“With one-fifth of the world population, China accounts for a quarter of total global food production. China is the world’s largest agricultural producer by volume and the world’s second-largest agricultural importer by value. It is the world’s largest producer of wheat and rice. It is also a global producer of corn, millet, barley, and oilseed. After the trade tension with U.S., China has shifted its overall agricultural policy to promote greater soybean production, meanwhile maintaining self-sufficiency for wheat and rice production.”
China is the world's most populous country, with a population of over 1.3 billion. Covering approximately 9,600,000 square kilometers, it is the third-largest country by total area. Since China began to open up and reform its economy in 1978, GDP growth has averaged almost 10 percent a year. China is now the second-largest global economy, the largest exporter and has the largest exchange reserves in the world.
China is the world’s largest agricultural producer by volume and the world’s second-largest agricultural importer by value. Agriculture employs about a third of the country’s workforce, but it’s only responsible for 10% of the GDP. China is a global producer of rice, cotton, pork, fish, wheat, tea, potatoes, corn, peanuts, millet, barley, apples, cotton, oilseed, pork, fish and more. Animal husbandry, fishing, and aquafarming are also important parts of China’s economy.
With one-fifth of the world population, China accounts for a quarter of total global food production. China has recently enjoyed a run of good harvests. The Chinese government has established a national strategy on food security featuring self-sufficiency based on domestic grain production, guaranteed food production capacity, moderate imports, and technological support. Abiding by the principle of basic food self-sufficiency based on domestic grain production, China practices the strictest farmland protection system and a strategy of sustainable farmland use and innovative application of agricultural technology to increase farmland productivity. Through supply-side structural reform and institutional innovation in agriculture, China has raised grain productivity, modernized grain circulation, improved food-supply structure, and achieved steady development in the grain industry.
In 70 years, China's grain production has stepped up to a new level, changing from a shortage of grain supply in general to a basic balance of supply and demand. The country's grain output stood at 657.89 million tons in 2018. In 1949, the grain output was only 113.18 million tons. In 70 years, agricultural science and technology, such as water-saving irrigation and plastic film mulching, have been widely promoted and contributed much to agricultural production.
Currently, China supplies 95 percent of its own needs for grain. In 2001-2018, soybean accounted for 75.4 percent of imported grains, and the two main staple grains of rice and wheat together accounted for less than 6 percent. China plans to maintain a grain planting area of above 110 million ha, and a comprehensive grain production capacity of above 600 million tons. At present, the country has 134.88 million hectares of cultivated land, an increase of more than 4.8 million hectares over 1996. There are more than 117 million hectares sown with grain.
To encourage farmers to grow grain, increase their employment prospects and incomes, and protect them from low grain prices and problems in selling their output, the government has, over specified periods, on specific grain varieties in specific regions, and in accordance with specific prices, carried out procurement policies including minimum purchase price procurement and temporary state collection and storage. Since 2016, China has gradually improved the minimum purchase price policy for rice and wheat, further reduced the proportion of policy procurement.
MODERNIZED FOOD STORAGEChina has built new modern grain storage facilities and renovated old ones, further increasing storage capacity. In 2018 the storage capacity of qualified grain warehouses was 670 million tons, and that of simple warehouses was 240 million tons. Total effective warehouse capacity grew by 31.9 percent over 1996. Focusing on improving distribution, structure, and functions, China will encourage rational reconstruction, expansion, and construction of grain storage and logistics facilities, to advance the smart management of grain depots and guarantee their safe operation.
China is furthering reform of state-owned grain enterprises, encouraging the development of a mixed-ownership economy, promoting cross-regional integration of state-owned grain enterprises, and creating backbone grain enterprise groups. Chinese government aims to transform and upgrade the grain industry, cultivate large transnational grain groups, support the development of small and medium-sized grain enterprises.
