– Egg Production refers to the total quantity of eggs produced by poultry within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes.
South Africa Egg Production was 433 Thousand Tonnes in 2024, down 9.8% on 2023. The South Africa Egg Production dataset provides a comprehensive assessment of the country's egg production performance and poultry farming trends between 2015 and 2024. Measured in Thousand Tonnes, the dataset serves as an important benchmark for evaluating poultry productivity, agricultural output, food supply capacity, and the overall development of South Africa's egg industry.
South Africa Egg Production moved from 523.1 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 433 Thousand Tonnes in 2024 (−17.2%), an average of −2.1% a year. The series high was 594 Thousand Tonnes in 2020 and the low 433 Thousand Tonnes in 2024.
The gap between the series high (2020) and low (2024) is 161 Thousand Tonnes. The sharpest single-year move was +18.8% in 2019.
Among the 32 countries in this dataset, South Africa ranks 23 for 2024, behind China (35,880 Thousand Tonnes) and India (8,102 Thousand Tonnes). It accounts for 0.4% of the global total in 2024.
Full series
Complete annual series with year-on-year change. Values are reported in Thousand Tonnes.
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| Year | Thousand Tonnes | Change vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Trough | 433 | −9.8% |
| 2023 | 480 | −14.6% |
| 2022 | 562 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 549 | −7.6% |
| 2020Peak | 594 | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 565 | +18.8% |
| 2018 | 475.6 | +6.9% |
| 2017 | 445.1 | −6.9% |
| 2016 | 477.9 | −8.6% |
| 2015 | 523.1 | — |
Regional context
Egg Production by country, 2024, Thousand Tonnes. South Africa is highlighted.
Data definition
Egg Production — – Egg Production refers to the total quantity of eggs produced by poultry within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes. The indicator reflects the scale of poultry farming, livestock productivity, and the contribution of egg production to the agricultural and food sectors. It is used to assess domestic food production, protein supply, and the performance of the poultry industry. The data presented by Our World in Data is based on statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The data includes the annual production of hen eggs and other poultry eggs intended for human consumption, food processing, and industrial food applications. It covers eggs produced by commercial poultry farms as well as other officially reported poultry production systems. The figures represent gross domestic egg production compiled from official agricultural statistics and standardized by the FAO to enable international comparison across countries and years.
The data excludes hatching eggs intended solely for breeding, processed egg products such as liquid, dried, or powdered eggs, egg imports and exports, poultry meat production, live poultry inventories, and post-production losses. It also excludes informal or unrecorded production not captured in official agricultural statistics and eggs produced by wild birds or other non-commercial sources not included in national agricultural reporting.
Egg Production — – Egg Production refers to the total quantity of eggs produced by poultry within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes. The indicator reflects the scale of poultry farming, livestock productivity, and the contribution of egg production to the agricultural and food sectors. It is used to assess domestic food production, protein supply, and the performance of the poultry industry. The data presented by Our World in Data is based on statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Based on the validated data, South Africa's egg production experienced considerable fluctuations throughout the study period, reflecting changes in production conditions, disease outbreaks, and market dynamics. Egg production declined from 523.09 thousand tonnes in 2015 to 477.93 thousand tonnes in 2016 and 445.10 thousand tonnes in 2017. Output recovered to 475.62 thousand tonnes in 2018 before increasing significantly to 565.00 thousand tonnes in 2019 and 594.00 thousand tonnes in 2020, representing the highest production level during the study period. Production declined to 549.00 thousand tonnes in 2021 and recovered modestly to 562.00 thousand tonnes in 2022. Output then fell sharply to 480.00 thousand tonnes in 2023 and further to 433.00 thousand tonnes in 2024, marking the lowest production level recorded during the study period. The overall trend indicates significant volatility, highlighting the sensitivity of the country's poultry industry to production and market challenges.
The dataset provides valuable insights into South Africa's egg production trends, poultry farming performance, and agricultural supply chain development. It supports historical trend analysis, production benchmarking, market assessment, and forecasting of future egg supply. Farmers, poultry producers, food manufacturers, retailers, exporters, policymakers, investors, researchers, and industry stakeholders can use the dataset to evaluate production performance, identify operational risks, improve production planning, and strengthen supply chain resilience. The data is also valuable for assessing South Africa's agricultural development, supporting innovation in poultry farming, improving production efficiency, enhancing food security, and promoting sustainable development across the poultry and food processing industries.
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Definition – Egg Production refers to the total quantity of eggs produced by poultry within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes. The indicator reflects the scale of poultry farming, livestock productivity, and the contribution of egg production to the agricultural and food sectors. It is used to assess domestic food production, protein supply, and the performance of the poultry industry. The data presented by Our World in Data is based on statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
South Africa Egg Production was 433 Thousand Tonnes in 2024, down 9.8% on 2023.
South Africa Egg Production moved from 523.1 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 433 Thousand Tonnes in 2024 (−17.2%), an average of −2.1% a year. The series high was 594 Thousand Tonnes in 2020 and the low 433 Thousand Tonnes in 2024.
The highest value was 594 Thousand Tonnes in 2020 and the lowest was 433 Thousand Tonnes in 2024.
Included: The data includes the annual production of hen eggs and other poultry eggs intended for human consumption, food processing, and industrial food applications. It covers eggs produced by commercial poultry farms as well as other officially reported poultry production systems. The figures represent gross domestic egg production compiled from official agricultural statistics and standardized by the FAO to enable international comparison across countries and years. Excluded: The data excludes hatching eggs intended solely for breeding, processed egg products such as liquid, dried, or powdered eggs, egg imports and exports, poultry meat production, live poultry inventories, and post-production losses. It also excludes informal or unrecorded production not captured in official agricultural statistics and eggs produced by wild birds or other non-commercial sources not included in national agricultural reporting.
The series is sourced from Our World in Data (https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/global-food?time=2023&country=USA~DEU~FRA~GBR~BRA~ZAF%3BhideControls&Food=Eggs%2C+total&Metric=Production&Per+capita=false). It covers 2015–2024 and is reported in Thousand Tonnes.
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