In order to understand the major trade flows and how it all fits together, we need to look at who produces what and where they are, together with who uses what and where they are.
On Monday, we looked at the world’s largest wheat producers and exporters.
So, it now makes sense to look at who is on the receiving end; the users and importers.

The World’s Largest Wheat Users and Importers

North Africa

North Africa has suffered a poor 2020 crop due to the weather. It will again be a dominant player due to its geographical location. Prices, especially into Egypt, the largest importing nation in the World, are followed closely to give ideas as to export regions’ price competitiveness.

The Middle East

The Middle East is a big fish to catch for wheat sellers, with shipping routes allowing good competition between exporters. Wealthy nations with limited scope for home production lend themselves well to obtaining aggressive offers when large tenders come onto the market here.

South-East Asia

Asia is a significant destination for various qualities of wheat, with its populations’ growing wealth and diet ambition. It’s clearly a good market for Australia, but we nonetheless see fierce competition for business into this market from the Black Sea, Argentina, and the US.

Major Users and Importing Nations and Regions (in million metric tonnes)

Jolyon Hobby

Growing up on a Wiltshire farm sparked my passion for agriculture. With a BSc Hons in Agriculture and Land Management, I farmed for three years before diving into a 20-year career in the UK grain trade.

In the past eight years, my focus has shifted to the agri-food supply chain, where I focus on understanding the impact of commodity price volatility and transport logistics on the food chain. My expertise now lies in analysing global wheat markets and providing support to businesses across the entire spectrum – from farm to retailer.