China is the world’s largest producer of wheat with 17% of the global total in the first two decades of the 21st century at 2.4 billion tonnes. However, the Asian nation with 1.4 billion people is also the world’s largest consumer of wheat. The IGC estimates China will produce 135.8 million tonnes of wheat in 2022-23 and consume 141 million tonnes.

India has produced 12.5% of the world’s wheat total in the past 20 years with 1.8 billion tonnes but also consumes most of what it grows. India, the world’s second most populous country with 1.38 billion people, is expected to produce 105 million tonnes of wheat in 2022-23 while consuming 104.5 million tonnes.

As the world’s third-largest producer of wheat with 1.2 billion tonnes from 2000-2020 with 8.4% of the total, Russia has the distinction of being the world’s top exporter. While expected by the IGC to produce 85.2 million tonnes of wheat in 2022-23, Russia will consume 44.4 million tonnes and export 37.6 million tonnes.

At 1.2 billion tonnes, the United States has produced 8.4% of the world’s wheat from 2000-2020 and is a major exporter as well. The IGC sees US production for 2022-23 at 48 million tonnes with consumption at 30.9 million tonnes and exports totaling 22 million tonnes. The United States is the No. 2 global exporter behind Russia.

France has provided 5.4% of the world’s total wheat production for 2000-2020 with 767 million tonnes, making it the largest grower from the European Union. Farm office FranceAgriMer is projecting 17.3 million tonnes of wheat exports in 2022-23 on 32.89 million tonnes of production.

Canada at 571 million tonnes has produced 4% of the world’s wheat over the 2000-2020 period. The IGC is predicting Canada will produce 32.4 million tonnes of wheat in 2022-23 and export 22.8 million tonnes to world markets. 

The European Union’s No. 2 wheat producer behind France, Germany grew 3.5% of the world’s total with 491 million tonnes from 2000-2020. Germany’s association of farm cooperatives is anticipating a 2022 wheat crop of 22.65 million tonnes.

Pakistan reached 3.4% of the global wheat production total for 2000-2020 with 482 million tonnes. The US Department of Agriculture is projecting 25.4 million tonnes of wheat produced in 2022-23 while consumption is forecast at 29.2 million tonnes. 

Australia — with 25.7 million people the smallest country in the top 10 by population — has become a growing contributor to world wheat export markets in the 21st century and supplied 3.2% of the global total for the first two decades with 456 million tonnes. The IGC is projecting 2022-23 production to hit 30.6 million tonnes while exports total 24.7 million tonnes.

Ukraine annually has been among the top five wheat exporters, and it has contributed 3.1% of the world’s production total from 2000-2020, harvesting 433 million tonnes. Ukraine’s 2022-23 wheat production expectations have suffered since Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24, but the IGC sees 19.4 million tonnes harvested with 10 million tonnes for export.