In the medium to long term, per capita grain consumption and demand will drop slightly with social and economic development; the consumption of grain as feed for livestock and grain used for industrial purposes will continue to rise; total grain consumption will increase and pursue higher quality. In terms of grain production, agricultural costs are still rising, and resource and environmental carrying capacity is broaching its limit. Agricultural infrastructure is comparatively weak, and the capacity for disaster prevention and relief must be improved. China will find itself under considerable pressure to maintain steady grain production while ensuring green development and sustainable resource use. In terms of grain circulation, grain production will continue to be concentrated in core production areas. Transregional grain flows will increase, and there is still the risk of dramatic fluctuations in the grain market.
In 2019, China experienced some of the highest food cost increases in recent years driven in large part to African Swine Fever (ASF) decimating China’s pork production, which has led to cost increases of nearly all animal proteins. It imported 88.03 million tons of soybeans, and 20.47 million tons of grains and grain powders, accounting for 4.9 percent of the world grain trade in 2018. According to the General Administration of China Customs data, in 2018 the United States dropped behind Brazil to second place among China’s suppliers of total agricultural, fishery, and forestry products. Before 2018, the United States was China’s largest supplier of such products for 18 consecutive years.
Since 2018, U.S. agricultural and related exports to China decreased due to higher tariffs, trade uncertainty, and slowing economic growth. Soybeans made up more than half of China’s agriculture purchases from the United States in 2017, at about $12.2 billion. China bought about 60% of all exports of U.S. soybeans, the main U.S. export crop by value, before the trade war. China imports about $40 billion in soybeans a year, which are crushed to make meal for use in animal food and oil for cooking. After the trade tension with U.S., China has shifted its overall agricultural policy to promote greater soybean production, meanwhile maintaining self-sufficiency for wheat and rice production.
WORLD’S TOP WHEAT PRODUCERChina is the world's leading wheat producer, with approximately 17% of global production. Agricultural policymakers have undertaken efforts to improve the quality and yield of China’s wheat production. The North China Plain accounts for more than 80 percent of China’s national wheat production. Western regions of Xinjiang and Gansu provinces also produce wheat. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecasts 131.5 MMT wheat production for MY2019/20, slightly higher than MY2018/19. MY2019/20 total wheat consumption is forecast slightly lower at 124 MMT. Wheat millers nationwide report that feed mill demand for wheat bran and wheat middlings have fallen on weakening feed demand due ASF-related impacts, cutting milling margins.
MY2019/20 wheat imports are forecast at 3.5 MMT. China’s wheat millers have a limited selection of origins to supply the growing demand for imported wheat product grades and classes to produce specialty products, such as low-protein cake flours and high-protein flours for pastries, bread, and pizza. Wheat millers are managing the uncertainty related to China’s trade policies by buying greater volumes from Black Sea and Central Asian origins.
RICERice is a major food source for China. It is the world's largest rice producer rice. 2019/20 season rough rice production is forecast at 207.1 MMT. And 2019/20 rice consumption is forecast at 145 MMT. In recent years, China’s policy-makers have openly discussed how to facilitate expanded processing of rice into industrial ethanol and fuel ethanol production. In South China, less than 5 MMT of outdated, non-edible rice is processed as a lower-priced substitute for imported cassava for industrial and fuel ethanol production.
MY2019/20 rice imports are forecast at 5 MMT, up 500,000 tons from USDA’s MY2018/19 forecast on low international prices. Chinese rice is generally uncompetitive in the global market because of high prices. However, China has started to develop export markets in Africa, Latin America, and North America, including Puerto Rico.
CORNAlong with wheat and rice, corn is one of the three principle crops in China. It is the second-largest global producer of corn. China produced 257 million tonnes of corn in 2018, comprising 7.8 percent of gross domestic product. MY2019/20 corn production is forecast at 255 MMT, down 2 MMT from last season as soybean area expands. 2019/20 season corn consumption is forecast at a record high 282 MMT, on expanded corn processing more than offsetting lower feed use. And 2019/20 corn imports are forecast at 5 MMT.
