The ten most traded food and beverage commodities

Fish

Fish was the world’s single-most traded food commodity with an estimated export value of $130bn in 2013. The estimated global fish export volume during the year marginally increased to 57.8 million tonnes compared to 57.4 million tonnes in 2012.

World fish production in 2013 exceeded 160 million tonnes, comprising more than 90 million tonnes of capture fisheries and about 70 million tonnes of aquaculture fisheries. Global fish production is dominated by developing countries such as China, which alone accounts for more than 30% of the total fish output, while Norway leads farm salmon production.

China is also the biggest exporter of fish, followed by India, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam are among the world’s biggest shrimp exporters. The European Union (EU) and the US are the major fish importers.

Soybean

Soybean, with an estimated trade value of more than $58bn, was the second-most traded food commodity in the world. The export volume of the oilseed stood in excess of 108 million tonnes in 2013. The world annual average price of the commodity during the period was estimated at $538 per tonne.

Global soybean output during the year was 280 million tonnes, mostly produced by the US followed by Brazil and Argentina. Approximately 240 million tonnes of soybeans were crushed worldwide during the year. China alone crushed more than 65 million tonnes.

China is the biggest importer of soybeans, followed by the EU and Mexico. Brazil is the biggest soybean exporter followed by the US and Argentina. Brazilian soybean exports during the year exceeded 42 million tonnes.

Wheat

Wheat was the third-biggest food commodity traded in the world. The estimated trade value of wheat in 2013 exceeded $45bn with the export volume reaching 154 million tonnes. The annual average price of the food grain during 2013 stood at $294 per tonne.

World wheat production during 2013 was approximately 711 million tonnes, while the total consumption was estimated at 704 million tonnes. The EU, followed by China, is the biggest producer of wheat. China, which consumed approximately 125 million tonnes of wheat during 2013, was the world’s biggest wheat consumer.

The US was the largest exporter of wheat and associated wheat products, followed by the EU. Egypt, which imported around 10 million tonnes in 2013, was the world’s biggest wheat importer, followed by China, which imported 8.5 million tonnes.

Palm Oil

Palm oil, with an estimated trade value exceeding $39bn, was the world’s fourth-biggest traded food commodity in 2013. Global palm oil exports during the year exceeded 43 million tonnes and the world annual price averaged at $857 per tonne.

Global palm oil output during 2013 was approximately 58.3 million tonnes, while the gross consumption was estimated at 56.4 million tonnes. Indonesia, with an annual production of more than 30 million tonnes in 2013, was the world’s biggest palm oil producer followed by Malaysia and Thailand. India continued to be the biggest consumer of palm oil.

Indonesia, exporting more than 20 million tonnes annually, was the biggest palm oil exporter, while India was the biggest importer of palm oil followed by China and the EU. India’s palm oil imports during 2013 are estimated at nine million tonnes.

Beef and Veal

At an estimated trade value exceeding $36bn, beef and veal are among the most traded food commodities. The export volume of beef and veal rose above eight million tonnes during 2013. The world annual average price of beef in 2013 was estimated at $4.07 per kg.

Total beef and veal production exceeded 58 million tonnes in 2013 led by Brazil, which produced more than nine million tonnes of beef, followed by the EU and China. World beef and veal consumption exceeded 56 million tonnes in 2013. Brazil, followed by the EU and China, was the world’s biggest beef consumer.

Brazil exported more than 1.8 million tonnes of beef in 2013, making it the biggest beef exporter followed by India and Australia. The US States and Russia imported more than one million tonnes per year each making them the world’s biggest beef importers.

Soybean Meal

Soybean meal was the sixth-most traded food commodity in 2013 with trade volume estimated at $33bn. Export volume of the commodity reached 62.3 million tonnes in 2013. The world price of soybean meal averaged at $54 per tonne during the year.

The global soybean meal production and consumption during 2013 were approximately 189 million tonnes and 186 million tonnes respectively. China was the world’s biggest producer and consumer of soybean meal, producing and consuming more than 53 million tonnes of the commodity in 2013, followed by the US. The EU is the second-largest soybean meal consumer after China.

Argentina, exporting more than 25 million tonnes, was the biggest soybean meal exporter in the world followed by Brazil and the US. The EU, followed by Indonesia and Thailand, are the world’s biggest soybean meal importers.

Corn / maize

Corn / maize, with a trade value in excess of $28bn, was the seventh-most traded food commodity in the world. Global corn exports reached 110 million tonnes in 2013, while the annual average price was estimated at $259.4 per tonne.

Global corn production during the year exceeded 969 million tonnes, while consumption reached 936 million tonnes. The US produced more than 350 million tonnes of corn, becoming the biggest corn producer followed by China. The US was also the biggest corn consumer with the domestic corn consumption exceeding 290 million tonnes during 2013.

The US exported more than 35 million tonnes of corn in 2013, becoming the biggest corn exporter followed by Brazil, Ukraine and Argentina. Japan, which imported more than 15 million tonnes of corn, was the world’s biggest corn importer followed by Mexico, the EU and China.

Broiler Meat

Broiler Meat (poultry / chicken), with a trade volume exceeding $23bn, was the eighth-most traded food commodity in 2013. The world export volume of poultry exceeded ten million tonnes in 2013, while the annual average price of ready-to-cook broiler meat stood at $2.02 per kg.

Total broiler meat production in the world was approximately 84 million tonnes in 2013. The US, with an annual production exceeding 16 million tonnes, was the biggest poultry producer after Indonesia and China. World broiler meat consumption in the year was estimated at 83 million tonnes. The US and China, with annual domestic consumption exceeding 13 million tonnes each, were the leading chicken consumers.

Brazil exported more than 3.5 million tonnes in 2013 becoming the biggest broiler meat exporter, followed by the US and the EU. Japan was the biggest poultry importer followed by Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Mexico.

Rice

Rice, with an estimated trade value of more than $18bn, ranks ninth on the list of the biggest food commodities traded in the world market. The export volume of rice was 40 million tonnes in 2013, while the world annual average price of the commodity during 2013 was estimated at $461 per tonne.

World rice production was approximately 470 million tonnes in 2013, while total consumption was estimated at 472 million tonnes. China was the biggest rice producer and consumer in the world followed by India. China produced more than 141 million tonnes and consumed more than 145 million tonnes of rice in 2013. India’s rice production and consumption during the year stood at 103 million tonnes and 95 million tonnes respectively.

India, exporting more than ten million tonnes of rice annually, continued to be the world’s biggest rice exporter followed by Thailand and Vietnam. China, importing more than three million tonnes of rice annually, was the biggest rice importer after Nigeria and Iran.

Coffee

An estimated trade value exceeding $15bn makes coffee the world’s biggest beverage commodity and the tenth-biggest food and beverage commodity by trade volume. The global coffee export volume reached six million tonnes in 2013, while the world annual average coffee price was estimated at $2.58 per kg.

Total coffee production during the year ending June 2013 exceeded 8.5 million tonnes. Brazil was by far the biggest coffee producer followed by Vietnam, Indonesia and Columbia. The EU, consuming more than 2.5 million tonnes annually, was the world’s biggest coffee consumer followed by the US and Brazil which consumed more than 1.2 million tonnes of coffee each.

Brazil, exporting more than 1.6 million tonnes of coffee beans a year, was the biggest coffee exporter followed by Vietnam and Columbia. The EU was the biggest coffee importer followed by the US and Japan.