Soybean · ranking
The ten leading exporters of oil seeds, with soya beans the headline product, ranked from UN Comtrade. This is the most concentrated supplier list in the grain and oilseed group, and the notes explain why.
| # | Market | Value | Volume | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazil | $43.8B | — | 2024 |
| 2 | United States | $30.0B | — | 2024 |
| 3 | Canada | $8.0B | — | 2024 |
| 4 | Netherlands | $4.0B | — | 2024 |
| 5 | Australia | $4.0B | — | 2024 |
| 6 | China | $3.6B | — | 2024 |
| 7 | Paraguay | $3.4B | — | 2024 |
| 8 | Ukraine | $3.4B | — | 2024 |
| 9 | Argentina | $3.1B | — | 2024 |
| 10 | France | $2.6B | — | 2024 |
Ranking is for the whole of HS chapter 12 (oil seeds and oleaginous fruits), reporter-declared, latest year available per market. Source: UN Comtrade.
Brazil is first at $43.8B and the United States second at $30.0B. Canada is third at $8.0B, so the distance between second and third is larger than the whole value of most other entries on the list. The ten together account for 81.8% of the value declared by 96 markets, which is a very high concentration.
For a buyer, that means supply is effectively a two-origin decision at scale, with the others serving regional or niche demand. Netherlands and Australia both show $4.0B, and Paraguay and Ukraine both show $3.4B, so those pairs are ties.
The ranking uses HS chapter 12, oil seeds and oleaginous fruits, while soya beans are heading 1201. Other seeds, such as rapeseed and sunflower seed, also count toward these values, so a country can rank here partly on something else. Chapter scope is stated once because it changes how far you can trust a row.
Some rows also reflect transhipment. A European port country may declare beans that arrived from overseas and left again, and China’s presence as an exporter in a ranking of this kind is a good reminder to check what is being shipped.
A buyer can use the list to see which origins are available in size, then search shipment records under heading 1201 to see who actually loads the beans, in what quantities and to which destinations. A smaller supplier can check which exporters it will be compared with and which regional destinations are underserved.
Agree the specification, quality inspection method, delivery term and payment security in writing, and confirm current plant-health and biosecurity requirements with the authorities of both countries. Reporter years can differ, so lead time in data matters.
Brazil is first at $43.8B, followed by the United States at $30.0B. The figure is for all of HS chapter 12, which includes other oil seeds, so soya beans are the main but not the only content.
Very. The ten listed countries hold 81.8% of the value declared across the 96 markets in the dataset, and the top two dominate that share.
Trading gateways declare goods that arrive and leave again. Their exports may be re-exports and not local crops, so the ranking of such countries should be read with that in mind.
Search customs shipment records for heading 1201 in the origin country, and read the exporter names, quantities and destinations. Then compare specifications and delivery terms.
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