Agriculture is essential to both human existence and the world economy. By stimulating economic and industrial progress, agriculture ensures food supplies, contributes to the reduction of poverty and involves millions of peasants and smallholder farmers.
A huge proportion of farms around the world produce one commodity: wheat. Almost every household on the planet now consumes some form of wheat. Be it flour, bread, or a type of pasta, wheat is an essential product to maintain food security.
Similar to other agricultural products, wheat prices fluctuated during the last five years as a result of the trade difficulties caused by the COVID-19 epidemic and increased further after Russia, a major wheat producer, invaded Ukraine, which is also one of the key wheat producers for some regions.
Global wheat production
Large competitors are anticipated to harvest big wheat yields, with global production predicted to reach a record level in 2025.
Moreover, in 2025/2026, global wheat production is expected to increase in the majority of the largest exporting nations.
For comparison, in the marketing year 2023/2024, wheat production volume totaled 792 MMT, while in 2024/2025 it climbed up to 800 MMT.
Before we talk about the ten largest wheat producers in the world, let’s take a look at the nations with the highest wheat export volumes.
Share of global wheat exports by country (2008/2009 – 2024/2025)
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Russia and the European Union remain the major exporters of wheat, while the United States consistently ranks in the top five among the world’s largest wheat exporters.
It’s worth noting that global wheat consumption and commerce increased over the year as a result of growing populations and higher incomes, particularly in low- and middle-income nations.
Now let’s take a look at the largest wheat producers, based on data from the USDA:
The European Union, the United States, Canada, and Australia are the top industrialized nations in terms of wheat production. China, India, Russia, and Pakistan are the biggest producers of wheat among developing nations.
The COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on the wheat industry during the same period with early supply chain worries and fears that certain industries would be unable to function continuously during the pandemic leading to panic buying across the globe.
Today, the demand for wheat is expanding together with the global population and is anticipated to continue to do so in the forthcoming years. The market is expected to be driven by rising global wheat demand as well as increased demand from the food and beverage processing sectors for the production of goods such as flour, pasta, and drinks.
Major wheat producers
Some of the biggest producers of wheat on the planet are based in the Asia Pacific region, including China, India, Pakistan, and Australia.
China produced more than 140 million metric tons of wheat in 2025/2026, retaining its place as the largest producer of this cereal grain worldwide.
The second-largest wheat producer is the European Union, with just over 122 million tons in the 2025/2026 marketing year.
Russia and Ukraine continue to be major suppliers of wheat to numerous developing nations, despite the fact that over the previous few seasons, Ukraine has been limiting wheat exports with the goal of maintaining bread prices in the country.
Top 10 wheat producers in 2025/2026 (in 1,000 metric tons)
Based on total annual production in tons, these are the world’s Top 10 wheat-producing nations:
10. Turkey: 19 million metric tons
With its yield increasing compared to the 5-year average (18.3MMT) by 4% over the previous period, wheat production in Turkey has now reached 19 million tons. USDA outlines, however, that due to extremely dry weather, Turkiye’s cultivation of wheat and barley is expected to decline on a year-to-year basis.
9
. Ukraine: 23 million metric tons
Ukraine produces and exports not just large amounts of wheat and corn, but also soybeans, sugar beet, potatoes and tomatoes. The country’s wheat crops have been negatively impacted by war, weather, and economic instability, leading to another year of anticipated limited global supply and potentially high prices for staple commodities. At 23.4 million metric tons, Ukraine maintains its position in the top 10 wheat-producing nations.
At 23 million metric tons, Ukraine maintains its position in the top 10 wheat-producing nations, though the wheat production level decreased from the previous marketing year (23,4 MMT) and showed a 9% decrease compared to the 5-year average of 25,3 MMT.
8. Pakistan: 28.9 million metric tons
Pakistan is the fifth-most populous nation in the world. Its most widely grown agricultural products include mangoes, oranges, rice, cotton, sugarcane, and wheat. In 2025/2026, the level of wheat production in the country exceeded 28 million tons, which is a decrease from 31,4 MMT registered in the previous marketing year, but an increase compared to the 5-year average of 27,7 MMT.
7. Australia: 36 million metric tons
Australia registered a significant increase in wheat production compared to the previous period and the 5-year average.
Increased yield and harvested area led to the above-mentioned increase in Australia’s wheat output, with crop conditions in key growing regions witnessing great improvements due to timely rainfall.
