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World's Top Exports

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Flour Exports by Country

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Flour jar spill (courtesy of Pixabay.com)
Flour jar spill (Pixabay)
Global sales for all types of exported flours totaled US$6.1 billion during 2018. That dollar amount reflects a -5.7% downturn since 2014 and a -2.4% dip from 2017 to 2018.

A granular food powder made via grinding raw grains or roots, flour is a key ingredient in such dietary staples as bread, pastries and stews.

Almost three-quarters (73.3%) of globally exported flour in 2018 was made from wheat or meslin flour, while 15.6% was derived from other cereals excluding wheat and meslin. Smaller percentages came from peas, beans, lentils and other dried leguminous vegetables at 9.4% with 1.6% being potato-based.

From a continent perspective, $2.6 billion or 41.6% worth of worldwide flour exports during 2018 originated in Asia, trailed by suppliers in Europe (33%) and North America (11.3%). Latin America plus the Caribbean was responsible for 6.7% of international flour sales total, the same as the 6.7% for African exporters. Just 0.7% came from shippers in Oceania led by Australia.

The 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 1101 for wheat or meslin flour, 1102 for other cereal flours, 1106 for flour made from peas, beans, lentils and similar dried leguminous vegetables. The 6-digit HTS prefix is 110510 for potato-derived flour.

Wheat

Flour Exports by Country: Wheat or Meslin

Below are the 25 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of flour made from wheat or meslin and that was shipped during 2018.

  1. Turkey: US$1 billion (22.4% of total wheat flour exports)
  2. Kazakhstan: $446 million (9.9%)
  3. Germany: $343 million (7.6%)
  4. Argentina: $194.8 million (4.3%)
  5. Egypt: $163.9 million (3.6%)
  6. Canada: $147.3 million (3.3%)
  7. Belgium: $140.9 million (3.1%)
  8. United States: $131.4 million (2.9%)
  9. United Kingdom: $131.2 million (2.9%)
  10. Italy: $122.4 million (2.7%)
  11. Pakistan: $119.6 million (2.7%)
  12. China: $114.5 million (2.5%)
  13. France: $101.9 million (2.3%)
  14. India: $99.8 million (2.2%)
  15. Netherlands: $83.2 million (1.8%)
  16. Ukraine: $71.5 million (1.6%)
  17. Russia: $69.1 million (1.5%)
  18. Japan: $67.2 million (1.5%)
  19. Vietnam: $56.7 million (1.3%)
  20. Hungary: $56.4 million (1.3%)
  21. Spain: $43.8 million (1%)
  22. Serbia: $42.5 million (0.9%)
  23. Ghana: $40.1 million (0.9%)
  24. Malaysia: $39.5 million (0.9%)
  25. Poland: $38.6 million (0.9%)

The above countries produced 81.6% of wheat or meslin-based flour in 2018.

Leading the sales gains since 2014 were: Egypt (up 236.3%), Netherlands (up 106.8%), Argentina (up 48.9%), Italy (up 48.5%) then Russia (up 46.1%).

Exporters in France endured the greatest decline (-53.9%) over the 5-year period, ahead of Pakistan (down -38.8%), Belgium (down -31.6%), India (down -26.8%) then Kazakhstan (down -20.6%).

Other Cereals

Flour Exports by Country: Cereals Not Wheat or Meslin

Below are the 25 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of flour made from cereals other than wheat or meslin and that was shipped during 2018.

  1. Mexico: US$161.5 million (16.8% of total other cereals exports)
  2. Thailand: $149.6 million (15.6%)
  3. United States: $101.8 million (10.6%)
  4. Italy: $55 million (5.7%)
  5. Germany: $50.4 million (5.2%)
  6. Uganda: $42.9 million (4.5%)
  7. South Africa: $38.1 million (4%)
  8. Belgium: $36.6 million (3.8%)
  9. Brazil: $30.8 million (3.2%)
  10. El Salvador: $28.4 million (3%)
  11. France: $28.2 million (2.9%)
  12. Netherlands: $23.3 million (2.4%)
  13. Canada: $19.3 million (2%)
  14. Colombia: $18.1 million (1.9%)
  15. India: $16.3 million (1.7%)
  16. Spain: $12.4 million (1.3%)
  17. Portugal: $11.6 million (1.2%)
  18. Hong Kong: $11.4 million (1.2%)
  19. United Kingdom: $10.2 million (1.1%)
  20. Poland: $9.7 million (1%)
  21. Turkey: $9.2 million (1%)
  22. Belarus: $6.8 million (0.7%)
  23. Indonesia: $6.4 million (0.7%)
  24. Vietnam: $5 million (0.5%)
  25. Austria: $4.9 million (0.5%)

The above countries produced 83% of other cereals-based flour in 2018 (excluding those made from wheat or meslin).

