Key figures
- The United States exported the most food in 2023, US$168 billion, followed by Brazil at US$143 billion and the Netherlands at US$118 billion.
- Six of the top 10 exporters are in Europe: the Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Belgium.
- The EU’s exports to countries outside the EU came to US$233 billion.
- Global food exports passed US$2 trillion in 2023, after growing at 7.0% a year from 2000.
- Brazil had the largest food trade surplus, US$129 billion, and China the largest deficit, US$138 billion.
All figures are from the graphic, which cites the WTO.
Food exports by country in text
Title: Global Leaders in Food Exports.
Summary printed on the graphic: “Global food exports exceeded $2 trillion in 2023, with a 7.0% CAGR (2000-2023), outpacing total goods exports. Brazil led net food exports at $129 billion, while China was the largest net importer at $138 billion. Major exporters like the U.S. and Germany remain net importers.”
Legend: Exports (2023, Billion US$), on a green scale with steps at 0, 0.1, 1, 10, 50 and 200, plus grey for no data. The top 10 countries carry numbered badges; seven other values are labelled without a rank.
| Rank on the map | Country or area | Food exports, 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | U.S. | $168B |
| 2 | Brazil | $143B |
| 3 | Netherlands | $118B |
| 4 | Germany | $103B |
| 5 | France | $85B |
| 6 | China | $83B |
| 7 | Spain | $75B |
| 8 | Canada | $72B |
| 9 | Italy | $67B |
| 10 | Belgium | $61B |
| not ranked | Extra EU | $233B |
| not ranked | Mexico | $50B |
| not ranked | India | $48B |
| not ranked | Australia | $43B |
| not ranked | Russia | $35B |
| not ranked | UK | $31B |
| not ranked | South Africa | $13B |
Footer: Sources: WTO. www.econovis.net, @econovisuals, with the Econovis “EV” logo.
Largest exporters and net exporters
The map ranks countries by the value of food they sell abroad, which is not the same as the balance of their food trade. In the post that accompanies the map, Econovis says the US, China and Germany are all major food exporters but net importers, buying more food than they sell. Brazil is the largest net exporter, with a surplus of US$129 billion, and China the largest net importer, at US$138 billion [1].
The same post puts food’s growth in context: global food exports grew at a compound annual rate of 7.0% from 2000 to 2023, faster than total goods exports at 5.8% [1].
The map shows each EU country on its own and adds a separate inset for the EU as a whole. That inset, “Extra EU $233B”, counts only exports to countries outside the EU, so it is not the sum of the member states’ bars, which include trade with one another.
Notes on this infographic
- On our copy the “Italy $67B” label and the number 9 badge sit over North Africa rather than on Italy. Italy itself is shaded in the darkest green.
- The map does not say which product groups count as food. The figures are WTO trade values in current US dollars.
- Only 17 countries and areas carry values. The rest can only be placed in a band from the shading.
- Data date and source: WTO data for 2023, map by Econovis [1].
Questions about food exports
What country exports the most food?
The United States, with US$168 billion of food exports in 2023 on this map. Brazil is second at US$143 billion and the Netherlands third at US$118 billion.
Which countries are net exporters of food?
Econovis names Brazil as the largest net food exporter, with a surplus of US$129 billion in 2023. It says the US, China and Germany, despite large exports, are net importers, with China the largest at US$138 billion [1].
How much are global food exports worth?
Global food exports passed US$2 trillion in 2023, according to the WTO figures on the graphic. Econovis says they grew at a compound annual rate of 7.0% from 2000 to 2023, faster than total goods exports at 5.8% [1]. The figures are trade values in current US dollars, and the map does not say which product groups count as food.
How much food does the EU export?
The EU's food exports to countries outside the EU came to US$233 billion in 2023, shown on the map as "Extra EU $233B". That figure counts only exports outside the EU, so it is not the sum of the member states' figures, which include trade with one another. Six of the top 10 food exporters are in Europe, led by the Netherlands at US$118 billion and Germany at US$103 billion.
Sources
- Econovis, Global Leaders in Food Exports. The original post of this graphic.
Last reviewed 30 October 2026