FAQs
Although China's agricultural output is the largest in the world, only 10% of its total land area can be cultivated. China's arable land, which represents 10% of the total arable land in the world, supports over 20% of the world's population.
What is the largest agricultural economy in the world? ›
Key Takeaways. China is the world's largest grain producer, yet has grown more dependent on food imports in recent decades. Much of India's output is produced by subsistence farmers and consumed locally. The U.S. is the world's top food exporter thanks to high crop yields and extensive agricultural infrastructure.
Is China the world's largest exporter of agricultural products? ›
China is the world's largest agricultural economy, and it ranks as the top global producer of pork, wheat, rice, tea, cotton, tomatoes, potatoes, eggs, wool, apples, walnuts, and fish, etc.
Why is China the largest agricultural producer? ›
Abiding by the principle of basic food self-sufficiency based on domestic grain production, China practices the strictest farmland protection system and a strategy of sustainable farmland use and innovative application of agricultural technology to increase farmland productivity.
Which country is the largest agricultural produce? ›
Top Agricultural Producing Countries in the World
- China. China is the world's biggest producer, importer, and consumer of food. ...
- India. In terms of total calorie content, India is the second-largest food producer in the world. ...
- The United States. ...
- Brazil.
Producing nearly $7.9 billion worth of agriculture in 2018, Fresno County edged out Kern County ($7.47 billion) for the coveted crown. “According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, 'Over a third of the country's vegetables and two-thirds of the country's fruits and nuts are grown in California.
Where is the biggest agricultural field in the world? ›
Did you know the largest farm in the entire world is bigger than 11 U.S. states? This massive farm dairy farm is located in Heilongjiang, China. Mudanjiang City Mega Farm has over 100,000 dairy cows and covers an impressive 22.5 million acres.
Is China the largest market for US food and agricultural exports? ›
U.S. agricultural exports to China in fiscal year (FY) 2022 were $36.4 billion and surpassed the previous year's record with China as the largest export market for the second consecutive year.
Is the US the world's largest agricultural exporter? ›
The United States is known for being a major exporter of agricultural products. In fact, the U.S. is the largest exporter of agricultural products in the world!
Is China the world's largest food producer? ›
China is now the world's largest agricultural producer, accounting for more than 25% of global agricultural production by value. It is also the world's largest meat producer and accounts for 28% of the world's rice and 22% of its corn cultivation. (Rice production also causes the release of methane.)
Between 2000 and 2020, the country's food self-sufficiency ratio decreased from 93.6 percent to 65.8 percent. Changing diet patterns have also driven up China's imports of edible oils, sugar, meat, and processed foods.
Why is China hoarding food? ›
For China, such stockpiles are necessary to ensure it won't be at the mercy of major food exporters such as the U.S. But other countries, especially in the developing world, might ask why less than 20% of the world's population is hoarding so much of its food. China has operated granaries for thousands of years.
How much of China's economy is agriculture? ›
The latest value from 2021 is 7.26 percent. For comparison, the world average in 2021 based on 166 countries is 10.35 percent. See the global rankings for that indicator or use the country comparator to compare trends over time.
Which country has richest farmers? ›
Qin Yinglin (Chinese: 秦英林; pinyin: Qín Yīnglín, born 1965) is a Chinese agriculture tycoon, billionaire, Communist Party member, and the world's richest farmer. He is the chair and president of the pig farming company Muyuan Foodstuff and is one of the richest people in China. According to Bloomberg Billionaires Index, ...
Who has the most agricultural land in the world? ›
Agricultural land area - Ranking. China is the top country by agricultural land area in the world. As of 2020, agricultural land area in China was 5.29 million sq.
Where does most of America's food come from? ›
In fact, in 2016, close to 90% of the food and beverage products consumed in America were produced in the U.S. According to the USDA, in 2021 the top five producing states were California, Iowa, Nebraska, Texas and Minnesota and the leading farm products in the U.S. were cattle, corn, soybeans, milk and other dairy ...
