Overall, the value of wheat imports for all importing countries fell by an average -19.8% since 2014 when wheat purchases came in at $52.4 billion. Year over year, the value of imported wheat depreciated by -0.4% from 2017 to 2018.
Among continents, Asian countries accounted for the highest dollar worth of overall wheat imports during 2018 with purchases valued at $16.8 billion or 40% of the global total. In second place were African importers at 23.1% while 21.3% of worldwide wheat imports were delivered to Europe. Smaller percentages were sent to Latin America (10.1%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and North America (4.8%). Just 0.6% of global wheat imports were purchased by Oceania led by Papua New Guineau, New Zealand and Fiji.
The 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 1001 for wheat and meslin.
Wheat Imports by Country
Top 15
Below are the 15 countries that imported the highest dollar value worth of wheat during 2018.
- Indonesia: US$2.6 billion (6.1% of total wheat imports)
- Egypt: $2.2 billion (5.3%)
- Algeria: $1.84 billion (4.4%)
- Italy: $1.82 billion (4.3%)
- Philippines: $1.7 billion (4%)
- Japan: $1.6 billion (3.9%)
- Brazil: $1.5 billion (3.6%)
- Spain: $1.33 billion (3.2%)
- Turkey: $1.29 billion (3.1%)
- Mexico: $1.17 billion (2.8%)
- Nigeria: $1.15 billion (2.7%)
- Netherlands: $1.1 billion (2.7%)
- South Korea: $1 billion (2.4%)
- Morocco: $977.7 million (2.3%)
- Belgium: $904.6 million (2.2%)
Three among the above countries increased their purchases of wheat from international markets since 2014 namely Philippines (up 82.4%), Netherlands (up 16.5%) and Indonesia (up 7.7%).
Those countries that posted declines in their imported wheat purchases were led by: Morocco (down -35.4%), Nigeria (down -31.2%), Egypt (down -26.9%) and Italy (down -23.7%).
The listed 15 countries purchased 53% of all wheat imports in 2018.
Indonesia
Wheat Imports into Indonesia
Below are the 13 suppliers from which Indonesia imported the highest dollar value worth of wheat during 2018. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2014.
- Australia: US$639.6 million (down -49.5% from 2014)
- Ukraine: $578.2 million (up 537.3%)
- Canada: $571.7 million (up 22.5%)
- Russia: $291.7 million (up 271%)
- United States: $235.8 million (down -30.7%)
- Argentina: $143.9 million (no 2014 data)
- Pakistan: $85.1 million (no 2014 data)
- Moldova: $13.3 million (down -10.1%)
- Switzerland: $7.7 million (no 2014 data)
- Singapore: $3.3 million (up 619.2%)
- Estonia: $446,000 (no 2014 data)
- Bulgaria: $110,000 (down -97.6%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 100% of all Indonesian wheat imports in 2018.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of wheat to Indonesia since 2014 were: Singapore (up 619.2%), Ukraine (up 537.3%), Russia (up 271%) and Canada (up 22.5%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their wheat supplied to Indonesian importers were: Bulgaria (down -97.6%), Australia (down -49.5%), United States (down -30.7%) and Moldova (down -10.1%).
Overall, the value of Indonesian wheat imports rose by an average 7.7% from all supplying countries since 2014 when wheat purchases were valued at $2.4 billion.
Egypt
Wheat Imports into Egypt
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Egypt imported the highest dollar value worth of wheat during 2018. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2014.
- Russia: US$1.6 billion (up 1,686% from 2014)
- Ukraine: $519.2 million (no 2014 data)
- Romania: $223.7 million (up 222%)
- Poland: $57.4 million (no 2014 data)
- United States: $53.5 million (down -77.8%)
- France: $44.1 million (down -77.9%)
- Australia: $41 million (up 80.2%)
- South Korea: $34.7 million (no 2014 data)
- Argentina: $24.8 million (up 2.9%)
- Bulgaria: $17.7 million (up 203.6%)
- Belarus: $9.9 million (no 2014 data)
- Latvia: $5.9 million (no 2014 data)
- Canada: $1.9 million (no 2014 data)
- Kazakhstan: $1.3 million (no 2014 data)
- Germany: $11,000 (down -99.9%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 100% of all Egyptian wheat imports in 2018.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of wheat to Egypt since 2014 were: Russia (up 1,686%), Romania (up 222%), Bulgaria (up 203.6%) and Australia (up 80.2%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their wheat supplied to Egyptian importers were Germany (down -99.9%), France (down -77.9%) and United States (down -77.8%).
Overall, the value of Egyptian wheat imports expanded by an average 263.6% from all supplying countries since 2014 when wheat purchases were valued at $721.7 million.
Algeria
Wheat Imports into Algeria
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Algeria imported the highest dollar value worth of wheat during 2018. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2014.
