Overall, the value of corn imports grew by 10.8% for all importing countries since 2015 when corn purchases were valued at $33.1 billion. Year over year, international buys of corn fell by -2.2% from 2018 to 2019.
From a continental perspective, Asian countries spent the most on imported corn during 2019 with purchases costing $15.4 billion or 42.1% of the global total. In second place were European importers at 27% while 11.5% of worldwide corn imports was delivered to Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, with 10.9% worth going to North America. Another 8.3% went to Africa, with 0.2% 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 2019.
- Japan: US$3.5 billion (9.6% of total corn imports)
- Mexico: $3.1 billion (8.5%)
- South Korea: $2.4 billion (6.4%)
- Spain: $2 billion (5.4%)
- Vietnam: $1.9 billion (5.3%)
- Netherlands: $1.41 billion (3.8%)
- Iran: $1.36 billion (3.7%)
- Italy: $1.28 billion (3.5%)
- Germany: $1.12 billion (3%)
- Egypt: $1.1 billion (3%)
- China: $16 billion (2.9%)
- Colombia: $13 billion (2.8%)
- Taiwan: $979.4 million (2.7%)
- Peru: $796.5 million (2.2%)
- Malaysia: $787.8 million (2.1%)
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing markets for corn since 2015 were: Italy (up 70.6%), Germany (up 55.4%), Peru (up 38.3%) and Spain (up 37.6%).
Three countries posted declines in their imported corn purchases namely: Egypt (down -38.3%), Iran (down -4.9%) and China (down -4.2%).
The listed 15 countries purchased 64.9% of all corn imported in 2019.
Japan
Corn Imports into Japan
Japan’s global purchases of imported corn totaled US$2.4 billion in 2019. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Japan imported the highest dollar value worth of corn during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- United States: US$2.4 billion (down -6.6% from 2015)
- Brazil: $992.4 million (up 103.4%)
- Argentina: $49 million (up 64.1%)
- Russia: $19.9 million (no 2015 data)
- France: $6.1 million (up 9.4%)
- New Zealand: $5 million (up 92.4%)
- Peru: $3.6 million (up 68.8%)
- India: $2.8 million (up 67.5%)
- South Africa: $1 million (down -76.6%)
- Chile: $854,000 (up 23.1%)
- Germany: $802,000 (up 29.4%)
- Thailand: $350,000 (down -48.1%)
- Indonesia: $284,000 (down -51.5%)
- Australia: $279,000 (down -79.8%)
- Ukraine: $188,000 (down -99.8%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 99.996% of corn imported by Japan in 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of corn to Japan since 2015 were: Brazil (up 103.4%), New Zealand (up 92.4%), Peru (up 68.8%) and India (up 67.5%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their corn supplied to Japanese importers included: Ukraine (down -99.8%), Australia (down -79.8%), South Africa (down -76.6%) and Indonesia (down -51.5%).
Overall, the value of Japan’s imported corn rose by an average 8.9% from all supplying countries since 2015 when corn purchased cost $3.2 billion.
Mexico
Corn Imports into Mexico
Mexico’s global purchases of imported corn totaled US$3.1 billion in 2019. Below are the top suppliers from which Mexico imported the highest dollar value worth of corn during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- United States: US$2.8 billion (up 18.3% from 2015)
- Brazil: $280.8 million (up 451.6%)
- Chile: $2.9 million (down -25.6%)
- Argentina: $501,000 (down -91%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 100% of corn imported by Mexico in 2019.
Among the above countries, the two growing suppliers of corn to Mexico since 2015 were Brazil (up 451.6%) and the United States (up 18.3%).
Overall, the value of Mexico’s imported corn accelerated by an average 26.8% from all supplying countries since 2015 when corn purchased cost $2.5 billion.