Why is California soil so fertile? ›
Eons of erosion from the adjoining mountains deposited rich sediment to create deep topsoil and prime farmland. Along with great soil, California has a Mediterranean climate that allows it to produce over 400 different agricultural commodities, more than any other place in the U.S.
What country owns US farmland? ›
Foreign Ownership of U.S. Agricultural Land
| Country of Foreign Investor | Total Acres | Total Value (US$) |
|---|
| France | 1,315,748 | 2,974,709,000 |
| Denmark | 856,474 | 1,126,811,000 |
| Luxembourg | 802,249 | 1,832,757,000 |
| Ireland | 759,732 | 430,765,000 |
6 more rowsMar 16, 2023
The largest United States crop in terms of total production is corn, the majority of which is grown in a region known as the Corn Belt.
Who owns the biggest farm in the world? ›
The largest agricultural landowner is the Chinese dairy farm 'Mudanjiang City Mega Farm', which is owned by Russian and Chinese owners. More than 9 million hectares belong to the company.
(Arable land is land ploughed or tilled regularly, generally under a system of crop rotation). India has the most arable land in the world followed by the United States, Russia, China and Brazil. India and the United States account for roughly 22% of the world's arable land.
Who is the biggest farmer in America? ›
What if the U.S. stopped buying from China? ›
Answer and Explanation: It is unlikely that China's economy will collapse if U.S. stops buying Chinese goods. Trade is an important part of any economy, and a very important part of China's economy. According to the World Bank, exports account for 20% of China's gross domestic product.
Is China a big agricultural country? ›
Although China's agricultural output is the largest in the world, only 10% of its total land area can be cultivated. China's arable land, which represents 10% of the total arable land in the world, supports over 20% of the world's population.
What percentage of US food comes from China? ›
Despite the rapid growth, less than 1 percent of the U.S. food supply comes from China. For a few specific items, like apple juice, garlic, canned mandarin oranges, fish, and shrimp, China is a major supplier.
Where does the U.S. get most of its agriculture? ›
The leading U.S. agricultural exports are grains and feeds, soybeans, livestock products, tree nuts, fruits, vegetables, and other horticultural products. The leading U.S. imports are horticultural and tropical products. Canada, Mexico, the European Union, and East Asia are major U.S. trade partners.
Does the U.S. produce enough food to feed itself? ›
The US is self-sufficient in a large number of food types. The list includes eggs, dairy, chicken, pork, and even turkey meat.
Where does the United States rank as an exporter? ›
About. Overview In 2021, United States was the number 1 economy in the world in terms of GDP (current US$), the number 2 in total exports, the number 1 in total imports, the number 7 economy in terms of GDP per capita (current US$) and the number 10 most complex economy according to the Economic Complexity Index (ECI) ...
Is China the world's largest producer of rice crops? ›
It is an important part of the national economy, where it is the world's largest producer of rice, making up 30% of global rice production. It produces the highest rice yields in Asia, at 6.5 metric tons per hectare (2.6 long ton/acre; 2.9 short ton/acre).
Does China produce the most rice in the world? ›
China is the world's largest rice producer, utilising 30 million hectares of land for rice farming in 2021, and producing a harvest of 210 million tonnes, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Rice is the staple food for 65% of China's population.
The USDA's latest estimates show China as the world's largest producer, importer, and holder of wheat inventories. Everyone knows China is the most populous country on the planet. But most people don't realize that China is also the largest producer of wheat in the world behind India.
Does China rely on the US? ›
China has shifted purchases away from the United States to reduce its reliance on US suppliers, but US farmers remain highly dependent on the Chinese market. In 2022, around 19 percent of US agriculture exports went to China, up from 14 percent in 2017 and 13 percent in 2009.
Is China hoarding food? ›
China is obsessed with food security. You might not realize just how obsessed: stockpiling rapidly, by the end of the year China – with its 20% of the world's population – is projected to have accumulated and stashed away some 65% of the world's corn and 53% of the world's wheat.
