Agriculture is essential to both human existence and the world economy. By stimulating economic and industrial progress, agriculture ensures food supplies, contributes to the reduction of poverty and involves millions of peasants and smallholder farmers.
A huge proportion of farms around the world produce one commodity: wheat. Almost every household on the planet now consumes some form of wheat – from flour and bread to multiple types of pasta, wheat is an essential product to maintain food security.
Like other numerous agricultural products, wheat prices fluctuated as a result of the trade difficulties caused by the COVID-19 epidemic and increased further after Russia, a major wheat producer, invaded Ukraine which is also one of the key wheat producers for some regions.
Global wheat production
In the marketing year 2023–2024, approximately 785 million metric tons of wheat were produced on a global scale. This represented a drop of around four million tons compared to the previous period.
Source: Statista.com
The European Union, the United States, Canada, and Australia are the top industrialized nations in terms of wheat production. China, India, Russia, and Pakistan are the biggest producers of wheat among developing nations.
The COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on the wheat industry during the same period with early supply chain worries and fears that certain industries would be unable to function continuously during the pandemic leading to panic buying across the globe.
Today the demand for wheat is expanding together with the global population and is anticipated to continue to do so in forthcoming years. The market is expected to be driven by rising global wheat demand as well as increased demand from the food and beverage processing sectors for the production of goods such as flour, pasta, and drinks.
With this in mind, the market for wheat was estimated to be worth US$127.7 billion in 2021 and is anticipated to rise to US$169.1 billion by 2027.
Major wheat producers
Some of the biggest producers of wheat on the planet are based in the Asia Pacific area, including China, India, Pakistan, and Australia.
China produced more than 136 million metric tons of wheat in 2023/2024, retaining its place as the largest producer of this cereal grain worldwide.
The second-largest wheat producer is the European Union with just over 134 million tons in the 2023-2024 marketing year. By 2032, this region is expected to produce over 137 million metric tons of wheat or approximately 18% of the world’s total wheat output.
Russia and Ukraine continue to be major suppliers of wheat to numerous developing nations, with Russia being the world’s biggest exporter of wheat.
Top 10 wheat producers in 2022/2023 (in 1,000 metric tons)
Source: Statista.com
Based on total annual production in tons, these are the world’s top 10 wheat-producing nations:
10. Turkey: 19.5 million tons
With its yield increasing by nearly 2.3 million tons over the previous year, wheat production in Turkey has now reached 19.5 million tons. Winter wheat makes up the majority of the country’s wheat production but over recent years, due to favorable pricing, particularly for exports, durum wheat production has surged.
9
. Ukraine: 23.4 million tons
Ukraine produces and exports not just large amounts of wheat and corn, but also soybeans, sugar beet, potatoes and tomatoes. The country’s wheat crops have been negatively impacted by war, weather, and economic instability, leading to another year of anticipated limited global supply and potentially high prices for staple commodities. At 23.4 million metric tons, Ukraine maintains its position in the top 10 wheat-producing nations.
8. Australia: 25.5 million tons
The main crops cultivated in Australia are wheat, barley, canola, cotton, and sunflower but the major crop that is farmed is wheat which is produced across the southern and eastern sections of the crescent termed “the Australian grain belt”. Over 25 million tons of wheat are produced annually in Australia, accounting for 3.5% of the world’s total production.
7. Pakistan: 28 million tons
Pakistan is the fifth-most populous nation in the world. Its most widely grown agricultural products include mangoes, oranges, rice, cotton, sugarcane, and wheat. In 2023–2024, wheat production in the country hit 28 million tons – an increase of around 1.5 million tons compared to the previous marketing year.
6. Canada: 33.8 million tons
Canada is the second-biggest nation in the world in terms of landmass, with soybeans, corn, and wheat being some of its main agricultural products. Canada’s wheat output was hampered by drought-related factors in 2021 but yields have recovered over the last few years.
5. The United States of America: 49.3 million tons
Wheat is the second most important grain that is cultivated in the United States, being surpassed only by corn. Almost every U.S. state is involved in wheat production but the latest figures show that North Dakota, Kansas, and Montana were the leading wheat-producing states in the United States in 2023.
4. Russia: 91 million tons
Wheat is the crop that Russia exports the most, with rye, barley, oats, and sunflower seeds also being part of the country’s export portfolio. With 91 million metric tons of wheat produced annually, Russia ranks fourth in the world for this commodity.
3. India: 110.5 million metric tons
India tops the list of the most populated countries on the globe and is also one of the leading producers of milk, jute, and pulses and among the top nations that produce fruits, vegetables, cotton, rice, sugarcane, and wheat. The latest data shows that India produced over 110 million metric tons of wheat in 2023-2024.
2. European Union: 133.6 million metric tons
Wheat makes up over 50% of the cereals farmed in the EU. The remaining half is made up of roughly one-third each of maize and barley. Each year, 20% of the wheat crop grown in the EU is exported. The rising popularity of processed or convenience foods among consumers is increasing the need for wheat and wheat flour. Popular summer crops in the EU include sunflowers, rice, sugarbeet, and soybeans, whereas popular winter crops include wheat, rye, and rapeseed.
1. China: 136.5 million metric tons
China was the top producer of wheat in the marketing year 2023–2024 with an output of over 136.6 million metric tons. This figure is slightly lower compared to the previous marketing year (137.7MMT). The country’s leading wheat-producing regions experienced heavy rainfall just before harvest which lowered the quality and caused a high proportion of the crop to be used as animal fodder.
Final word
Wheat production is an essential part of world agriculture, helping to ensure food security and combat poverty. Changing weather patterns contribute to fluctuations in wheat production, while pandemics and conflicts stimulate global panic buying due to supply chain disruptions. China is currently the largest producer of wheat, followed by the EU, India, and Russia. By 2027, the wheat market is expected to reach US$169.1 billion as a result of increased global consumption and demand from the food and beverage processing industries.
