10 Countries That Dominate the World Wheat Exports Market

Wheat is one of the most important staple crops in the world, providing food for billions of people and feed for livestock. Wheat is also a major commodity in international trade, with many countries relying on imports and exports to meet their domestic demand and supply.

According to the International Grains Council, the global wheat trade in 2020/21 was estimated at 188.5 million tons, up from 180.4 million tons in 2019/20. The main drivers of this increase were higher demand from China, Iran, Turkey and Egypt, as well as lower production in some major exporting countries.

In this article, we will look at the top 10 wheat exporting countries in the world, based on the data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). We will also examine the factors that influence their wheat production and trade, as well as the challenges and opportunities they face in the global wheat market.

1. Russia

Russia is the largest wheat exporter in the world, accounting for 20.5% of the global wheat trade in 2020/21. Russia exported 38.7 million tons of wheat in 2020/21, up from 34.9 million tons in 2019/20. Russia’s wheat production has increased significantly in recent years, thanks to favorable weather conditions, improved yields and expanded acreage. Russia’s main wheat export destinations are Egypt, Turkey, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Sudan.

2. United States

The United States is the second largest wheat exporter in the world, accounting for 14.6% of the global wheat trade in 2020/21. The United States exported 27.5 million tons of wheat in 2020/21, down from 28.1 million tons in 2019/20. The United States’ wheat production has declined slightly in recent years, due to lower planted area and variable weather conditions. The United States’ main wheat export destinations are Mexico, China, Japan, Philippines and Nigeria.

3. Canada

Canada is the third largest wheat exporter in the world, accounting for 13.4% of the global wheat trade in 2020/21. Canada exported 25.2 million tons of wheat in 2020/21, up from 24.6 million tons in 2019/20. Canada’s wheat production has increased moderately in recent years, due to higher yields and stable acreage. Canada’s main wheat export destinations are China, Indonesia, Japan, Bangladesh and Colombia.

4. European Union

The European Union is the fourth largest wheat exporter in the world, accounting for 11% of the global wheat trade in 2020/21. The European Union exported 20.7 million tons of wheat in 2020/21, down from 35 million tons in 2019/20. The European Union’s wheat production has decreased sharply in recent years, due to severe droughts and pest infestations that affected some of its major producing countries such as France, Germany and Romania. The European Union’s main wheat export destinations are Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco and China.

5. Ukraine

Ukraine is the fifth largest wheat exporter in the world, accounting for 10% of the global wheat trade in 2020/21. Ukraine exported 18.8 million tons of wheat in 2020/21, up from 18 million tons in 2019/20. Ukraine’s wheat production has increased steadily in recent years, due to favorable weather conditions, improved yields and expanded acreage. Ukraine’s main wheat export destinations are China, Egypt, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Morocco.

6. Australia

Australia is the sixth largest wheat exporter in the world, accounting for 8% of the global wheat trade in 2020/21. Australia exported 15 million tons of wheat in 2020/21, up from 9 million tons in 2019/20. Australia’s wheat production has recovered significantly in recent years, after suffering from severe droughts that affected its output and quality in previous seasons. Australia’s main wheat export destinations are China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines and South Korea.

7. Argentina

Argentina is the seventh largest wheat exporter in the world, accounting for 6% of the global wheat trade in 2020/21. Argentina exported 11.3 million tons of wheat in 2020/21, down from 12 million tons in 2019/20. Argentina’s wheat production has fluctuated considerably in recent years, due to variable weather conditions, government policies and currency fluctuations. Argentina’s main wheat export destinations are Brazil, Indonesia, Chile, Vietnam and Algeria.

8. Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan is the eighth largest wheat exporter in the world, accounting for 5% of the global wheat trade in 2020/21. Kazakhstan exported 9.5 million tons of wheat in 2020/21, up from 7.2 million tons in 2019/20. Kazakhstan’s wheat production has increased substantially in recent years, due to favorable weather conditions, improved yields and expanded acreage. Kazakhstan’s main wheat export destinations are Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan and Turkey.