- France: US$680.7 million (down -55.6% from 2014)
- Canada: $384.5 million (up 49.3%)
- Argentina: $316.8 million (no 2014 data)
- United States: $187.4 million (up 150.8%)
- Uruguay: $36.7 million (no 2014 data)
- Estonia: $24.6 million (no 2014 data)
- Germany: $22.5 million (down -68.4%)
- Latvia: $20.6 million (down -57.4%)
- Mexico: $19.8 million (down -49.3%)
- Czech Republic: $17.7 million (no 2014 data)
- Sweden: $16.8 million (up 59.6%)
- Ukraine: $16.8 million (up 1,380%)
- Lithuania: $11.5 million (down -47.3%)
- Australia: $10.1 million (no 2014 data)
- Poland: $6.3 million (down -88.7%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 99.1% of all Algerian wheat imports in 2018.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of wheat to Algeria since 2014 were: Ukraine (up 1,380%), United States (up 150.8%), Sweden (up 59.6%) and Canada (up 49.3%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their wheat supplied to Algerian importers included: Poland (down -88.7%), Germany (down -68.4%), Latvia (down -57.4%) and France (down -55.6%).
Overall, the value of Algerian wheat imports declined by an average -15.8% from all supplying countries since 2014 when wheat purchases were valued at $2.1 billion.
Italy
Wheat Imports into Italy
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Italy imported the highest dollar value worth of wheat during 2018. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2014.
- France: US$347 million (down -21.8% from 2014)
- Hungary: $216.5 million (up 25.7%)
- United States: $146.2 million (down -28.1%)
- Bulgaria: $139.7 million (up 65.3%)
- Austria: $133.3 million (down -39.7%)
- Canada: $109.5 million (down -81.1%)
- Romania: $97.1 million (up 62.7%)
- Kazakhstan: $79.8 million (up 5030.7%)
- Germany: $72.5 million (down -55.1%)
- Croatia: $70.8 million (up 405.6%)
- Moldova: $60.7 million (up 559.1%)
- Slovenia: $56.6 million (up 238.8%)
- Ukraine: $56.1 million (up 60.7%)
- Australia: $54.2 million (up 38.5%)
- Greece: $45.7 million (down -59.5%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 92.4% of all Italian wheat imports in 2018.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of wheat to Italy since 2014 were: Kazakhstan (up 5,031%), Moldova (up 559.1%), Croatia (up 405.6%) and Slovenia (up 238.8%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their wheat supplied to Italian importers included: Canada (down -81.1%), Greece (down -59.5%), Germany (down -55.1%) and Austria (down -39.7%).
Overall, the value of Italian wheat imports retreated by an average -23.7% from all supplying countries since 2014 when wheat purchases were valued at $2.4 billion.
Searchable List of Wheat Importing Countries in 2018
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns below.
| Rank | Importer | Wheat Imports (US$) | % World Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Indonesia | $2.6 billion | 6.1% |
| 2. | Egypt | $2.2 billion | 5.3% |
| 3. | Algeria | $1.84 billion | 4.4% |
| 4. | Italy | $1.82 billion | 4.3% |
| 5. | Philippines | $1.7 billion | 4% |
| 6. | Japan | $1.6 billion | 3.9% |
| 7. | Brazil | $1.5 billion | 3.6% |
| 8. | Spain | $1.33 billion | 3.2% |
| 9. | Turkey | $1.29 billion | 3.1% |
| 10. | Mexico | $1.17 billion | 2.8% |
| 11. | Nigeria | $1.15 billion | 2.7% |
| 12. | Netherlands | $1.1 billion | 2.7% |
| 13. | South Korea | $1 billion | 2.4% |
| 14. | Morocco | $977.7 million | 2.3% |
| 15. | Belgium | $904.6 million | 2.2% |
| 16. | Vietnam | $895.9 million | 2.1% |
| 17. | Germany | $837.1 million | 2% |
| 18. | Bangladesh | $829 million | 2% |
| 19. | United States | $801.9 million | 1.9% |
| 20. | China | $780.9 million | 1.9% |
