Production of food and feed over the years

The dataset analysis reveals a significant disparity between the production of food and feed over time. The production of food has experienced a remarkable increase, which surpasses the production increase of feed. In just over 50 years, the production of food has more than tripled while feed production has only slightly doubled.

To narrow the focus on the final year of production, 2013, two separate graphs are presented to differentiate food and feed production. The purpose is to identify the 15 highest-producing elements and the respective countries of origin for each category.

Top 15 food elements with the highest production values and which countries produced them

This graph depicts the 15 largest food productions of 2013, involving 9 different foods produced by 3 countries. The majority of the commonly produced food items are plant-based, indicating that the mass production of such foods may have been more widespread and easier to achieve than animal-based products.

China was a clear leader in food production in terms of both quantity and variety of elements produced. Notably, China produced 'Vegetables' and 'Vegetables, Other' at more than 4 times the rate of India, the second largest producer of these two foods. It is unclear which specific foods are encompassed by these categories, but they are the most produced foods overall.

Despite having a population comparable to China, India only matches China's production levels for cereals such as rice and wheat. This suggests that there may have been differences in the deployment of technologies or resources towards food production in 2013.

The United States of America mainly produced dairy products, but at lower levels than India. This is noteworthy given the significant population difference between the two countries, and may indicate that a substantial portion of American dairy products were intended for export.

Top 15 feed elements with the highest production values and which countries produced them

The graph demonstrates that in 2013, a larger number of countries produced substantial quantities of feed than in previous years. Cereals and Maize continue to dominate production, likely due to their extensive use in livestock feed.

China again emerged as a leading producer, demonstrating strong product portfolio diversity and production capacity, even in the feed industry. The United States was a close second in cereal and corn production, comparable to China's output. Brazil secured the third spot in these categories, exhibiting impressive production levels.

Interestingly, India did not feature as a major producer of feed in the graph. Although this observation warrants further investigation, it is beyond the scope of this project.

The Bounty of the Middle Kingdom: 

A Tale of China's Top Food and Feed Items in 2013

To focus on China's production, an interactive and animated chart depicting the changes in production levels of the country's three most produced foods and feeds over the years would be a valuable visual aid. A line graph is used to display the production levels of each category over time, with the year on the x-axis and the production levels on the y-axis. The lines are color-coded for easy identification, and hovering over them provides specific production values. The animation shows the lines changing and moving in real-time as the years progress, allowing for a dynamic and informative representation of the changes in production levels from 1961 to 2013.

The production levels of all elements related to feed production have been increasing steadily from 1961 until the early 2000s. Maize and cereals production have notably increased in a short span since 2010, with cereals reaching production levels similar to those produced for human consumption. Nonetheless, the production values of feed have consistently been lower than those of food throughout the observed period.

Regarding food production, cereals' production has gradually increased until 1990, and remained stable in subsequent years. Cereals were the most widely produced food until the mid-1990s, after which vegetable production took over as the predominant food item. The production of vegetables saw a significant surge in 2000, followed by a continuous increase until the end of the observed period.

Worldwide Total Production over the years

This graph shows the total production of all countries from 1961 to 2013, without distinguishing between food and feed production. We display a clear picture of the annual continental production.

The United States of America has consistently maintained its position as the top producer in the American continent, while Brazil has significantly increased its production levels in South America.

In Africa, production growth has been slow overall, with the exception of Egypt and Nigeria.

In the Asian continent, production has gradually increased, with most countries between Iran and Indonesia reaching similar production levels. However, India and China stand out as their production surpasses that of all their neighboring countries combined.

In Europe, production growth has been slow and steady across all countries. Unlike other continents, there is no country that stands out as having significantly increased its production rates over the observed period.