Commodity Origins

How much wool does South Africa produce and export?

South Africa is the nullth largest producer of wool: 43,355 tonnes in 2024, 2.6% of the world's 1.7 million tonnes (FAOSTAT). It is the 3rd largest exporter by value: $281.6 million in 2024, 10% of world exports of greasy and scoured wool (HS 5101) (CEPII BACI). Its biggest customer is China, which takes 68% of its wool exports by value.

All about wool · All about South Africa · Wool price history

South Africa's wool production

South Africa wool production, 2024
World rankProduction (tonnes)Share of worldTen-year growthYear
43,355 tonnes2.6%-0.4% a year2024

FAOSTAT Crops and livestock products (QCL), 2024. World total is the sum of reporting countries.

South Africa wool production monthly prices, tonnes, Jan 1961 to Jan 2024Line chart of south africa wool production monthly prices in tonnes from Jan 1961 to Jan 2024: South Africa wool production from 142,600 to 43,355, peaking at 151,500.050,000100,000150,000196519701975198019851990199520002005201020152020tonnes
South Africa wool production

Share of world output over time

South Africa's share of world wool production in selected years
19902000201020202024
2.9%2.2%2.2%2.6%2.6%

Average annual share by decade: 1960s 5.3%, 1970s 4.2%, 1980s 3.5%, 1990s 2.7%, 2000s 2.1%, 2010s 2.3%, 2020s 2.5%. See the concentration-over-time report.

South Africa's wool exports

South Africa exports of Wool, not carded or combed, 2024
World rankExport valueShare of world exportsQuantity (tonnes)Average value per tonneYear
3$281.6 million10%50,024 t$5,6292024

CEPII BACI international trade database (HS22, V202601), HS 5101 (Wool, not carded or combed).

Where South Africa's wool goes

Largest destinations of South Africa's wool exports, 2024
DestinationValueShare of South Africa's exports
China$192M68%
Czechia$31M11%
Germany$30M11%
Italy$15M5.5%
India$5M1.7%

Largest five destinations of 1,007 exporter-importer pairs BACI reports for 2024. See trade flows.

South Africa as a buyer of wool

South Africa imported $40.1 million of greasy and scoured wool (HS 5101) in 2024, 1.4% of world imports, ranked #7.

Import dependency · Supplier shifts

The wool price South Africa sells into

The benchmark price, Wool, fine 19 micron, Australian Wool Exchange spot, was 1,595¢/kg in August 2026, up 60% over twelve months. A single country's export price can differ from the benchmark: see trade price against benchmark. Monthly averages lag the market and are not investment advice. Wool price history.

Cite as: Commodity Origins, "South Africa wool: production, exports and prices", https://commodityorigins.com/countries/ZAF/wool/ (CC BY 4.0). Rankings count only countries reporting to the sources named; this page is shown only for top-five producers or exporters with at least 3% of the world total. Report an issue with this page.