| 21. | Saudi Arabia | $720 million | 1.7% |
| 22. | Thailand | $714.4 million | 1.7% |
| 23. | United Kingdom | $604.3 million | 1.4% |
| 24. | Peru | $538.1 million | 1.3% |
| 25. | Yemen | $536 million | 1.3% |
| 26. | Iraq | $478.3 million | 1.1% |
| 27. | Sudan | $478.2 million | 1.1% |
| 28. | Colombia | $431.7 million | 1% |
| 29. | South Africa | $415 million | 1% |
| 30. | Israel | $400.6 million | 1% |
| 31. | Malaysia | $396.5 million | 0.9% |
| 32. | Taiwan | $360 million | 0.9% |
| 33. | Portugal | $310.3 million | 0.7% |
| 34. | Kenya | $310.1 million | 0.7% |
| 35. | Chile | $300.9 million | 0.7% |
| 36. | Ecuador | $300 million | 0.7% |
| 37. | United Arab Emirates | $292.2 million | 0.7% |
| 38. | Uzbekistan | $288.8 million | 0.7% |
| 39. | Venezuela | $279.3 million | 0.7% |
| 40. | Jordan | $265.5 million | 0.6% |
| 41. | Sri Lanka | $253.3 million | 0.6% |
| 42. | Greece | $251 million | 0.6% |
| 43. | Mozambique | $194.5 million | 0.5% |
| 44. | Tunisia | $192.9 million | 0.5% |
| 45. | Austria | $192.2 million | 0.5% |
| 46. | Ghana | $178.7 million | 0.4% |
| 47. | Ivory Coast | $177.4 million | 0.4% |
| 48. | Tajikistan | $172.6 million | 0.4% |
| 49. | Azerbaijan | $172 million | 0.4% |
| 50. | Libya | $171.7 million | 0.4% |
| 51. | Ethiopia | $168.3 million | 0.4% |
| 52. | Mauritania | $167.9 million | 0.4% |
| 53. | Cuba | $160.6 million | 0.4% |
| 54. | New Zealand | $158.5 million | 0.4% |
| 55. | Uganda | $154.1 million | 0.4% |
| 56. | Cameroon | $151.2 million | 0.4% |
| 57. | Guatemala | $145.1 million | 0.3% |
| 58. | Latvia | $141 million | 0.3% |
| 59. | Romania | $136.6 million | 0.3% |
| 60. | Switzerland | $135.2 million | 0.3% |
| 61. | Poland | $131.9 million | 0.3% |
| 62. | Lebanon | $130.7 million | 0.3% |
| 63. | Oman | $116 million | 0.3% |
| 64. | Georgia | $114.9 million | 0.3% |
| 65. | Dominican Republic | $113.2 million | 0.3% |
| 66. | Norway | $111.2 million | 0.3% |
| 67. | Zimbabwe | $108.1 million | 0.3% |
| 68. | France | $106.8 million | 0.3% |
| 69. | Myanmar (Burma) | $106.4 million | 0.3% |
| 70. | Kuwait | $102.8 million | 0.2% |
| 71. | Ireland | $98.2 million | 0.2% |
| 72. | Denmark | $91.2 million | 0.2% |
| 73. | Senegal | $87.3 million | 0.2% |
| 74. | El Salvador | $82.4 million | 0.2% |
| 75. | Afghanistan | $79.7 million | 0.2% |
| 76. | Honduras | $77.4 million | 0.2% |
| 77. | Angola | $77.2 million | 0.2% |
| 78. | Slovenia | $75.8 million | 0.2% |
| 79. | Guinea | $75.4 million | 0.2% |
| 80. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $69.6 million | 0.2% |
| 81. | Costa Rica | $68.8 million | 0.2% |
| 82. | Sweden | $67.7 million | 0.2% |
| 83. | Armenia | $62.5 million | 0.1% |
| 84. | Russia | $60.5 million | 0.1% |
| 85. | Singapore | $60.4 million | 0.1% |
| 86. | Papua New Guinea | $54.2 million | 0.1% |
| 87. | Albania | $53.3 million | 0.1% |
| 88. | Belarus | $51.6 million | 0.1% |
| 89. | Haiti | $49.3 million | 0.1% |
| 90. | Jamaica | $48.9 million | 0.1% |
| 91. | Fiji | $45.2 million | 0.1% |
| 92. | Mali | $44.8 million | 0.1% |
| 93. | Burkina Faso | $44.4 million | 0.1% |
| 94. | Turkmenistan | $43.8 million | 0.1% |
| 95. | Mongolia | $43.3 million | 0.1% |
| 96. | Congo | $40.6 million | 0.1% |
| 97. | Panama | $36.5 million | 0.1% |
| 98. | Trinidad/Tobago | $34.2 million | 0.1% |
| 99. | Croatia | $33.4 million | 0.1% |
| 100. | Luxembourg | $33.2 million | 0.1% |
| 101. | Bahrain | $33.2 million | 0.1% |
| 102. | Qatar | $32.9 million | 0.1% |
| 103. | Hungary | $32 million | 0.1% |
| 104. | Iran | $31.2 million | 0.1% |
| 105. | Democr. Rep. Congo | $30.8 million | 0.1% |
| 106. | Rwanda | $29.1 million | 0.1% |