How much of the world's grain comes from China? ›
It has successfully produced one-fourth of the world's grain and fed one-fifth of the world's population with less than 10% of the world's arable land. But China wants — and needs — more. In 2019, China surpassed the United States and the European Union as the world's top importer of agricultural products.
Why is it rude to eat all your food in China? ›
6 China: Leave Food On Your Plate
This is the case in China. It's considered rude to eat everything on your plate because doing so implies that you're still hungry, even if you're not. That means that the host hasn't done a satisfactory job of providing enough food and can make them feel bad.
Where does China get most of its food? ›
Most imports came from the United States, Ukraine and Brazil, with Ukrainian imports accounting for a third of the total amount. As a result, China's Food Silk Road is creating new food trade routes between China, Europe, Russia, Central Asia and South Asia, as well as the Middle East and Africa.
Why is China producing everything? ›
In addition to its low labor costs, China has become known as "the world's factory" because of its strong business ecosystem, lack of regulatory compliance, low taxes and duties, and competitive currency practices.
What is China's main industry? ›
Manufacturing, services and agriculture are the largest sectors of the Chinese economy – employing the majority of the population and making the largest contributions to GDP.
What are the major farming problems in China? ›
Soil erosion, soil pollution and loss of agricultural biodiversity are widespread. Water scarcity affects many parts of the country, as shown by plummeting water tables in northern China.
What is China's main source of GDP? ›
Economy of China
| Statistics |
|---|
| GDP by sector | Agriculture: 7.3% Industry: 39.9% Services: 52.8% (2022) |
| GDP by component | Private consumption: 38.37% Government consumption: 15.92% Gross capital formation: 42.84% Exports of goods and services: 20.04% Imports of goods and services: 17.43% Others: 2.61% (2022) |
41 more rowsThe wealthiest farmer in the United States lives and farms in California. Stewart Resnick, 81, owner of The Wonderful Company and 65 percent of the nation's pistachios, has had a distinct and sweeping effect on agriculture in the Golden State.
Is USA farmer rich? ›
In 2021, the average U.S. farm household had $2,100,879 in wealth.
Which country is most farmer friendly? ›
France, Croatia, and Czech Republic received the highest scores globally, showcasing good regulatory practices as well as efficient administrative processes across a number of indicators.
Who owns the most US agricultural land? ›
China owns roughly 384,000 acres of U.S. agricultural land, according to a 2021 report from the Department of Agriculture. Of that, 195,000 acres, worth almost $2 billion when purchased, are owned by 85 Chinese investors, which could be individuals, companies or the government.
What is the largest country with no farms? ›
With a total area of 2.166 million sq km, Greenland is the largest country without forested landmass.
What 3 countries have the most agricultural land? ›
Cropland Area by Country
| # | Country | Sqare meters per capita |
|---|
| 1 | India | 1,266 |
| 2 | United States | 4,935 |
| 3 | China | 949 |
| 4 | Russia | 8,469 |
94 more rowsClose to 90 percent of U.S. consumers' food and beverage spending is for domestically produced products. In 2016, 87.3 percent of food and beverage purchases by U.S. consumers, including both grocery store and eating out purchases, were from domestic production.
What state is number 1 in agriculture? ›
What US states produce the most food? (Ranking 1-50)What US states produce the most food? (Ranking 1-50) California ranks first in the U.S. for agricultural cash receipts followed by Iowa, Texas, Nebraska and Illinois.
How does the US rank in agriculture? ›
Of the major cereal and vegetable crops, the United States, China, India, and Russia are the top producers. The United States is the top exporter of agricultural products with $118.3 billion in exports as of 2019.
Is the US an agricultural economy? ›
U.S. agriculture accounts for 30% of U.S. jobs and $7.43 trillion in economic impact.
