Wheat · importers
Spain closes the top ten cereal importers with $4.9B in 2024. Being tenth of 96 is a strong position, though the margin over eleventh is small.
| Market | HS 10 imports |
|---|---|
| China | $14.8B |
| Mexico | $8.0B |
| Egypt | $6.8B |
| Indonesia | $6.8B |
| Japan | $6.7B |
Figures are for the whole of HS chapter 10 (cereals); wheat is only part of it. Source: UN Comtrade, as reported by national authorities; latest available year per market.
Spain reports $4.9B, a 3.3% share of reported world imports of the chapter. Italy is directly above at $5.0B, and directly below is South Korea at $4.8B. With so little separating Spain from the market behind it, the tenth place could be lost or held with a small revision.
For a seller, this is a reason to treat the top ten as a group, not a strict ladder, and to look beyond Spain to the other markets near it.
Cereals are 1.1% of the $451.3B import total, and the chapter ranks 22nd. Fuels at $60.2B lead, followed by vehicles, machinery, electrical equipment and pharmaceuticals. Grain is a modest slice, though larger in share than in some bigger economies.
That profile points to a buyer group that includes feed and food processors with regular needs. Records will reveal how concentrated it is.
Spain’s largest source markets across all goods are Germany at $48.7B, China, France, Italy and the USA. Three of the five are European neighbours. This is not a grain ranking, but it hints that Spanish buyers already have deep regional relationships, so an outside supplier needs a clear edge in quality, timing or terms.
Look at origin fields in wheat shipment records to see whether the current buyers already buy from beyond Europe.
Confirm the current import rules, plant-health certificate needs and labelling requirements with the destination customs authority. Agree the Incoterm, currency and payment terms, name the discharge port, and ask whether the buyer requires third-party inspection at loading.
The $4.9B is for all of HS chapter 10, every cereal, so wheat is only part of it. Rankings are reporter-declared for the latest available year, and re-exports or reporting gaps may distort them.
Tenth of 96 markets at $4.9B in 2024. Italy is directly above at $5.0B and South Korea directly below at $4.8B, so the position is close. The figure includes all cereals.
They are 1.1% of $451.3B and rank 22nd among chapters. Fuels, vehicles and machinery are far larger.
Not necessarily. The list of Germany, China, France, Italy and the USA covers all goods. Filter shipment records by the wheat heading to find the actual grain origins.
Search customs shipment records for the wheat heading. Each record lists a consignee, quantity, value and port. Repeat consignees are likely regular buyers, and the free marketplace can help you connect.
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