Korea
Corn Imports into South Korea
South Korea’s global purchases of imported corn totaled US$2.4 billion in 2019. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which South Korea imported the highest dollar value worth of corn during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- Brazil: US$746.4 million (up 18.7% from 2015)
- Argentina: $597.8 million (up 656.8%)
- United States: $581.3 million (down -24%)
- Serbia: $171.8 million (up 60.5%)
- Ukraine: $80.6 million (down -77.1%)
- Paraguay: $72.1 million (up 598.5%)
- Bulgaria: $70.1 million (up 882.4%)
- Australia: $12.1 million (down -39.4%)
- Russia: $7.7 million (down -94.7%)
- Antigua/Barbuda: $5.2 million (no 2015 data)
- South Africa: $3.5 million (no 2015 data)
- Austria: $2.8 million (no 2015 data)
- Romania: $756,000 (down -96%)
- Panama: $284,000 (no 2015 data)
- China: $193,000 (up 286%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 99.99% of corn imported by South Korea in 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of corn to South Korea since 2015 were: Bulgaria (up 882.4%), Argentina (up 656.8%), Paraguay (up 598.5%) and China (up 286%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their corn supplied to Korean importers were led by: Romania (down -96%), Russia (down -94.7%), Ukraine (down -77.1%) and Australia (down -39.4%).
Overall, the value of South Korea’s imported corn increased by an average 6.2% from all supplying countries since 2015 when corn purchased cost $2.2 billion.
Spain
Corn Imports into Spain
Spain’s global purchases of imported corn totaled US$2 billion in 2019. Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Spain imported the highest dollar value worth of corn during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- Ukraine: US$756.6 million (up 44.2% from 2015)
- Brazil: $571 million (up 420.9%)
- France: $283.1 million (down -34.3%)
- Romania: $173.6 million (up 33.9%)
- Canada: $55 million (up 632.7%)
- Bulgaria: $40.4 million (up 50.5%)
- Serbia: $22.4 million (down -65%)
- Portugal: $20.1 million (up 223.5%)
- Argentina: $11.1 million (down -33.4%)
- Peru: $10.5 million (up 43.3%)
- Austria: $8 million (up 192.9%)
- Germany: $6.2 million (up 154.9%)
- Italy: $5.3 million (down -56.6%)
- United States: $3.9 million (down -92.6%)
- Chile: $3.3 million (up 201.3%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 99.6% of corn imported by Spain in 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of corn to Spain since 2015 were: Canada (up 632.7%), Brazil (up 420.9%), Portugal (up 223.5%) and Chile (up 201.3%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their corn supplied to Spanish importers included: United States (down -92.6%), Serbia (down -65%), Italy (down -56.6%) and France (down -34.3%).
Overall, the value of Spain’s imported corn expanded by an average 37.6% from all supplying countries since 2015 when corn purchased cost $1.4 billion.
Searchable List of Corn Importing Countries in 2019
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns below. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means that no 2018 data was available.
