According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in 2024 Ukraine ranked 9th in the world in wheat production, producing about 23.4 million tons of grain. This information is presented in a new study by Experts Club, based on FAOSTAT statistics and the video “Wheat Production by Country (1991–2024)”.
The top three wheat producers remain traditionally stable:
China — 136 million tons,
India — 113.9 million tons,
Russia — 81.6 million tons.
These three countries account for nearly half of global wheat production and play a crucial role in the world’s agricultural system.
They are followed by:
United States — 53.6 million tons,
France — 35.9 million tons,
Canada — 35.9 million tons,
Australia — 34.1 million tons,
Pakistan — 31.4 million tons,
Ukraine — 23.4 million tons,
Germany — 21.5 million tons.
The second ten producers are opened by Turkey (19 million tons) and Kazakhstan (18.6 million tons), with Italy (6.9 million tons) closing the list.
The Experts Club video analysis demonstrates significant structural changes in global wheat production over the past three decades. The video covers the period from 1991 to 2024. During this time, China and India have almost doubled their production thanks to increased yields and consistent government support for the agricultural sector.
Russia and Ukraine, after a sharp decline in the 1990s, made a remarkable recovery: in the early 1990s, Ukraine produced around 15 million tons, while by 2024 the volume had increased to 23–24 million tons — despite war-related risks and export restrictions.
Kazakhstan, traditionally focused on exports, has maintained its position, supplying grain to Central Asia and parts of China.
Despite military actions and damage to part of its infrastructure, Ukraine remains one of the world’s leading wheat exporters. The main factors behind this are high yields in southern and central regions, improved logistics through Danube ports, and export routes via Romania and Bulgaria.
According to FAO, in 2024 Ukraine exported about 17 million tons of wheat, keeping the country among the three largest global grain suppliers, along with Russia and the United States.
Experts from Experts Club note that growth in production across Asia and CIS countries compensates for declining yields in Europe and North America, which are affected by droughts and climate change. At the same time, Turkey, Iran, and Egypt are strengthening their roles as regional centers of processing and import.
Global markets expect wheat prices to stabilize within the range of 230–250 USD per ton, provided there are no new geopolitical shocks.
“Ukraine’s position in the TOP-10 global wheat producers is a testament to the resilience of its agricultural sector, even during wartime. With the expansion of domestic processing, Ukraine can reach 25–27 million tons of production in the coming years and strengthen its place among the world’s top five exporters.
At the same time, the grain market is becoming increasingly technology-driven: digitalization of agribusiness, precision farming, and climate-resilient wheat varieties will determine leadership in the next decade,” said Maksym Urakin, co-founder of the analytical center Experts Club.
Ukraine remains one of the few countries where the agricultural sector accounts for about 40% of foreign currency earnings. In 2024, wheat ranked second in export volume after corn, and revenues from grain sales exceeded 6 billion USD.
According to Experts Club forecasts, if the pace of infrastructure recovery continues and weather conditions remain favorable, Ukraine’s wheat production may reach 25 million tons in 2025, and exports could exceed 18 million tons.
The study was prepared by the analytical center Experts Club based on data from FAOSTAT, USDA, and IGC.
The video analysis “Wheat Production by Country 1991–2024” is available on the Experts Club Ukraine YouTube channel.
AGRICULTURE, EXPERTS CLUB, EXPORT, FAO, GLOBAL PRODUCTION, UKRAINE, WHEAT
FAO supported the initiative of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food to build small vegetable storages with capacity from 20 to 1000 tons, first of all – in the frontline areas of Kharkiv and Mykolayiv regions, said the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Vitaliy Koval.
“Today in Ukraine up to 35% of grown products are lost due to lack of proper storage conditions. We are solving this problem! Together with FAO we launch the construction of modern vegetable storages with capacity from 20 to 1000 tons, first of all – in the frontline territories of Kharkiv and Mykolaiv regions,” he wrote in his Telegram channel.
The Minister explained that each small storage facility gives the opportunity to work about 150 small farmers. Around it, new jobs and cooperations are created. In addition, crop losses are reduced, which is critical for food security.
Kowal added that once the small storage projects are up and running, construction will begin on large multi-section facilities that will be used not only by farmers, but also by businesses, supermarkets and social institutions – hospitals, schools, etc.
“My goal as a minister is for these vegetable storage facilities to become the basis for the development of the cooperative movement among agrarians,” the minister emphasized.
