For the production of acrylonitrile by ammoxidation of propylene, there is provided a catalyst capable of giving a high yield for a long period of time. In producing acrylonitrile by ammoxidation of propylene, there is used a metal oxide as a catalyst, which metal oxide contains iron, antimony, molybdenum, bismuth, potassium, an F element, a G element, an H element and silica as essential components in a specific composition ratio, and in which metal oxide iron antimonate exists as a crystal phase, provided that the F element is at least one element selected from the group consisting of magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, silver, zinc and cadmium, the G element is at least one element selected from the group consisting of chromium, aluminum, gallium and indium, and the H element is at least one element selected from the group consisting of yttrium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium and samarium.