The trillion-dollar value of global food shipments has expanded by 42.3% since 2010 and rose 3.3% from 2019 to 2020.
The growth percentages for exported food outpaced the overall metrics for all goods sold on international markets which rose 16% since 2020 and fell -6.6% in 2020 compared with 2019.
The United States of America is the world’s number one exporter for 4 of the 5 main product categories defined for exported food. The US is the leading international supplier for meat and edible meat offal, fruits and nuts, cereals led by wheat and corn, and oil seeds plus oleaginous fruits led by soya beans.
Given the world’s population of 7.753 billion people in 2020, the total of $1.314 trillion in 2020 food exports equates roughly $170 for every human being on the planet. That per-capita metric is 26.6% higher than the $134 person average for 2010 and 2.2% higher spending from 2019 to 2020.
Top Exports by Food Categories
Below, you will find all 18 export product groups for food ranked by total sales in 2020. Those exported categories are specific to food types, while each listed entry also reveals its total dollar value in global shipments.
Also shown is the percentage share each export food category represents in terms of inter-country food sales.
- Meat: $134.7 billion (10.25% of globally exported food)
- Fruits, nuts: $133.9 billion (10.2%)
- Cereals: $119.4 billion (9.1%)
- Fish: $111.7 billion (8.5%)
- Oil seeds: $110 billion (8.4%)
- Animal or vegetable fats, oils, waxes: $102.2 billion (7.8%)
- Dairy, eggs, honey: $90.3 billion (6.9%)
- Miscellaneous food preparations: $83.7 billion (6.4%)
- Cereal/milk preparations: $81.3 billion (6.2%)
- Vegetables: $76.7 billion (5.8%)
- Vegetable, fruit or nut preparations: $64.3 billion (4.9%)
- Meat or seafood preparations: $52.8 billion (4%)
- Cocoa: $50.1 billion (3.8%)
- Sugar, sugar confectionery: $43.2 billion (3.3%)
- Live animals: $21.9 billion (1.7%)
- Milling products, malt, starches: $20.2 billion (1.5%)
- Miscellaneous animal-origin products: $10 billion (0.8%)
- Gums, resins, other vegetable saps: $8 billion (0.6%)
Eleven among the 18 product categories increased in value for global exports from 2019 to 2020.
Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes represent the fastest gainer, up by 14.7% since 2019.
In second place for improving export food sales was the oil seeds category which was up by 13.9%.
Global shipments of sugar including sugar confectionery posted the third-fastest gain in value thanks to a 7.9% increase year over year. Led by wheat, corn and rice, the cereals category also recorded a 7.9% increase.
Other notable gains were for exports of miscellaneous food preparations (up 5.9% year over year), vegetables (up 5.3%), then fruits and nuts (up 4.6%).
The leading decliners among the export product categories were miscellaneous animal-origin products (down -9.6% from 2019) and fish (also down -9.6%).
Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more granular view of exported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, peruse the sections below specific to the 5 food product categories that generated the highest international sales from exports in 2020.
International Meat Exports
Listed below are the 10 types of meat that produced the greatest global sales from exports in 2020.
- Pork: US$37.2 billion (27.6% of subcategory total)
- Frozen beef: $26.7 billion (19.9%)
- Poultry meat: $25.1 billion (18.7%)
- Fresh or chilled beef: $23.4 billion (17.4%)
- Red meat offal: $8.3 billion (6.2%)
- Sheep or goat meat: $7.4 billion (5.5%)
- Salted, dried or smoked offal, flours $4.4 billion (3.3%)
- Pig or poultry fat: $861.8 million (0.6%)
- Rabbit or pigeon meat: $610.3 million (0.5%)
- Horse or donkey meat: $356.1 million (0.3%)
Only 3 types of exported meat experienced higher sales from 2019 to 2020 were pork (up 13.2%), pig or poultry fat (up 8.1%) and red meat offal (up 1.1%).
Enduring the worst declines year over year were revenues for exported rabbit or pigeon meat (down -21.6%), horse or donkey meat (down -17.3%), poultry meat (down -7.9%), sheep or goat meat (down -7%) and frozen beef (down -5%).
Latest Available Country Data for Exported Meat
The following analysis presents the 15 top exporters of meat by country. All told, the major meat suppliers accounted for over four-fifths (81.8%) of meat exported during 2020.
