Overall, the value of corn imports expanded by an average 22.3% from all importing countries since 2016 when corn purchases were valued at $32.1 billion. From 2019 to 2020, international purchases of corn flatlined via a modest 0.1% increase.
The 5 biggest importers (Japan, Mexico, China, Vietnam, South Korea) paid over a third (34.7%) of the total spent for corn imports during 2020.
From a continental perspective, Asian countries spent the most on imported corn during 2020 with purchases costing $17.1 billion or 43.6% of the global total. In second place were European importers at 23.4% while 11.56% of worldwide corn imports was delivered to Africa, with 11.55% worth going to Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.
Another 9.9% went to Africa, with 0.1% arriving in Oceania led by New Zealand.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix for corn is 1005.
Corn Imports by Country
Top 15
Below are the 15 countries that spent the most on imported corn during 2020.
- Japan: US$3.3 billion (8.4% of total imported corn)
- Mexico: $3.1 billion (7.9%)
- China: $2.5 billion (6.3%)
- Vietnam: $2.4 billion (6.1%)
- South Korea: $2.37 billion (6%)
- Egypt: $1.9 billion (4.8%)
- Spain: $1.65 billion (4.2%)
- Netherlands: $1.3 billion (3.3%)
- Colombia: $1.22 billion (3.1%)
- Italy: $1.2 billion (3%)
- Iran: $1.1 billion (2.8%)
- Germany: $974.9 million (2.5%)
- Taiwan: $888.5 million (2.3%)
- Algeria: $832.1 million (2.1%)
- Malaysia: $791.6 million (2%)
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing markets for corn since 2019 were: China (up 134.6%), Colombia (up 6.7%), Vietnam (up 3.9%) and South Korea (up 0.8%).
Those countries that posted declines in their imported corn purchases were led by: Iran (down -28.5%), Spain (down -15%), Germany (down -13.7%) and Taiwan (down -9.3%).
By value, the listed 15 countries purchased 64.8% of all corn imported in 2020.
Japan
Corn Imports into Japan
Japan’s global purchases of imported corn totaled US$3.5 billion in 2020. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Japan imported the highest dollar value worth of corn during 2020. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2019 to 2020.
- Brazil: US$992.4 million (up 535.8% from 2019)
- New Zealand: $5 million (up 219.4%)
- Peru: $3.6 million (up 27.1%)
- India: $2.8 million (up 26.3%)
- Argentina: $49 million (up 381.6%)
- Germany: $802,000 (up 34.1%)
- Chile: $854,000 (up 135.3%)
- France: $6.1 million (down -13.5%)
- Russia: $19.9 million (up 23%)
- United States: $2.4 billion (down -21.3%)
- Thailand: $350,000 (down -41.7%)
- Indonesia: $284,000 (up 47.2%)
- South Africa: $1 million (down -98.6%)
- Australia: $279,000 (down -75.3%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.996% of corn imported by Japan in 2020.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of corn to Japan since 2019 were: Brazil (up 535.8%), Argentina (up 381.6%), New Zealand (up 219.4%) and Chile (up 135.3%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their corn supplied to Japanese importers included: South Africa (down -98.6%), Australia (down -75.3%), Thailand (down -41.7%) and United States (down -21.3%).
Overall, the value of Japan’s imported corn rose by an average 4.5% from all supplying countries since 2019 when corn purchased cost $3.4 billion.
Mexico
Corn Imports into Mexico
Mexico’s global purchases of imported corn totaled US$3.09 billion in 2020. Below are the top suppliers from which Mexico imported the highest dollar value worth of corn during 2020. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying from country from 2019 to 2020.
- United States: US$2.9 billion (up 1.1% from 2019)
- Brazil: $217.3 million (down -38.1%)
- Chile: $2 million (down -32.6%)
- Argentina: $798,000 (down -40.8%)
- France: $120,000 (up 11.1%)
- Guatemala: $60,000 (no 2019 data)
- Hungary: $5,000 (no 2019 data)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 100% of corn imported by Mexico in 2020.
Among the above countries, the 2 growth suppliers of corn to Mexico since 2019 were France (up 11.1%) and the United States (up 1.1%).
Overall, the value of Mexico’s imported corn retreated by an average -3.3% from all supplying countries since 2019 when corn purchased cost $3.2 billion.
China
Corn Imports into China
China’s global purchases of imported corn totaled US$2.4 billion in 2020. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which the People’s Republic imported the highest dollar value worth of corn during 2020. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2019 to 2020.
