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Flour Exports by Country

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Flour jar spill (courtesy of Pixabay.com)
Flour spill (Pixabay)
Global sales for all types of exported flours totaled US$5.8 billion during 2019. That dollar amount reflects a -6.5% decrease since 2015 and an -11.9% dip from 2018 to 2019.

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 (72.8%) of globally exported flour in 2019 was made from wheat or meslin flour, while 14.8% was derived from other cereals excluding wheat and meslin. Smaller percentages came from peas, beans, lentils and other dried leguminous vegetables at 10.5% whereas 1.9% was potato-based.

From a continent perspective, $2.5 billion or 42.6% worth of worldwide flour exports during 2019 originated in Asia, trailed by suppliers in Europe (36%) and North America (10.1%). Latin America plus the Caribbean was responsible for 7.7% of international flour sales total, compared to 2.9% for African exporters. About 0.5% came from shippers in Oceania led by Australia and New Zealand.

For research purposes, 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 2019.

  1. Turkey: US$1.1 billion (24.8% of wheat flour exports)
  2. Kazakhstan: $362.7 million (8.6%)
  3. Germany: $349.2 million (8.2%)
  4. Argentina: $214.7 million (5.1%)
  5. United States: $139.9 million (3.3%)
  6. Italy: $137.9 million (3.3%)
  7. United Kingdom: $130.9 million (3.1%)
  8. Canada: $119.4 million (2.8%)
  9. China: $117.6 million (2.8%)
  10. Belgium: $111.2 million (2.6%)
  11. India: $103.7 million (2.4%)
  12. Russia: $101.7 million (2.4%)
  13. Netherlands: $101 million (2.4%)
  14. France: $85.8 million (2%)
  15. Japan: $75.8 million (1.8%)
  16. Ukraine: $67.7 million (1.6%)
  17. Hungary: $62.9 million (1.5%)
  18. Egypt: $50 million (1.2%)
  19. Spain: $46.7 million (1.1%)
  20. Vietnam: $45.4 million (1.1%)
  21. Kuwait: $44.4 million (1%)
  22. Serbia: $39.3 million (0.9%)
  23. Malaysia: $39.3 million (0.9%)
  24. Singapore: $37.3 million (0.9%)
  25. Poland: $34.5 million (0.8%)

By value, the above countries produced 71.2% of wheat or meslin-based flour in 2019.

Leading international sales gains since 2015 were: Netherlands (up 263.2%), Italy (up 68.5%), China (up 63.7%), Argentina (up 59.5%) and Singapore (up 52.6%).

Exporters in Egypt endured the greatest decline (-46.1%) over the 5-year period, followed by France (down -43%), Belgium (down -39%), Vietnam (down -34%) then Kazakhstan (down -26.5%).

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 2019.

  1. Thailand: US$163.2 million (18.9% of other cereals flour exports)
  2. Mexico: $102.2 million (11.8%)
  3. United States: $91 million (10.5%)
  4. Italy: $59.4 million (6.9%)
  5. Germany: $53.9 million (6.3%)
  6. Belgium: $34.5 million (4%)
  7. El Salvador: $32.4 million (3.8%)
  8. South Africa: $29.3 million (3.4%)
  9. Brazil: $28.2 million (3.3%)
  10. France: $28.1 million (3.3%)
  11. Netherlands: $26.5 million (3.1%)
  12. Colombia: $25.6 million (3%)
  13. Canada: $17.3 million (2%)
  14. India: $16.3 million (1.9%)
  15. Portugal: $11.6 million (1.3%)
  16. Spain: $11 million (1.3%)
  17. United Kingdom: $11 million (1.3%)
  18. Poland: $10.5 million (1.2%)
  19. Hong Kong: $10.5 million (1.2%)
  20. Austria: $6.5 million (0.7%)
  21. Honduras: $6.4 million (0.7%)
  22. Vietnam: $6.1 million (0.7%)
  23. Russia: $4.8 million (0.6%)
  24. Turkey: $4.7 million (0.5%)
  25. Australia: $4.3 million (0.5%)

By value the above countries produced 89.2% of other cereals-based flour in 2019 (excluding those made from wheat or meslin).