- United States of America: US$18.1 billion (13.5% of global total)
- Brazil: $15.8 billion (11.7%)
- Australia: $10.4 billion (7.7%)
- Netherlands: $9.7 billion (7.2%)
- Spain: $9.6 billion (7.2%)
- Germany: $8.3 billion (6.2%)
- Canada: $6.2 billion (4.6%)
- Poland: $5.5 billion (4.1%)
- New Zealand: $5.3 billion (3.9%)
- Denmark: $4.1 billion (3.1%)
- Ireland: $3.6 billion (2.7%)
- France: $3.5 billion (2.6%)
- Belgium: $3.4 billion (2.5%)
- Argentina: $3.3 billion (2.5%)
- India: $3.1 billion (2.3%)
- Mexico: $2.6 billion (2%)
- Italy: $2.4 billion (1.7%)
- United Kingdom: $2.3 billion (1.7%)
- Uruguay: $1.8 billion (1.3%)
- Chile: $1.4 billion (1%)
Realizing double-digit increases in their exported meat sales from 2019 to 2020 were suppliers in Spain (up 20.5%), Chile (up 20.1%), Mexico (up 17.4%) then Canada (up 10.8%).
Year over year, the severest declines in revenues from exported meat sales belong to Uruguay (down -14.3%), Argentina (down -13.5%), Australia (down -10.1%), India (down -10%) and Germany (down -8.7%).
International Fruits and Nuts Exports
Listed below are the 14 types of fruits and nuts that generated the greatest export revenues in 2020.
- Fresh berries including strawberries, currants: US$19.9 billion (14.9% of subcategory total)
- Miscellaneous nuts: $19.1 billion (14.2%)
- Fresh or dried citrus fruit: $16.2 billion (12.1%)
- Dates/pineapples/mango/avocado: $14.9 billion (11.2%)
- Bananas, plantains: $14.1 billion (10.5%)
- Grapes (fresh or dried): $11.1 billion (8.3%)
- Apples, pears (fresh): $10.5 billion (7.8%)
- Coconuts, Brazil nuts, cashews $8.2 billion (6.1%)
- Cherries/peaches/nectarines/plums: $7.3 billion (5.5%)
- Steamed or boiled fruits, nuts: $5.7 billion (4.2%)
- Melons including watermelons, papayas: $4 billion (3%)
- Dried fruits including apricots, prunes: $2.5 billion (1.8%)
- Specially preserved fruits, nuts: $210 million (0.2%)
- Citrus fruts or melon peel: $102.1 million (0.1%)
The fastest growing types of exported fruits and nuts from 2019 to 2020 were fresh or dried citrus fruit (up 16.3%), steamed or boiled fruits and nuts (up 13.7%), cherries, peaches, nectarines and plums (up 9.2%), apples and pears (up 9.1%) then dried fruits including apricots and pears (up 9.1%).
The 3 declining fruits and nuts subcategories were specially preserved fruits and nuts (down -10.9%), citrus fruits or melon peel (down -7.5%) and miscellaneous nuts (down -5.4%).
Latest Available Country Data for Exported Fruits and Nuts
The following analysis presents the 15 top exporters of fruits and nuts by country. Combined, the major fruits and nuts suppliers accounted for roughly two-thirds (66.2%) of fruits and nuts exported during 2020.
- United States of America: US$14.3 billion (10.7% of global total)
- Spain: $10.9 billion (8.2%)
- Netherlands: $8 billion (6%)
- Mexico: $7.1 billion (5.3%)
- China: $7.1 billion (5.3%)
- Chile: $5.8 billion (4.3%)
- Vietnam: $5.1 billion (3.8%)
- Turkey: $4.8 billion (3.6%)
- Thailand: $4.2 billion (3.1%)
- Italy: $4.1 billion (3%)
- Ecuador: $3.9 billion (2.9%)
- Peru: $3.8 billion (2.9%)
- South Africa: $3.8 billion (2.9%)
- Iran: $2.9 billion (2.2%)
- Hong Kong: $2.7 billion (2%)
- New Zealand: $2.6 billion (1.9%)
- Belgium: $2.5 billion (1.8%)
- Germany: $2.3 billion (1.7%)
- Philippines: $2.3 billion (1.7%)
- Costa Rica: $2.2 billion (1.6%)
Reaping the biggest increases in their exported fruits and nuts sales from 2019 to 2020 were suppliers in Peru (up 16.1%), New Zealand (up 13.8%), mainland China (up 13.5%), Netherlands (up 13.4%), Thailand (up 11.9%), South Africa (up 11.6%), Ecuador (up 11.5%) then Spain (up 10.4%).