Agriculture, value added (current US$) - Country Ranking
| Rank | Country | Year |
|---|
| 1 | China | 2020 |
| 2 | India | 2020 |
| 3 | United States | 2019 |
| 4 | Indonesia | 2020 |
117 more rowsThese are the U.S.'s biggest exports in the agricultural sector: Soybeans: $27.37 billion. Corn: $18.72 billion.
What is the #1 agriculture state in the US? ›
What US states produce the most food? (Ranking 1-50)What US states produce the most food? (Ranking 1-50) California ranks first in the U.S. for agricultural cash receipts followed by Iowa, Texas, Nebraska and Illinois.
Is America known for agriculture? ›
The United States is a market leader in many of the world's major crops. Understanding where and when major United States crops are grown can help Canadian farmers market their crops.
Which country has the most fertile land in the world? ›
The world has 15.749 million km(2) of arable land. (Arable land is land ploughed or tilled regularly, generally under a system of crop rotation). India has the most arable land in the world followed by the United States, Russia, China and Brazil.
How much of the world's food does the US produce? ›
The U.S. is the world's leading ag commodities exporter, topping the list for corn, seed cotton and rice. In fact, the U.S. ranked top three for 10 out of 21 of the most common agricultural commodities in the world, with combined production of these commodities totaling nearly 668M tonnes in 2020.
What percentage of US land is considered agricultural? ›
Agricultural production is a major use of land, accounting for roughly 52 percent of the U.S. land base.
How much of China's GDP is agriculture? ›
The latest value from 2021 is 7.26 percent. For comparison, the world average in 2021 based on 166 countries is 10.35 percent. See the global rankings for that indicator or use the country comparator to compare trends over time.
Which US state has the best agriculture? ›
Farmland is a stable, secure, and diverse asset with potential for passive income. The best states for farmland include Montana, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, North Dakota, Texas, Iowa, Kentucky, Wyoming, and California.
Where does most food in the US come from? ›
The top 10 agriculture-producing States in terms of cash receipts in calendar year 2021 were (in descending order): California, Iowa, Nebraska, Texas, Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas, Indiana, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.
The US is self-sufficient in a large number of food types. The list includes eggs, dairy, chicken, pork, and even turkey meat.
Where does most of the U.S. agriculture come from? ›
Overall U.S. crop production is concentrated in California and the Midwest. The five states with the highest value of crop sales are California, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska.
Who does the U.S. export the most to? ›
Exports The top exports of United States are Refined Petroleum ($83.3B), Petroleum Gas ($70.9B), Crude Petroleum ($67.6B), Cars ($55.4B), and Integrated Circuits ($51.3B), exporting mostly to Canada ($259B), Mexico ($247B), China ($151B), Japan ($71.8B), and South Korea ($66.4B).
What are America's top 3 agricultural imports? ›
United States agriculture imports total $127.6 billion with coffee and cocoa, fresh and processed vegetables, and grains and feeds accounting for the majority.
China is the world's leading wheat producer, with approximately 17% of global production. Agricultural policymakers have undertaken efforts to improve the quality and yield of China’s wheat production. The North China Plain accounts for more than 80 percent of China’s national wheat production. Western regions of Xinjiang and Gansu provinces also produce wheat. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecasts 131.5 MMT wheat production for MY2019/20, slightly higher than MY2018/19. MY2019/20 total wheat consumption is forecast slightly lower at 124 MMT. Wheat millers nationwide report that feed mill demand for wheat bran and wheat middlings have fallen on weakening feed demand due ASF-related impacts, cutting milling margins.
Rice is a major food source for China. It is the world's largest rice producer rice. 2019/20 season rough rice production is forecast at 207.1 MMT. And 2019/20 rice consumption is forecast at 145 MMT. In recent years, China’s policy-makers have openly discussed how to facilitate expanded processing of rice into industrial ethanol and fuel ethanol production. In South China, less than 5 MMT of outdated, non-edible rice is processed as a lower-priced substitute for imported cassava for industrial and fuel ethanol production.