +0.3%
2006 2.54 million t -32.4%
2007 3.01 million t +18.4%
2008 3.29 million t +9.3%
2009 2.87 million t -12.8%
2010 3.14 million t +9.6%
2011 2.78 million t -11.6%
2012 3.07 million t +10.5%
2013 3.16 million t +2.8%
2014 3.06 million t -3.2%
2015 3.41 million t +11.5%
2016 2.58 million t -24.4%
2017 3.36 million t +30.2%
2018 3.02 million t -10.2%
2019 2.99 million t -0.8%
2020 3.27 million t +9.4%
2021 3.12 million t -4.7%
2022 3.02 million t -3.3%
2023 2.97 million t -1.5%
2030 4.58 million t +54.0%
2050 4.87 million t +6.4%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 4.87 million t is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 239,604 t, 20.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 4.87 million t is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 342,898 t, 14.2× the median. (42 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where All Crops — Burning crop residues in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2030 +54.0% 2.97 million t 4.58 million t

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 5.06 million t 4.74 million t 5.52 million t 9
1970s 5.54 million t 4.90 million t 5.90 million t 10
1980s 5.59 million t 5.30 million t 5.94 million t 10
1990s 4.60 million t 4.06 million t 5.27 million t 10
2000s 3.59 million t 2.54 million t 4.60 million t 10
2010s 3.06 million t 2.58 million t 3.41 million t 10
2020s 3.10 million t 2.97 million t 3.27 million t 4
2030s 4.58 million t 4.58 million t 4.58 million t 1
2050s 4.87 million t 4.87 million t 4.87 million t 1

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 16 Thailand 6.17 million t compare
  2. 16 Timor-Leste 136,748 t compare
  3. 17 Canada 5.38 million t compare
  4. 17 Melanesia 59,941 t compare
  5. 18 Micronesia (Federated States of) 97.34 t compare
  6. 18 Philippines 5.31 million t compare
  7. 18 Micronesia 97.34 t compare
  8. 20 Pakistan 4.86 million t compare
  9. 20 Polynesia 32.95 t compare
  10. 21 Ethiopia 4.80 million t compare
  11. 22 Ukraine 4.04 million t compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More climate change data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is all crops — burning crop residues in South Africa?
All crops — burning crop residues in South Africa was 4.87 million t in 2050, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest all crops — burning crop residues recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 5.94 million t in 1987.
What is the lowest all crops — burning crop residues recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 2.54 million t in 2006.
How does South Africa rank for all crops — burning crop residues?
South Africa ranks 19th out of 183 countries with data for 2050.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of All Crops — Burning crop residues (Biomass burned, dry matter). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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All Crops — Burning crop residues in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/all-crops-burning-crop-residues-biomass-burned-dry-matter-fao-tier-1/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
All Crops — Burning crop residues (Biomass burned, dry matter)
Unit
t
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
236 places, 13,817 data points, 1961–2050
Last refreshed

The FAOSTAT domain on Emissions from Crops provides estimates of emissions associated with crop processes, namely 1) crop residues, 2) burning of crop residues, and 3) rice cultivation and the application of nitrogen (N) fertilizers, including mineral and chemical fertilizers, to soils. Estimates are computed at Tier 1 following the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National greenhouse gas (GHG) Inventories (IPCC, 2006).