| Rank | Importer | Corn Imports (US$) | 2018-19 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Japan | $3,524,970,000 | +4.5% |
| 2. | Mexico | $3,118,543,000 | -5.2% |
| 3. | South Korea | $2,352,948,000 | +10.3% |
| 4. | Spain | $1,978,471,000 | +0.5% |
| 5. | Vietnam | $1,936,273,000 | -8.2% |
| 6. | Netherlands | $1,407,700,000 | +4.6% |
| 7. | Iran | $1,357,795,000 | -35.8% |
| 8. | Italy | $1,279,037,000 | +6.2% |
| 9. | Germany | $1,116,808,000 | +12.9% |
| 10. | Egypt | $1,103,733,000 | -40.3% |
| 11. | China | $1,061,586,000 | +34.9% |
| 12. | Colombia | $1,029,325,000 | -2% |
| 13. | Taiwan | $979,443,000 | +14.5% |
| 14. | Peru | $796,508,000 | +12% |
| 15. | Malaysia | $787,819,000 | -4.4% |
| 16. | Saudi Arabia | $715,322,000 | +11.6% |
| 17. | Algeria | $709,322,000 | -1.9% |
| 18. | Turkey | $703,041,000 | +60.5% |
| 19. | United Kingdom | $616,156,000 | +4.2% |
| 20. | Morocco | $544,504,000 | +10% |
| 21. | Canada | $525,304,000 | +4.7% |
| 22. | Chile | $470,437,000 | +19.7% |
| 23. | Belgium | $446,281,000 | -0.2% |
| 24. | Portugal | $415,173,000 | -23.2% |
| 25. | United States | $371,056,000 | -3.8% |
| 26. | Israel | $339,758,000 | +4% |
| 27. | Ireland | $310,457,000 | -3.8% |
| 28. | France | $299,898,000 | +12.5% |
| 29. | Guatemala | $280,795,000 | +19.2% |
| 30. | Dominican Republic | $254,838,000 | -8.8% |
| 31. | Austria | $250,055,000 | +11.8% |
| 32. | Bangladesh | $226,458,000 | -27.2% |
| 33. | Brazil | $199,212,000 | +32.7% |
| 34. | Romania | $194,748,000 | +36.5% |
| 35. | Costa Rica | $192,652,000 | +9.9% |
| 36. | El Salvador | $169,999,000 | +25.9% |
| 37. | Indonesia | $163,079,000 | +2.2% |
| 38. | Greece | $161,798,000 | -4.9% |
| 39. | Thailand | $161,200,000 | +383.9% |
| 40. | Poland | $160,342,000 | +7.9% |
| 41. | Philippines | $145,597,000 | -45.7% |
| 42. | Cuba | $145,546,000 | -6.9% |
| 43. | Hungary | $143,729,000 | +44.5% |
| 44. | Slovenia | $136,317,000 | +54.4% |
| 45. | South Africa | $132,067,000 | +199.3% |
| 46. | Ukraine | $127,549,000 | -10.6% |
| 47. | Denmark | $126,125,000 | -7.8% |
| 48. | Honduras | $125,906,000 | -1.8% |
| 49. | Jordan | $124,257,000 | -32.7% |
| 50. | Venezuela | $113,072,000 | -63.7% |
| 51. | Yemen | $109,284,000 | -3.5% |
| 52. | Russia | $108,203,000 | -30.8% |
| 53. | Lebanon | $104,347,000 | -10.9% |
| 54. | United Arab Emirates | $96,934,000 | -12.3% |
| 55. | Nepal | $96,814,000 | -0.4% |
| 56. | Panama | $94,231,000 | +7.7% |
| 57. | Nicaragua | $77,665,000 | +70.5% |
| 58. | India | $75,595,000 | +385.9% |
| 59. | Czech Republic | $75,507,000 | +16.7% |
| 60. | Senegal | $72,430,000 | -12.4% |
| 61. | Lithuania | $68,186,000 | +73.3% |
| 62. | Tunisia | $67,638,000 | -56.9% |
| 63. | New Zealand | $63,965,000 | +107.8% |
| 64. | Uruguay | $61,236,000 | -49.7% |
| 65. | Cyprus | $59,997,000 | +20.4% |
| 66. | Iraq | $58,678,000 | +0.9% |
