10 Biggest Food Export Countries in the World
Food is one of the most essential commodities in the world, and some countries have mastered the art of producing and exporting it. According to WorldAtlas, the United States is the largest food exporter in the world, followed by Germany, the United Kingdom, China, and France. In this article, we will explore the top 10 food export countries in the world, their main products, and their export destinations.
United States
The United States is the world’s top food exporter, with a value of $72.7 billion in 2020. The country produces a large variety of crops, such as corn, soybeans, wheat, sugar cane, and potatoes. The country also exports meat and dairy products, as well as processed foods and beverages. The main export markets for the US are Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, and Germany.
Germany
Germany is the second-largest food exporter in the world, with a value of $34.6 billion in 2020. The country is known for its high-quality dairy products, such as cheese and butter, as well as its sugar beets, wheat, and potatoes. Germany also exports beer, wine, chocolate, and confectionery. The main export destinations for Germany are the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and China.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is the third-largest food exporter in the world, with a value of $29.5 billion in 2020. The country has a strong agricultural sector, producing milk, wheat, sugar beets, and barley. The country also exports fish and seafood, as well as prepared foods and beverages. The main export markets for the UK are the European Union, Germany, the United States, and China.
China
China is the fourth-largest food exporter in the world, with a value of $25.2 billion in 2020. The country is a major producer of rice, corn, wheat, and vegetables. China also exports tea, fruits, nuts, and spices. The main export destinations for China are the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea.
France
France is the fifth-largest food exporter in the world, with a value of $24.1 billion in 2020. The country is famous for its cheese, wine, bread, and pastries. France also exports meat, poultry, eggs, and honey. The main export markets for France are Germany, Belgium, Italy, and Spain.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is the sixth-largest food exporter in the world, with a value of $23.3 billion in 2020. The country is a leader in greenhouse farming, producing tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and flowers. The country also exports dairy products, potatoes, and processed foods. The main export destinations for the Netherlands are Germany, Belgium, France, and the United Kingdom.
Japan
Japan is the seventh-largest food exporter in the world, with a value of $21.9 billion in 2020. The country is renowned for its seafood, such as tuna, salmon, and shrimp. Japan also exports rice, fruits, vegetables, and sake. The main export markets for Japan are China, the United States, Hong Kong, and South Korea.
Canada
Canada is the eighth-largest food exporter in the world, with a value of $21.8 billion in 2020. The country has a vast land area, producing wheat, canola, barley, and oats. Canada also exports meat, dairy products, maple syrup, and ice wine. The main export destinations for Canada are the United States, China, Japan, and Mexico.
Belgium
Belgium is the ninth-largest food exporter in the world, with a value of $15.7 billion in 2020. The country is known for its chocolate, waffles, and beer. Belgium also exports dairy products, sugar beets, potatoes, and fruits. The main export markets for Belgium are Germany, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
Italy
Italy is the tenth-largest food exporter in the world, with a value of $13.9 billion in 2020. The country is famous for its pasta, pizza, cheese, and olive oil. Italy also exports wine, coffee, tomatoes, and citrus fruits. The main export destinations for Italy are Germany, France, the United States, and Switzerland.
Top 3 Food Exporting Countries in the World
According to the World Bank, the global value of food exports in 2021 was $1.2 trillion, up from $1.1 trillion in 2020. Food exports are an important source of income and food security for many countries, especially those with large agricultural sectors. In this blog post, we will look at the top 3 food exporting countries in the world, based on the latest data from the World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS).
United States
The United States was the largest exporter of food in 2021, with a value of $124 billion, accounting for 10% of the global total. The main food products exported by the US were meat and edible meat offal ($23 billion), cereals ($21 billion), and oil seeds and oleaginous fruits ($20 billion). The US also exported large amounts of dairy products, fruits and nuts, animal or vegetable fats and oils, and miscellaneous food preparations. The main destinations for US food exports were Canada ($23 billion), Mexico ($19 billion), China ($16 billion), Japan ($12 billion), and South Korea ($7 billion).
Netherlands
The Netherlands was the second-largest exporter of food in 2021, with a value of $79 billion, accounting for 6% of the global total. The main food products exported by the Netherlands were miscellaneous food preparations ($17 billion), dairy products ($15 billion), and vegetable, fruit or nut preparations ($11 billion). The Netherlands also exported large amounts of meat and edible meat offal, cereals, cocoa, and sugar and sugar confectionery. The main destinations for Netherlands food exports were Germany ($25 billion), Belgium ($11 billion), France ($9 billion), United Kingdom ($8 billion), and Italy ($5 billion).
Brazil
Brazil was the third-largest exporter of food in 2021, with a value of $73 billion, accounting for 6% of the global total. The main food products exported by Brazil were oil seeds and oleaginous fruits ($33 billion), meat and edible meat offal ($16 billion), and sugar and sugar confectionery ($9 billion). Brazil also exported large amounts of animal or vegetable fats and oils, coffee, tea and spices, cereals, and live animals. The main destinations for Brazil food exports were China ($34 billion), European Union ($15 billion), United States ($6 billion), India ($4 billion), and Japan ($3 billion).
| Rank | Country | Value of Food Exports (US Dollars, Thousand) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 124,000,000 |
| 2 | Netherlands | 79,000,000 |
| 3 | Brazil | 73,000,000 |
The top 3 food exporting countries in the world in 2021 were the United States, the Netherlands, and Brazil. These countries have diverse agricultural sectors that produce a variety of food products for domestic and international markets. Food exports are influenced by factors such as demand, supply, prices, trade policies, weather conditions, and geopolitical events. As the global population and income grow, the demand for food is expected to increase in the future, creating opportunities and challenges for food exporters.
References:
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/BX.GSR.GNFS.CD?most_recent_value_desc=true
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NE.EXP.GNFS.CD?locations=IR
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NE.EXP.GNFS.CD?locations=CU&most_recent_value_desc=true
https://wits.worldbank.org/CountryProfile/en/Country/WLD/Year/LTST/TradeFlow/Export/Partner/by-country/Product/16-24_FoodProd
https://www.fao.org/3/cb9928en/cb9928en.pdf
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/100615/4-countries-produce-most-food.asp
https://wits.worldbank.org/CountryProfile/en/Country/WLD/Year/LTST/TradeFlow/Export/Partner/by-country/Product/16-24_FoodProd
https://www.fao.org/3/cb9928en/cb9928en.pdf
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