Double-digit declines in revenues from exported fruits and nuts sales were attributed to the Philippines (down -12.6%), Vietnam (down -10.9%) and Hong Kong (also down -10.9%).
International Cereals Exports
Listed below are the 8 types of cereals that produced the greatest global sales from exports in 2020.
- Wheat and meslin US$44.9 billion (37.7% of subcategory total)
- Corn: $36.9 billion (30.9%)
- Rice: $25.6 billion (21.5%)
- Barley: $7.4 billion (6.2%)
- Grain sorghum: $1.7 billion (1.4%)
- Other cereals including buckwheat, millet: $1.2 billion (1%)
- Oats: $912.4 million (0.8%)
- Rye: $451.3 million (0.4%)
The strongest percentage gains by types of exported cereals from 2019 to 2020 belong to grain sorghum (up 95%), rye (up 40.2%), miscellaneous cereals including buckwheat and millet (up 18%), oats (up 14.9%) then wheat and meslin (up 10.9%).
Posting the weakest increases year over year were revenues for exported corn (up 2.9%) and rice (up 6%).
Latest Available Country Data for Exported Cereals
The following analysis presents the 15 top exporters of cereals by country. All told, the major shippers of cereals generated over four-fifths (81.9%) of cereals exported during 2020.
- United States of America: US$19.3 billion (16.2% of global total)
- Ukraine: $9.4 billion (7.9%)
- Russia: $9.3 billion (7.8%)
- Argentina: $8.9 billion (7.5%)
- India: $8.7 billion (7.3%)
- Canada: $7.79 billion (6.5%)
- France: $7.78 billion (6.5%)
- Brazil: $6.5 billion (5.4%)
- Australia: $3.81 billion (3.2%)
- Thailand: $3.77 billion (3.2%)
- Germany: $3 billion (2.5%)
- Vietnam: $2.9 billion (2.5%)
- Romania: $2.4 billion (2%)
- Pakistan: $2.1 billion (1.8%)
- Poland: $2 billion (1.6%)
- Hungary: $1.8 billion (1.5%)
- Kazakhstan: $1.4 billion (1.1%)
- Bulgaria: $1.3 billion (1.1%)
- Myanmar: $1.2 billion (1%)
- Lithuania: $1.1 billion (0.9%)
Benefits from the strongest increases in their exported cereals sales from 2019 to 2020 were suppliers in Poland (up 112%), Germany (up 53.8%), Lithuania (up 35.3%), India (up 22.7%), Hungary (up 22.4%), Russia (up 17.9%), Vietnam (up 17.3%) then Canada (up 15.5%).
Year over year, double-digit declines in revenues from exported cereals sales were experienced by Brazil (down -18.2%), Romania (down -15.6%), Thailand (down -12.1%), Bulgaria (down -11.9%) and Pakistan (down -10.9%).
International Fish Exports
Listed below are the 8 types of fish that attracted the greatest global export sales in 2020.
- Crustaceans including lobsters: US$26.9 billion (24.1% of subcategory total)
- Fish fillets, pieces: $22.7 billion (20.3%)
- Whole fish (frozen): $22.5 billion (20.2%)
- Whole fish (fresh): $19.4 billion (17.3%)
- Moluscs: $11.5 billion (10.3%)
- Dried or salted fish $6 billion (5.4%)
- Live fish: $1.8 billion (1.6%)
- Other aquatic invertebrates: $647.1 million (0.6%)
All 8 fish subcategories fell in value from 2019 to 2020.
Double-digit reductions were posted by other aquatic invertebrates (down -18%), live fish (down -16.8%), moluscs (down -13.5%) and frozen whole fish (down -10%).
The most modest year-over-year decline was the -5.3% slowdown for exported dried or salted fish.
Latest Available Country Data for Exported Fish
The following analysis presents the 15 top exporters of fish by country. All told, the major fish suppliers generated for almost two-thirds (65.8%) of fish exported during 2020.
- Norway: US$10.72 billion (9.6% of global total)
- China: $10.71 billion (9.6%)
- Vietnam: $5.8 billion (5.2%)
- India: $5.2 billion (4.6%)
- Chile: $4.9 billion (4.4%)
- Russia: $4.6 billion (4.2%)
- Canada: $4.4 billion (3.9%)
- Sweden: $4.19 billion (3.8%)
- Ecuador: $4.16 billion (3.7%)
- United States of America: $4 billion (3.6%)
- Indonesia: $3.5 billion (3.1%)
- Netherlands: $3.4 billion (3%)
- Spain: $3.1 billion (2.8%)
- Denmark: $2.9 billion (2.6%)
- Iceland: $1.93 billion (1.7%)
- Poland: $1.91 billion (1.7%)
- United Kingdom: $1.88 billion (1.7%)
- Argentina: $1.63 billion (1.5%)
- Thailand: $1.59 billion (1.4%)
- Germany: $1.52 billion (1.4%)
There were only 3 gainers in their exported fish sales from 2019 to 2020 namely Indonesia (up 7.6%), Poland (up 4.3%) and Denmark (up 1.3%).