Leading the gainers since 2014 were: Indonesia (up 783.4%), Mexico (up 283.3%), Uganda (up 231.3%), Turkey (up 170.7%), India (up 65.1%) then Vietnam (up 62.5%).

Brazil endured the greatest decline (-36.8%) over the 5-year period ahead of Belarus (down -35.8%), Austria (down -33.3%), Hong Kong (down -24.4%) then Belgium (down -10.8%).

Potato

Flour Exports by Country: Potatoes

Below are the 25 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of potato-based flour that was shipped during 2018.

  1. Netherlands: US$64.9 million (64.1% of total potato-based flour exports)
  2. United States: $8.1 million (8%)
  3. United Kingdom: $4.8 million (4.7%)
  4. Poland: $4.6 million (4.5%)
  5. India: $3.1 million (3.1%)
  6. Ireland: $2.8 million (2.7%)
  7. Germany: $2.6 million (2.5%)
  8. Canada: $1.9 million (1.9%)
  9. Belgium: $1.4 million (1.4%)
  10. Egypt: $744,000 (0.7%)
  11. Thailand: $647,000 (0.6%)
  12. South Africa: $642,000 (0.6%)
  13. France: $541,000 (0.5%)
  14. Spain: $490,000 (0.5%)
  15. China: $391,000 (0.4%)
  16. Singapore: $387,000 (0.4%)
  17. Hong Kong: $373,000 (0.4%)
  18. Czech Republic: $346,000 (0.3%)
  19. Italy: $322,000 (0.3%)
  20. Bangladesh: $255,000 (0.3%)
  21. Colombia: $238,000 (0.2%)
  22. Australia: $211,000 (0.2%)
  23. South Korea: $188,000 (0.2%)
  24. Slovenia: $152,000 (0.2%)
  25. Malaysia: $147,000 (0.1%)

The above countries produced 98% of potato-based flour in 2018.

Leading the gainers since 2014 were: Ireland (up 3,141%), South Korea (up 358.5%), Spain (up 345.5%), Belgium (up 134.8%), Singapore (up 84.3%) then United Kingdom (up 49.5%).

India endured the greatest decline (-68.1%) over the 5-year period ahead of United States (down -61.9%), Malaysia (down -53.6%), Czech Republic (down -48.1%) then China (down -47.2%).

Legumes

Flour Exports by Country: Dried Legumes

Below are the 25 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of flour made from peas, beans and lentils or other dried legumes and that was shipped during 2018.

  1. Spain: US$76.9 million (13.3% of total dried legumes flour exports)
  2. United States: $67 million (11.6%)
  3. Thailand: $50.2 million (8.7%)
  4. India: $35.5 million (6.1%)
  5. Germany: $26.5 million (4.6%)
  6. Canada: $24.7 million (4.3%)
  7. Turkey: $22.9 million (4%)
  8. China: $22.9 million (3.9%)
  9. Malaysia: $20.3 million (3.5%)
  10. Italy: $20 million (3.4%)
  11. Peru: $19.1 million (3.3%)
  12. Vietnam: $18.1 million (3.1%)
  13. Brazil: $17.5 million (3%)
  14. France: $16.1 million (2.8%)
  15. Sri Lanka: $12.1 million (2.1%)
  16. Indonesia: $12 million (2.1%)
  17. Netherlands: $11.3 million (1.9%)
  18. Singapore: $9.3 million (1.6%)
  19. United Kingdom: $9 million (1.6%)
  20. Taiwan: $8.2 million (1.4%)
  21. Philippines: $7.8 million (1.3%)
  22. Mexico: $7.1 million (1.2%)
  23. Chile: $6.1 million (1%)
  24. Ecuador: $5.9 million (1%)
  25. Belgium: $5.2 million (0.9%)

The above countries exported 86.1% of dried legumes-based flour in 2018.

Leading the gainers since 2014 were: Singapore (up 866%), Mexico (up 856.2%), Sri Lanka (up 821.6%), Brazil (up 422%), Thailand (up 190.1%) then United States (up 125.9%).

The value of exports for dried legumes-based flour declined the most over the 5-year period with: Turkey (down -48.5%), Peru (down -37.2%), China (down -24.4%), United Kingdom (down -20.3%) and Spain (down -7.9%).



 

See also Wheat Exports by Country, Top Pasta Exporters by Country and Barley Exports by Country

Research Sources:
The World Factbook, Field Listing: Exports – Commodities, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on September 16, 2018

Trade Map, International Trade Centre. Accessed on July 15, 2019

Wikipedia, Flour. Accessed on July 15, 2019