9. Turkey

Turkey is the ninth largest wheat exporter in the world, accounting for 3% of the global wheat trade in 2020/21. Turkey exported 5.7 million tons of wheat in 2020/21, up from 4.3 million tons in 2019/20. Turkey’s wheat production has increased slightly in recent years, due to higher planted area and domestic demand. Turkey’s main wheat export destinations are Iraq, Sudan, Syria, Somalia and Yemen.

10. India

India is the tenth largest wheat exporter in the world, accounting for 2% of the global wheat trade in 2020/21. India exported 3.8 million tons of wheat in 2020/21, up from 1.4 million tons in 2019/20. India’s wheat production has reached record levels in recent years, due to favorable weather conditions, higher minimum support prices and increased procurement by the government. India’s main wheat export destinations are Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates and Oman.

The world wheat exports market is dominated by a few major players, who have different advantages and disadvantages in terms of production, quality, price and logistics. The global wheat trade is influenced by various factors such as weather, demand, supply, policies, currency and geopolitics. The future of the global wheat market will depend on how these factors evolve and how the exporters and importers adapt to the changing conditions.

World Wheat Exports by Country: Trends and Statistics

Wheat is one of the most important cereal crops in the world, providing food and feed for humans and animals. Wheat is also a major commodity in the international grain trade, with many countries exporting and importing wheat to meet their domestic and foreign demand. In this blog post, we will look at some of the trends and statistics of world wheat exports by country, based on data from various sources.

Top Wheat Exporters in 2021

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization Corporate Statistical Database, the top wheat exporters in 2021 were Russia, Australia, United States, Canada and Ukraine. These five countries accounted for 75% of the total wheat exports in terms of quantity, and 69% in terms of value. The table below shows the quantity and value of wheat exports by these countries in 2021.

Country	Quantity (tonnes)	Value (USD)
Russia	27,366,370	7,301,689
Australia	25,563,035	7,105,524
United States	24,014,160	7,286,461
Canada	21,546,478	6,636,007
Ukraine	19,394,934	4,722,745

Source: FAOSTAT

Global Wheat Trade Dynamics

The global wheat trade is influenced by various factors such as production, consumption, prices, policies and weather. According to World’s Top Exports, the worldwide sales for exported wheat increased by 16.2% from 2020 to 2021, reaching USD 66.2 billion. This reflects the rising demand for wheat in some regions due to population growth, income growth and changing dietary preferences. It also reflects the supply shocks caused by droughts, floods and pests in some major wheat producing countries.

Some of the fastest-growing wheat exporters in 2021 were Brazil (up 240.6%), France (up 62.4%), Australia (up 40.5%), Poland (up 40.4%), Kazakhstan (up 34.7%) and India (up 23.6%). These countries increased their wheat exports by expanding their production or reducing their domestic consumption. Some of the countries that experienced declines in their wheat exports were Ukraine (down -47.2%) and Russia (down -6.9%). These countries faced lower production or higher domestic demand for wheat.

Future Outlook for Wheat Exports

The future outlook for wheat exports depends on the balance between supply and demand in the global market. According to Export Genius, the global wheat production is expected to increase by 1.4% in 2022, reaching 780 million tons. The global wheat consumption is also expected to increase by 1.3%, reaching 777 million tons. This implies a slight surplus of wheat supply over demand in the global market.

However, there are also some uncertainties and risks that could affect the global wheat trade in the future. These include the impact of climate change on crop yields and quality, the emergence of new pests and diseases that could threaten wheat production, the volatility of prices and exchange rates that could affect trade competitiveness, and the potential trade disputes and barriers that could disrupt trade flows.

Therefore, it is important for wheat exporters and importers to monitor the trends and developments in the global wheat market, and to adapt their strategies accordingly.

Reference:

http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/TP

http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QC
https://www.worldstopexports.com/wheat-exports-country/
https://www.exportgenius.in/blog/global-wheat-exports-wheat-export-statistics-and-exporters-453.php

https://www.usda.gov/oce/commodity/wasde/wasde0921.pdf

https://www.worldbank.org/en/research/commodity-markets