The main crops cultivated in Australia are wheat, barley, canola, cotton, and sunflower but the major crop that is farmed is wheat which is produced across the southern and eastern sections of the crescent termed “the Australian grain belt”.
6. Canada: 37 million metric tons
Canada is the second-biggest nation in the world in terms of landmass, with soybeans, corn, and wheat being some of its main agricultural products. Canada’s wheat output was hampered by drought-related factors in 2021 but yields have recovered over the last few years.
The latest data shows that wheat output reached 37 MMT, which is somewhat higher than the previous period (35.9 MMT) and even more impressive if we take the 5-year-average of 32.4 MMT, with the main drivers of this increase being timely mid-summer rains, according to Cereals Canada.
5. The United States of America: 54 million metric tons
Wheat is the third most important grain that is cultivated in the United States, being surpassed only by corn and soybeans. Almost every U.S. state is involved in wheat production but the latest figures show that North Dakota, Kansas, and Montana were the leading wheat-producing states in the United States in 2023.
Data shows that wheat output slightly increased between the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 marketing years, while showing a considerable rise compared to the 5-year average. But if considering the last two decades, according to the USDA, the nation’s share of the global wheat market showed a decline, while the wheat output from the European Union and Russia increased.
This is mostly because farmers get lower relative returns for wheat, and also due to the fact that global competition for wheat intensified considerably.
4. Russia: 86.5 million metric tons
Great vegetative conditions throughout spring wheat-growing regions will likely lead to another record yield in the near future, more than balancing the impact of reduced area as seen in the current Russian official statistics, reports the USDA.
Wheat is the crop that Russia exports the most, with rye, barley, oats, and sunflower seeds also being part of the country’s export portfolio. With 86.5 million metric tons of wheat produced annually (nearly 5 MMT more than the previous period and slightly more than the 5-year average), Russia ranks fourth in the world for this commodity.
3. India: 117.5 million metric tons
India tops the list of the most populated countries on the globe and is also one of the leading producers of milk, jute, and pulses and among the top nations that produce fruits, vegetables, cotton, rice, sugarcane, and wheat.
The latest data shows that India produced over 117.5 million metric tons of wheat in 2025/2026, which is over 4 MMT more than the previous period and over 8 MMT more compared to the 5-year average. This could be explained by favorable weather conditions and a sufficient amount of water for irrigation, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
2. European Union: 142.3 million metric tons
The production level of wheat in the EU exceeded 142 MMT, which is 20 MMT more compared to the previous period and a 10MMT increase compared to the 5-year average.
It’s worth mentioning that the 2024/25 season was a challenging one due to harsh weather, particularly severe drought conditions throughout major producing regions like France, which affected yields and led to an overall output that was below the 5-year average.
In 2025/2026, however, the EU witnessed better results, with the main drivers of the increase in wheat yield being expanded planted area and favorable weather conditions.
Wheat makes up over 50% of the cereals farmed in the EU. The remaining half is made up of roughly one-third each of maize and barley. Each year, 20% of the wheat crop grown in the EU is exported. The rising popularity of processed or convenience foods among consumers is increasing the need for wheat and wheat flour. Popular summer crops in the EU include sunflowers, rice, sugarbeet, and soybeans, whereas popular winter crops include wheat, rye, and rapeseed.
1. China: 140 million metric tons
China – a major player on the market – was the top producer of wheat in the marketing year 2025-2026 with an output of 140 million metric tons – a level that remained at nearly the same from the last period, and somewhat higher in comparison with the 5-year average.
According to a paper by researchers from China, published in the Nature journal, with the help of advanced modelling, scientists carried out a detailed evaluation of wheat production across the country, concluding that improving farming practices can potentially increase wheat yields by 7% to 14% – without needing to expand existing farmland.
The same paper outlines that at the moment, China’s local governments are investing more in agriculture, and in order to fulfill the growing needs for wheat output and quality, China has put in place a number of measures to promote wheat production and fertilizer use.
Final word
Wheat production is an essential part of world agriculture, helping to ensure food security and combat poverty. Changing weather patterns contribute to fluctuations in wheat production, while pandemics and conflicts stimulate global panic buying due to supply chain disruptions. China is currently the largest producer of wheat, followed by the EU, India, and Russia.