| 67. | Slovakia | $52,421,000 | -8.7% |
| 68. | Namibia | $51,413,000 | +93.4% |
| 69. | Pakistan | $51,103,000 | -37.3% |
| 70. | Oman | $51,081,000 | +12.3% |
| 71. | Bulgaria | $50,955,000 | +19.2% |
| 72. | Botswana | $49,359,000 | +35.6% |
| 73. | Jamaica | $49,045,000 | -4.2% |
| 74. | Mozambique | $47,856,000 | +15.2% |
| 75. | Ecuador | $47,016,000 | -16.1% |
| 76. | Paraguay | $44,941,000 | -0.3% |
| 77. | Switzerland | $43,069,000 | -2.4% |
| 78. | Croatia | $42,544,000 | +37.4% |
| 79. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $36,331,000 | -26.2% |
| 80. | Kuwait | $35,421,000 | -21.6% |
| 81. | Zimbabwe | $30,875,000 | -33.4% |
| 82. | Belarus | $29,887,000 | -48.6% |
| 83. | Sweden | $29,868,000 | +27.9% |
| 84. | Eswatini | $29,744,000 | +29.4% |
| 85. | Tanzania | $29,312,000 | +42% |
| 86. | Syria | $26,391,000 | -13.2% |
| 87. | Mauritius | $24,911,000 | +2.7% |
| 88. | Libya | $24,202,000 | -80.5% |
| 89. | Myanmar (Burma) | $21,328,000 | -45.4% |
| 90. | Argentina | $19,505,000 | -34.6% |
| 91. | Latvia | $19,420,000 | -51% |
| 92. | Georgia | $18,462,000 | -14% |
| 93. | Azerbaijan | $18,435,000 | +51.8% |
| 94. | Angola | $18,411,000 | +15.1% |
| 95. | Uzbekistan | $17,917,000 | +82.4% |
| 96. | Moldova | $16,531,000 | +13.1% |
| 97. | Serbia | $15,731,000 | +3.6% |
| 98. | Trinidad/Tobago | $15,472,000 | -15.6% |
| 99. | Norway | $14,883,000 | -35.4% |
| 100. | Nigeria | $14,472,000 | -42.2% |
| 101. | Djibouti | $14,047,000 | +791.9% |
| 102. | Lesotho | $12,137,000 | -1.5% |
| 103. | Armenia | $12,012,000 | +2.3% |
| 104. | Albania | $11,997,000 | -37% |
| 105. | Qatar | $11,801,000 | +2.1% |
| 106. | Kenya | $11,040,000 | -90.7% |
| 107. | North Korea | $10,581,000 | +385.6% |
| 108. | North Macedonia | $9,158,000 | -27.7% |
| 109. | Malta | $9,152,000 | -9.6% |
| 110. | Luxembourg | $8,824,000 | +11.9% |
| 111. | Haiti | $8,642,000 | +126.6% |
| 112. | Barbados | $7,701,000 | +19.4% |
| 113. | Ethiopia | $7,688,000 | +61.3% |
| 114. | Democr. Rep. Congo | $7,651,000 | +39.9% |
| 115. | Guyana | $7,410,000 | -44.1% |
| 116. | Somalia | $7,297,000 | +508.6% |
| 117. | Congo | $7,169,000 | +168.8% |
| 118. | Australia | $6,543,000 | +93.3% |
| 119. | Cabo Verde | $6,349,000 | -37.2% |
| 120. | Estonia | $6,247,000 | -5.9% |
| 121. | Ghana | $6,132,000 | -73.1% |
| 122. | Kazakhstan | $5,942,000 | +19.7% |
| 123. | Sri Lanka | $5,845,000 | -77.9% |
| 124. | Finland | $5,763,000 | -56.1% |
| 125. | Niger | $5,502,000 | +15.9% |
| 126. | Singapore | $5,394,000 | -43.7% |
| 127. | Iceland | $5,364,000 | -8.6% |
| 128. | Hong Kong | $5,309,000 | -3.5% |
| 129. | Zambia | $5,103,000 | +86.6% |
| 130. | Montenegro | $4,940,000 | -8.6% |
| 131. | Brunei Darussalam | $4,733,000 | +1,824% |
| 132. | Cambodia | $4,656,000 | -80.2% |
| 133. | Sudan | $4,448,000 | -66.4% |
| 134. | Côte d'Ivoire | $4,399,000 | -52% |