- Ukraine: US$1.4 billion (up 52.1% from 2019)
- United States: $958.9 million (up 1,187%)
- Bulgaria: $59.7 million (up 6,383%)
- Laos: $42.8 million (up 5.9%)
- Myanmar: $39 million (up 22.4%)
- Russia: $21.6 million (up 103.2%)
- France: $2.7 million (up 147.7%)
- Peru: $802,000 (up 1.5%)
- South Africa: $647,000 (down -49.4%)
- Chile: $338,000 (down -65.3%)
- Germany: $196,000 (down -88.4%)
- Argentina: $154,000 (down -82.7%)
- Philippines: $18,000 (up 20%)
- Malaysia: $14,000 (down -62.2%)
- India: $5,000 (up 150%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.9996% of corn imported by China in 2020.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of corn to China since 2019 were: Bulgaria (up 6,383%), United States (up 1,187%), India (up 150%) and France (up 147.7%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their corn supplied to Chinese importers included: Germany (down -88.4%), Argentina (down -82.7%), Chile (down -65.3%) and Malaysia (down -62.2%).
Overall, the value of China’s imported corn grew by an average 134.6% from all supplying countries since 2019 when corn purchased cost $1.1 billion.
Vietnam
Corn Imports into Vietnam
Vietnam’s global purchases of imported corn totaled US$2.4 billion in 2020. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Vietnam imported the highest dollar value worth of corn during 2020. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2019 to 2020.
- Argentina: US$1.6 billion (up 7.7% from 2019)
- Brazil: $584.2 million (down -27.9%)
- Russia: $108.7 million (no 2019 data)
- United States: $49.5 million (up 197.6%)
- Ukraine: $29.1 million (no 2019 data)
- South Africa: $19.4 million (up 3,893%)
- Thailand: $12.6 million (down -32%)
- Paraguay: $7.8 million (no 2019 data)
- Pakistan: $6.8 million (up 6,578%)
- Philippines: $4 million (up 215.9%)
- China: $3.6 million (up 0.6%)
- Myanmar: $2.9 million (up 854.8%)
- India: $1.5 million (down -0.5%)
- Turkey: $217,000 (up 26.2%)
- Laos: $157,000 (up 6.1%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.997% of corn imported by Vietnam in 2020.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of corn to Vietnam since 2019 were: Pakistan (up 6,578%), South Africa (up 3,893%), Myanmar (up 854.8%) and Philippines (up 215.9%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their corn supplied to Vietnamese importers were: Thailand (down -32%), Brazil (down -27.9%) and India (down -0.5%).
Overall, the value of Vietnam’s imported corn increased up by an average 3.9% from all supplying countries since 2019 when corn purchased cost $2.3 billion.
Searchable List of Corn Importing Countries in 2020
The 100 key importers in the automated database below represent 99.1% of global spending on imported corn during 2020.
| Rank | Importer | Corn Imports (US$) | 2019-20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Japan | $3,294,930,000 | -6.5% |
| 2. | Mexico | $3,086,058,000 | -3.3% |
| 3. | China | $2,490,317,000 | +134.6% |
| 4. | Vietnam | $2,402,234,000 | +3.9% |
| 5. | South Korea | $2,370,922,000 | +0.8% |
| 6. | Egypt | $1,880,862,000 | -2.5% |
| 7. | Spain | $1,653,435,000 | -15% |
| 8. | Netherlands | $1,310,244,000 | -3.3% |
| 9. | Colombia | $1,221,505,000 | +6.7% |
| 10. | Italy | $1,197,357,000 | -5.1% |
| 11. | Iran | $1,087,324,000 | -28.5% |
| 12. | Germany | $974,859,000 | -13.7% |
| 13. | Taiwan | $888,505,000 | -9.3% |
| 14. | Algeria | $832,079,000 | -3.5% |
| 15. | Malaysia | $791,603,000 | +0.5% |
| 16. | Peru | $779,365,000 | -2.2% |
| 17. | Saudi Arabia | $654,188,000 | -8.5% |
| 18. | United Kingdom | $607,703,000 | -1.2% |
| 19. | Chile | $572,603,000 | +21.7% |
| 20. | Morocco | $567,973,000 | +4.3% |
| 21. | Turkey | $485,439,000 | -42.7% |
| 22. | Canada | $453,977,000 | -13.6% |
