The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has projected record wheat production, estimated at 794 million tonnes. The projection is largely due to upward revisions in Australia and Russia.
Wheat is one of the world’s most important staple crops and is grown on every continent. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reports that global wheat production in 2021 was estimated to be around 780 million tons, with the largest producers being China, India, and the European Union.
In an updated forecast released on Feb. 3, FAO said global production of coarse grains is pegged at 1.45 billion tonnes in 2022, moderately down compared to the preceding forecast in December and now 3.3% below the level in 2021. The most recent cut reflects lower corn production estimates for the European Union, the United States and Russia, which more than offset an upward revision for China, said world-grain.com in a report.
The forecast for world rice production was revised downward as lower-than-expected output in China more than offset upward revisions for Bangladesh and several other countries. As a result, global rice output is now predicted to decline by 2.6% from its record high in 2021.
Low domestic prices could result in a small cutback in wheat plantings in Russia, the world’s largest exporter. At the same time, severe war-induced impacts in Ukraine are estimated to reduce winter wheat area plantings by 40%, according to the FAO.
Record plantings are forecast in India, spurred by high market and support prices, and relatively high plantings are projected in Pakistan as standing water from the 2022 floods is causing less hindrance than initially anticipated.
The FAO noted that most of the 2023 coarse grain crops have been sown in the Southern Hemisphere countries. It said Brazil may post record corn plantings, while those in Argentina could decrease due to low soil moisture levels. Weather conditions augur well for corn yield prospects in South Africa, it said.
World cereal utilization in the 2022-23 marketing year is now forecast to drop by 0.7% from last year to 2.77 billion tonnes, with the total utilization of corn predicted to decline, while wheat use increases and rice utilization changes little year-on-year.
World cereal production refers to the total amount of cereal crops that are grown and harvested globally in a given year. Cereal crops are grasses that are cultivated for their edible seeds or grains and include major crops like wheat, rice, maize (corn), barley, sorghum, oats, and rye.
Cereals are a staple food for many people around the world and are used in a wide range of food products, such as bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, and animal feed. Cereal production is therefore an important measure of global food security, as it reflects the availability of a key food source for both human consumption and livestock feed.
The forecast for world grain stocks is pegged at 844 million tonnes at the end of the marketing year, pushing down the world stock-to-use ratio for 2022-23 to 29.5%.
In its new brief, the FAO predicts international grains trade in 2022-23 to decline by 1.7% from the previous year’s record level to 474 million tonnes.
World cereal production refers to the total amount of cereal crops that are grown and harvested globally in a given year. Cereal crops are grasses that are cultivated for their edible seeds or grains, and include major crops like wheat, rice, maize (corn), barley, sorghum, oats, and rye.
Cereals are a staple food for many people around the world and are used in a wide range of food products, such as bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, and animal feed. Cereal production is therefore an important measure of global food security, as it reflects the availability of a key food source for both human consumption and livestock feed.
According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), global cereal production has been increasing steadily over the past few decades. In 2020, global cereal production reached a record high of over 2.76 billion metric tons, up from 2.71 billion metric tons in 2019. The largest producers of cereal crops are China, the United States, India, Russia, and Brazil, which together account for a significant portion of global production.
Factors that can affect cereal production include weather conditions, such as drought or floods, as well as pests and diseases, which can reduce crop yields. Changes in demand for cereal crops can also impact production, as can shifts in agricultural practices, such as the use of genetically modified crops, or changes in land use patterns. Overall, cereal production is an important indicator of global food security and plays a critical role in ensuring that people around the world have access to a reliable food supply.