| 135. | Bolivia | $3,911,000 | -67.9% |
| 136. | Malawi | $3,777,000 | +181.7% |
| 137. | Cameroon | $2,951,000 | -29.2% |
| 138. | Bhutan | $2,760,000 | +283.9% |
| 139. | Kyrgyzstan | $2,695,000 | +111.7% |
| 140. | Belize | $2,558,000 | +19% |
| 141. | Bahrain | $2,483,000 | -56.7% |
| 142. | Mongolia | $1,772,000 | -19.1% |
| 143. | Benin | $1,741,000 | +182.6% |
| 144. | St Vincent/Grenadines | $1,526,000 | +15.1% |
| 145. | Rwanda | $1,306,000 | -96.1% |
| 146. | Laos | $1,267,000 | -34% |
| 147. | French Polynesia | $1,192,000 | +33.8% |
| 148. | Seychelles | $1,129,000 | -6% |
| 149. | Grenada | $1,048,000 | +44.4% |
| 150. | Turkmenistan | $977,000 | +0.4% |
| 151. | Suriname | $943,000 | 0% |
| 152. | Madagascar | $785,000 | -60.7% |
| 153. | Guinea | $762,000 | -53.1% |
| 154. | Togo | $615,000 | +18.7% |
| 155. | Mali | $606,000 | +27.8% |
| 156. | Saint Lucia | $570,000 | +6.9% |
| 157. | New Caledonia | $552,000 | -14.6% |
| 158. | Mauritania | $488,000 | -82.5% |
| 159. | Papua New Guinea | $476,000 | -60.1% |
| 160. | Liberia | $468,000 | -23.7% |
| 161. | Gambia | $466,000 | +1,271% |
| 162. | Bahamas | $409,000 | -12.6% |
| 163. | Tajikistan | $399,000 | +0.3% |
| 164. | Aruba | $343,000 | -16.3% |
| 165. | Burundi | $293,000 | -97.5% |
| 166. | Sierra Leone | $226,000 | -45.4% |
| 167. | Gabon | $173,000 | -42.5% |
| 168. | Cayman Islands | $172,000 | -80% |
| 169. | Afghanistan | $138,000 | 0% |
| 170. | Curaçao | $115,000 | +15% |
| 171. | Burkina Faso | $109,000 | -52.8% |
| 172. | Bermuda | $100,000 | +11.1% |
| 173. | Antigua/Barbuda | $99,000 | -19.5% |
| 174. | Uganda | $51,000 | -93.3% |
| 175. | Andorra | $43,000 | +48.3% |
| 176. | Fiji | $33,000 | -81.9% |
| 177. | Br. Indian Ocean Terr | $28,000 | 0% |
| 178. | Sao Tome/Principe | $26,000 | -58.1% |
| 179. | Samoa | $26,000 | +2,500% |
| 180. | Palau | $24,000 | +242.9% |
| 181. | Comoros | $23,000 | -69.7% |
| 182. | Greenland | $22,000 | +29.4% |
| 183. | Dominica | $19,000 | +280% |
| 184. | Cook Islands | $14,000 | +133.3% |
| 185. | Equatorial Guinea | $13,000 | -53.6% |
| 186. | British Virgin Islands | $13,000 | 0% |
| 187. | Saint Kitts/Nevis | $10,000 | -52.4% |
| 188. | Faroe Islands | $8,000 | -50% |
| 189. | Maldives | $7,000 | -96.8% |
| 190. | Gibraltar | $3,000 | -25% |
| 191. | Anguilla | $3,000 | 0% |
| 192. | Guinea-Bissau | $3,000 | -100% |
| 193. | Saint Helena | $2,000 | -50% |
| 194. | Wallis/Futuna Islands | $2,000 | -33.3% |
| 195. | Timor-Leste | $1,000 | -94.1% |
| 196. | Marshall Islands | $1,000 | 0% |
| 197. | Niue | $1,000 | 0% |
| 198. | Kiribati | $1,000 | -75% |
| 199. | Vanuatu | $1,000 | -97.6% |
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 May 11, 2020
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 11, 2020
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 11, 2020
Wikipedia, Maize. Accessed on May 11, 2020