The biggest decliners in terms of exported fish sales were the United Kingdom (down -20.1%), India (down -18.3%), United States of America (down -17.9%), Thailand (down -15.5%) and Canada (down -15.1%).
International Oil Seeds Exports
By far, soya beans represent the largest percentage of export sales. Listed below are soya beans and 14 other types of oil seeds exported in 2020.
- Soya beans: US$64 billion (58.2% of subcategory total)
- Rapeseeds or colza seeds: $11.1 billion (10.1%)
- Sowing seeds, fruits, spores: $8.1 billion (7.3%)
- Miscellaneous oil seeds, oleaginous fruits: $5.4 billion (4.9%)
- Sunflower seeds: $4.7 billion (4.3%)
- Uncooked groundnuts: $4.1 billion (3.8%)
- Plants, plant parts including seeds or fruits: $3.6 billion (3.3%)
- Fodder roots, alfalfa, clover, forage kale: $3.1 billion (2.8%)
- Locust beans, seaweeds, sugar beet: $2.1 billion (1.9%)
- Flours, meals of oil seeds or oleaginous fruits: $1.5 billion (1.3%)
- Linseed: $1 billion (0.9%)
- Hop cones: $733.2 million (0.7%)
- Cereal straw, husks: $348.1 million (0.3%)
- Copra: $96.8 million (0.1%)
The 4 leading types of exported oil seeds in terms of highest percentage gains from 2019 to 2020 were uncooked groundnuts (up 30.2%), rapeseeds or colza seeds (up 24.1%), soya beans (up 15.7%) then linseed (up 13.7%).
Enduring the worst declines year over year were revenues for exported rabbit or pigeon oil seeds (down -21.6%), horse or donkey oil seeds (down -17.3%), poultry oil seeds (down -7.9%), sheep or goat oil seeds (down -7%) and frozen beef (down -5%).
Latest Available Country Data for Exported Oil Seeds
The following analysis presents the 15 top exporters of oil seeds by country. All told, the major oil seeds suppliers generated well over four-fifths (84.6%) of oil seeds exported during 2020.
- United States of America: US$30.8 billion (28% of global total)
- Brazil: $29 billion (26.4%)
- Canada: $7.6 billion (6.9%)
- Netherlands: $4.3 billion (3.9%)
- Argentina: $3.4 billion (3.1%)
- China: $2.9 billion (2.6%)
- Paraguay: $2.3 billion (2.1%)
- France: $2.2 billion (2%)
- Ukraine: $1.84 billion (1.7%)
- India: $1.82 billion (1.7%)
- Russia: $1.63 billion (1.5%)
- Germany: $1.59 billion (1.4%)
- Australia: $1.4 billion (1.3%)
- Sudan: $1.12 billion (1%)
- Romania: $1.11 billion (1%)
- Belgium: $963.9 million (0.9%)
- Spain: $816.3 million (0.7%)
- Uruguay: $804.1 million (0.7%)
- Hungary: $711.9 million (0.6%)
- Bulgaria: $700.5 million (0.6%)
The 6 strongest advances in oil seeds exports from 2019 to 2020 belong to Russia (up 61.7%), Belgium (up 54.5%), Paraguay (up 34.9%), Canada (up 34.8%), United States (up 29%) then Netherlands (up 20.4%).
Year over year, the 5 decliners were Ukraine (down -28.1%), Uruguay (down -23.1%), Argentina (down -16.6%), Romania (down -8.3%) and Hungary (down -4.9%).
See also Chicken Exports by Country, Top Beef Exporting Countries, Top Frozen Vegetables Exports by Country, Corn Exports by Country, Soya Beans Exports by Country and Average Banana Prices Compared for Major Bananas Export Countries
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles. Accessed on April 18, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on April 18, 2022
SHIPHUB, HS Code for Food. Accessed on April 18, 2022
Yahoo! Finance, Here’s where inflation is hitting the hardest. Accessed on April 18, 2022