Leading the gainers since 2015 were: Poland (up 114.9%), Colombia (up 101.4%), Mexico (up 99.4%), Russia (up 94.2%) then Vietnam (up 76.8%).

Three major suppliers experienced declines over the latest 5-year period: Brazil (down -23.7%), Austria (down -3.2%) and Belgium (down -2.8%).

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 2019.

  1. Netherlands: US$65.2 million (59% of potato-based flour exports)
  2. United States: $12.3 million (11.1%)
  3. Poland: $5.5 million (5%)
  4. United Kingdom: $4.3 million (3.9%)
  5. France: $2.8 million (2.5%)
  6. India: $2.8 million (2.5%)
  7. Saudi Arabia: $2.6 million (2.4%)
  8. Germany: $2.6 million (2.3%)
  9. Ireland: $1.8 million (1.6%)
  10. Canada: $1.7 million (1.5%)
  11. China: $1.3 million (1.1%)
  12. Belgium: $1.2 million (1.1%)
  13. Thailand: $916,000 (0.8%)
  14. South Africa: $609,000 (0.6%)
  15. Singapore: $558,000 (0.5%)
  16. Indonesia: $408,000 (0.4%)
  17. Italy: $404,000 (0.4%)
  18. Greece: $380,000 (0.3%)
  19. Hong Kong: $363,000 (0.3%)
  20. Spain: $351,000 (0.3%)
  21. Australia: $339,000 (0.3%)
  22. Czech Republic: $288,000 (0.3%)
  23. Malaysia: $276,000 (0.2%)
  24. Slovenia: $241,000 (0.2%)
  25. Denmark: $174,000 (0.2%)

By value, the above countries produced 97.6% of potato-based flour in 2019.

Leading the gainers since 2015 were: Czech Republic (up 7,100%), Ireland (up 3,456%), France (up 500.2%), Greece (up 387.2%), Saudi Arabia (up 362%), Spain (up 308.1%) then Indonesia (up 155%).

India endured the greatest decline (-71.9%) over the 5-year period. The other four decliners were Malaysia (down -51.2%), United States (down -28.4%), Germany (down -16.4%) then Poland (down -8.9%).

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 2019.

  1. Spain: US$89 million (14.5% of dried legumes flour exports)
  2. India: $72.4 million (11.8%)
  3. United States: $67.1 million (10.9%)
  4. Turkey: $30.8 million (5%)
  5. China: $29.1 million (4.7%)
  6. Thailand: $28.7 million (4.7%)
  7. Germany: $25.6 million (4.2%)
  8. Canada: $23.4 million (3.8%)
  9. Italy: $21 million (3.4%)
  10. Vietnam: $20.2 million (3.3%)
  11. France: $18.4 million (3%)
  12. Peru: $18.1 million (2.9%)
  13. Malaysia: $16.8 million (2.7%)
  14. Netherlands: $15 million (2.4%)
  15. Brazil: $14.8 million (2.4%)
  16. Indonesia: $11 million (1.8%)
  17. United Kingdom: $10.7 million (1.7%)
  18. Sri Lanka: $9 million (1.5%)
  19. Taiwan: $7.8 million (1.3%)
  20. Singapore: $7.6 million (1.2%)
  21. Chile: $7.2 million (1.2%)
  22. Belgium: $6.3 million (1%)
  23. Australia: $5 million (0.8%)
  24. Denmark: $4.6 million (0.8%)
  25. Philippines: $4.5 million (0.7%)

By value, the above countries exported 87.4% of dried legumes-based flour in 2019.

Leading the gainers since 2015 were: Poland (up 114.9%), Colombia (up 101.4%), Mexico (up 99.4%), Russia (up 94.2%) then Vietnam (up 76.8%).

The value of exports for dried legumes-based flour declined for three major suppliers over the 5-year period: Brazil (down -23.7%), Austria (down -3.2%) and Belgium (down -2.8%).



 

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

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on May 19, 2020

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 19, 2020

Wikipedia, Flour. Accessed on May 19, 2020