Food, beverages and tobacco in South Africa
South Africa: Food, beverages and tobacco was 22.2% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Food, beverages and tobacco in South Africa, 1963–2019
Source: International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics, UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Measured in % of value added in manufacturing.
Analysis
In 2019, food, beverages and tobacco in South Africa stood at 22.2%. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 12.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, food, beverages and tobacco in South Africa peaked at 22.2% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 12.3%, in 1980.
That places South Africa 91st out of 157 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Food, beverages and tobacco in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of value added in manufacturing | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 18.0% | — |
| 1964 | 17.2% | -4.5% |
| 1965 | 17.2% | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 15.6% | -9.6% |
| 1967 | 15.6% | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 15.1% | -3.0% |
| 1969 | 15.1% | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 14.7% | -2.5% |
| 1971 | 14.7% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 14.7% | -0.2% |
| 1973 | 14.5% | -1.2% |
| 1974 | 14.3% | -1.5% |
| 1975 | 14.3% | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 14.9% | +3.9% |
| 1977 | 14.9% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 13.5% | -9.1% |
| 1979 | 13.5% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 12.3% | -9.2% |
| 1981 | 12.9% | +5.2% |
| 1982 | 13.5% | +4.3% |
| 1983 | 13.5% | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 13.4% | -0.8% |
| 1985 | 14.5% | +8.4% |
| 1986 | 13.8% | -4.7% |
| 1987 | 14.8% | +6.6% |
| 1988 | 13.7% | -7.4% |
| 1989 | 12.9% | -5.8% |
| 1990 | 14.5% | +12.5% |
| 1991 | 17.1% | +18.1% |
| 1992 | 16.7% | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 17.6% | +5.8% |
| 1994 | 18.3% | +3.9% |
| 1995 | 16.0% | -12.8% |
| 1996 | 15.3% | -4.1% |
| 1998 | 18.6% | +21.9% |
| 1999 | 16.0% | -14.1% |
| 2000 | 15.5% | -3.4% |
| 2001 | 15.4% | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 15.3% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 16.0% | +4.3% |
| 2004 | 16.1% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 17.1% | +6.8% |
| 2006 | 18.4% | +7.5% |
| 2007 | 18.5% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 19.0% | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 19.7% | +3.7% |
| 2010 | 21.9% | +11.0% |
| 2011 | 22.2% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 22.2% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 22.2% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 22.2% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 22.2% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 22.2% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 22.2% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 22.2% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 22.2% | +0.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 22.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 32.6%, 68% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 22.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 56.3%, 39% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 16.2% | 15.1% | 18.0% | 7 |
| 1970s | 14.4% | 13.5% | 14.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 13.5% | 12.3% | 14.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.7% | 14.5% | 18.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 17.1% | 15.3% | 19.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.1% | 21.9% | 22.2% | 10 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More economy & growth data for South Africa
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.4836 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.4 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps -4.01 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0094 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -61.95 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled -2.16 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -192.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0.0051 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -33.37 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 16.18 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food, beverages and tobacco in South Africa?
- Food, beverages and tobacco in South Africa was 22.2% in 2019, according to International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics, UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
- What is the highest food, beverages and tobacco recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 22.2% in 2013.
- What is the lowest food, beverages and tobacco recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.3% in 1980.
- How does South Africa rank for food, beverages and tobacco?
- South Africa ranks 91st out of 157 countries with data for 2019.
- Is food, beverages and tobacco rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics, UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), published as part of Food, beverages and tobacco (% of value added in manufacturing). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Manufacturing of food, beverages, and tobacco includes industries classified in ISIC (Rev. 3) divisions 15 and 16. Value added is the contribution to the economy by a producer or an industry or an institutional sector, which is estimated by the total value of output produced and deducting the total value of intermediate consumption of goods and services used to produce that output. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of value added in manufacturing which is the contribution to the economy by the manufacturing sector (ISIC Rev. 3 major division D).