| 107. | Canada | $28.1 million | 0.1% |
| 108. | Mauritius | $27.9 million | 0.1% |
| 109. | Nepal | $26.4 million | 0.1% |
| 110. | Cyprus | $24.7 million | 0.1% |
| 111. | Gabon | $24.2 million | 0.1% |
| 112. | Nicaragua | $23.5 million | 0.1% |
| 113. | Namibia | $22 million | 0.1% |
| 114. | Kyrgyzstan | $20.3 million | 0.05% |
| 115. | India | $19.4 million | 0.05% |
| 116. | North Macedonia | $19.1 million | 0.05% |
| 117. | Togo | $18 million | 0.04% |
| 118. | Lithuania | $17 million | 0.04% |
| 119. | Burundi | $16.7 million | 0.04% |
| 120. | Malawi | $16.2 million | 0.04% |
| 121. | Guyana | $14.9 million | 0.04% |
| 122. | Bolivia | $14.7 million | 0.03% |
| 123. | Bulgaria | $14.6 million | 0.03% |
| 124. | Finland | $13.8 million | 0.03% |
| 125. | Iceland | $11.3 million | 0.03% |
| 126. | Djibouti | $11 million | 0.03% |
| 127. | Zambia | $10.6 million | 0.03% |
| 128. | Somalia | $9.7 million | 0.02% |
| 129. | Kazakhstan | $9.5 million | 0.02% |
| 130. | Liberia | $9.3 million | 0.02% |
| 131. | Tanzania | $9.2 million | 0.02% |
| 132. | Syrian Arab Republic | $8.6 million | 0.02% |
| 133. | St Vincent/Grenadines | $7.9 million | 0.02% |
| 134. | New Caledonia | $7.5 million | 0.02% |
| 135. | Slovakia | $6.5 million | 0.02% |
| 136. | Malta | $6.4 million | 0.02% |
| 137. | Belize | $6.2 million | 0.01% |
| 138. | Gambia | $5.7 million | 0.01% |
| 139. | Eritrea | $5.7 million | 0.01% |
| 140. | Estonia | $5.1 million | 0.01% |
| 141. | Barbados | $4.8 million | 0.01% |
| 142. | Suriname | $4.6 million | 0.01% |
| 143. | Botswana | $4.5 million | 0.01% |
| 144. | Montenegro | $4.5 million | 0.01% |
| 145. | Eswatini | $4.2 million | 0.01% |
| 146. | Solomon Islands | $4.1 million | 0.01% |
| 147. | Cabo Verde | $3.8 million | 0.01% |
| 148. | Grenada | $3.7 million | 0.01% |
| 149. | Lesotho | $3.5 million | 0.01% |
| 150. | Faroe Islands | $2.8 million | 0.01% |
| 151. | Ukraine | $2.3 million | 0.01% |
| 152. | Hong Kong | $1.9 million | 0.005% |
| 153. | Saint Lucia | $1.3 million | 0.003% |
| 154. | North Korea | $1.1 million | 0.003% |
| 155. | Benin | $901,000 | 0.002% |
| 156. | Palestine | $889,000 | 0.002% |
| 157. | Serbia | $843,000 | 0.002% |
| 158. | Australia | $826,000 | 0.002% |
| 159. | Moldova | $674,000 | 0.002% |
| 160. | Czech Republic | $598,000 | 0.001% |
| 161. | Uruguay | $299,000 | 0.001% |
| 162. | French Polynesia | $105,000 | 0.0003% |
| 163. | Seychelles | $102,000 | 0.0002% |
| 164. | Paraguay | $96,000 | 0.0002% |
| 165. | Argentina | $36,000 | 0.0001% |
| 166. | Madagascar | $24,000 | 0.0001% |
| 167. | Andorra | $18,000 | 0.00004% |
| 168. | Niger | $17,000 | 0.00004% |
| 169. | Cambodia | $10,000 | 0.00002% |
| 170. | Curaçao | $8,000 | 0.00002% |
| 171. | Bermuda | $7,000 | 0.00002% |
| 172. | Sierra Leone | $7,000 | 0.00002% |
| 173. | Brunei Darussalam | $5,000 | 0.00001% |
| 174. | Equatorial Guinea | $4,000 | 0.00001% |
| 175. | British Virgin Islands | $3,000 | 0.00001% |
| 176. | Laos | $3,000 | 0.00001% |
| 177. | Anguilla | $3,000 | 0.00001% |
| 178. | Chad | $2,000 | 0.000005% |
| 179. | Central African Rep | $1,000 | 0.000002% |
| 180. | Cook Islands | $1,000 | 0.000002% |
| 181. | Falkland Is (Malvinas) | $1,000 | 0.000002% |
| 182. | Gibraltar | $1,000 | 0.000002% |
| 183. | Wallis/Futuna Is | $1,000 | 0.000002% |
See also Wheat Exports by Country and Italy’s Top Trading Partners
Research Sources:
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on April 16, 2019
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on April 16, 2019
The World Factbook, Field Listing: Imports – Commodities, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on April 16, 2019