In addition, the ministry team discussed with FAO Regional Program Manager for Europe and Central Asia Raimund Yele and Acting Head of FAO Office in Ukraine Mohammed Azuka a new project to support agrarians in the production of biogas and electricity from agro-biomass.
“The development of bioenergy is not only energy independence, but also an opportunity for additional income for farmers,” summarized the Minister.
construction of vegetable storage facilities, FAO, MINISTRY OF AGRARIAN POLICY
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has supported more than 200,000 rural families and more than 15,000 farmers and agricultural enterprises over the three years of full-scale war, providing seeds, grants, generators, financial assistance and other critical resources to help them maintain production, adapt to new realities and continue to work despite all the challenges, FAO said.
“Ukraine is an agrarian country, but today farmers and rural residents are forced to fight not only for their harvests, but also for their own survival. The war has destroyed infrastructure and complicated access to fertilizers, machinery, and markets. Almost 60% of households say that their main need is to restore their livelihoods,” FAO emphasized on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
FAO said that in 2025 it intends to support 406,900 people to meet these challenges, including providing seeds to farm families, helping to restore irrigation systems and grain storage facilities, providing livestock with fodder and covering urgent food needs. To implement this support, FAO needs $53 million.
“Ukraine’s agricultural sector is not only a matter of food security within the country, but also a key factor in global stability. But above all, it is people. Rural families who work hard every day to provide themselves with food, take care of their livestock and maintain their farms even in the most difficult conditions. By supporting them, we are not just helping them to restore their livelihoods – we are saving lives and giving them the opportunity to build a future,” FAO summarized and assured that they would continue to work in Ukraine.
In 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will continue to support Ukrainian farmers in Kherson region by providing them with equipment for loading/unloading grain storage sleeves and coordinating soil testing, said Vitaliy Koval, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food.
“In 2025, FAO is focusing on the transformation of the agricultural sector and its urgent needs. Therefore, we agreed to transfer equipment for loading/unloading sleeves for farmers in the Kherson region. He also emphasized the importance of further support for farmers in the frontline areas. In addition, we will coordinate soil analysis after demining together. We need to ensure that such land is safe and can be used for sowing. Food security directly depends on this,” the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food quoted him as saying at a meeting with the acting head of the FAO Office in Ukraine, Mohammed Azuka.
The minister noted that another area of cooperation with FAO would be the State Agrarian Register.
Vitalii Koval and Mohammed Azuka signed a project document entitled “Saving livelihoods by supporting small wine producers through the Food Coalition”. The project aims to create a favorable environment for small wine producers in Odesa and Zakarpattia regions. It is about providing them with technical support, access to finance to recover from the effects of the war and the decline in vineyard productivity, and to increase production.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has announced a project strategy to support small farmers in a number of frontline regions and will provide them with $1,000 vouchers to purchase grain seeds for the upcoming spring and autumn sowing campaigns, the FAO press service reports.
“FAO is committed to empowering farmers to rebuild and sustain their livelihoods by providing access to quality agricultural inputs, strengthening local economies and promoting the long-term resilience of war-affected communities,” the statement said.
The initiative is funded by the governments of Germany and France. It is expected to be an important step in restoring agricultural production and strengthening the food security of communities affected by the ongoing war.
The program will be open to 550 small and medium-sized farmers who cultivate land plots ranging from 10 to 300 hectares in Chernihiv, Donetsk, Kherson, Odesa and Zaporizhzhia regions. Priority will be given to farms run by women and those operating near the frontline, where farming conditions remain difficult.
Farmers interested in participating can apply for assistance through the State Agrarian Register (SAR) until January 26, 2025. After the applications are processed, selected participants will receive confirmation through the SAR, as well as detailed information on how to receive and use the vouchers.
FAO noted that applying does not guarantee assistance, as eligibility will be determined based on specific program criteria.
The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), intends to develop agrarian diplomacy, said Vitaliy Koval, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, after a meeting with Viorel Gutsu, head of the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia.
“The goal of agrarian diplomacy is to train specialists to promote Ukrainian agricultural products on international markets on the basis of specialized higher education institutions. We are talking about the so-called agrarian attaches at diplomatic and trade missions abroad,” the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy quoted Vitaliy Koval as saying.
The Ukrainian minister added that the FAO team had confirmed its interest in implementing such a project.
The ministers also discussed the possibility of allocating grants for Ukrainian farmers to automate production processes and increase the volume of value-added products, providing livestock farmers with generators, switching to gas generators, attracting international experts to adapt the Ukrainian agricultural sector to European requirements, and climate programs for Ukraine.