| 23. | Belgium | $425,529,000 | +9.3% |
| 24. | Bangladesh | $397,863,000 | +72.8% |
| 25. | Portugal | $377,647,000 | -8.8% |
| 26. | Romania | $363,961,000 | +89.3% |
| 27. | Israel | $357,614,000 | +5.3% |
| 28. | United States | $337,389,000 | -9.1% |
| 29. | France | $311,744,000 | +4% |
| 30. | Guatemala | $307,392,000 | +9.5% |
| 31. | Zimbabwe | $298,675,000 | +867.2% |
| 32. | Thailand | $286,053,000 | +77.5% |
| 33. | Ireland | $267,244,000 | -13.9% |
| 34. | Dominican Republic | $260,424,000 | -10.3% |
| 35. | Austria | $232,405,000 | -8% |
| 36. | Venezuela | $226,608,000 | +13.8% |
| 37. | Philippines | $212,516,000 | +46% |
| 38. | Brazil | $203,078,000 | +1.9% |
| 39. | Costa Rica | $194,135,000 | +0.8% |
| 40. | Poland | $191,280,000 | +19.3% |
| 41. | Tunisia | $174,591,000 | -9.4% |
| 42. | Indonesia | $172,649,000 | -18.8% |
| 43. | Jordan | $163,128,000 | +0.9% |
| 44. | Greece | $155,620,000 | -3.8% |
| 45. | El Salvador | $147,636,000 | -13.2% |
| 46. | Libya | $137,188,000 | +37.2% |
| 47. | Iraq | $135,736,000 | -19.1% |
| 48. | Honduras | $132,738,000 | -8.6% |
| 49. | Russia | $132,704,000 | +22.6% |
| 50. | Hungary | $129,187,000 | -11.6% |
| 51. | Nepal | $120,724,000 | -2.5% |
| 52. | Lebanon | $117,833,000 | +8.7% |
| 53. | Yemen | $114,794,000 | +5% |
| 54. | Ukraine | $105,443,000 | -20.7% |
| 55. | United Arab Emirates | $94,519,000 | -14.7% |
| 56. | Panama | $91,361,000 | -4.3% |
| 57. | Nigeria | $87,080,000 | +501.7% |
| 58. | Nicaragua | $84,418,000 | +44% |
| 59. | Denmark | $73,832,000 | -41.5% |
| 60. | Senegal | $73,039,000 | +0.8% |
| 61. | Kenya | $68,814,000 | +13.4% |
| 62. | Czech Republic | $66,281,000 | -12.3% |
| 63. | Cambodia | $65,397,000 | +59.7% |
| 64. | India | $64,701,000 | -15.4% |
| 65. | Lithuania | $60,946,000 | -10.7% |
| 66. | Botswana | $59,537,000 | +20.4% |
| 67. | Mozambique | $57,025,000 | +19.2% |
| 68. | Pakistan | $56,662,000 | +8.8% |
| 69. | Bulgaria | $56,604,000 | +13% |
| 70. | Slovakia | $55,976,000 | +7.9% |
| 71. | Cyprus | $53,266,000 | -11.2% |
| 72. | Oman | $52,228,000 | -4.1% |
| 73. | Paraguay | $51,214,000 | +14% |
| 74. | Uruguay | $51,211,000 | -16.4% |
| 75. | Belarus | $50,265,000 | -42.9% |
| 76. | Jamaica | $49,814,000 | -20.1% |
| 77. | Syrian Arab Republic | $48,079,000 | -22.4% |
| 78. | Slovenia | $46,064,000 | +20.9% |
| 79. | Ecuador | $44,459,000 | -5.4% |
| 80. | Cuba | $44,060,000 | -69.8% |
| 81. | Switzerland | $42,754,000 | -0.7% |
| 82. | Namibia | $41,178,000 | -19.9% |
| 83. | Eswatini | $37,644,000 | +26.6% |
| 84. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $37,249,000 | +2.5% |
| 85. | South Africa | $35,982,000 | -72.8% |
| 86. | Croatia | $35,694,000 | -15.6% |
| 87. | Myanmar | $32,478,000 | -7.2% |
| 88. | Ethiopia | $31,075,000 | -35.1% |
| 89. | New Zealand | $27,883,000 | -56.4% |
| 90. | Tanzania | $27,112,000 | -32.9% |
| 91. | Mauritius | $26,632,000 | +6.9% |
| 92. | Moldova | $25,023,000 | +57.7% |
| 93. | Kuwait | $24,954,000 | -45% |
| 94. | Georgia | $24,079,000 | +30.9% |
| 95. | Qatar | $22,186,000 | +35.6% |
| 96. | Albania | $20,674,000 | +2.3% |
| 97. | Latvia | $19,188,000 | +3.1% |
| 98. | Trinidad/Tobago | $18,922,000 | +21.5% |
| 99. | Uzbekistan | $17,614,000 | -11.3% |
| 100. | Democr. Rep. Congo | $17,199,000 | +18.2% |
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means that no 2019 data was available.
See also Corn Exports by Country, Japan’s Top Trading Partners and Mexico’s Top 10 Imports
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Imports – Commodities. Accessed on August 17, 2021
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 17, 2021
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on August 17, 2021
Wikipedia, Maize. Accessed on August 17, 2021
