Cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? in China
China: Cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? was 68.14 million tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? in China, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
The most recent figure for cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? in China is 68.14 million tonnes, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.5% on the previous year and up 319.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? in China peaked at 73.62 million tonnes in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1.62 million tonnes, in 2008.
China ranks 1st of 192 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? in China, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 6.26 million tonnes | — |
| 1962 | 5.19 million tonnes | -17.1% |
| 1963 | 6.19 million tonnes | +19.2% |
| 1964 | 6.65 million tonnes | +7.4% |
| 1965 | 6.42 million tonnes | -3.4% |
| 1966 | 6.43 million tonnes | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 4.71 million tonnes | -26.9% |
| 1968 | 4.61 million tonnes | -2.2% |
| 1969 | 3.79 million tonnes | -17.8% |
| 1970 | 5.36 million tonnes | +41.5% |
| 1971 | 3.17 million tonnes | -40.8% |
| 1972 | 4.75 million tonnes | +49.9% |
| 1973 | 7.00 million tonnes | +47.2% |
| 1974 | 6.03 million tonnes | -13.8% |
| 1975 | 3.72 million tonnes | -38.4% |
| 1976 | 2.34 million tonnes | -37.1% |
| 1977 | 7.01 million tonnes | +199.7% |
| 1978 | 8.63 million tonnes | +23.1% |
| 1979 | 11.76 million tonnes | +36.3% |
| 1980 | 12.95 million tonnes | +10.1% |
| 1981 | 14.07 million tonnes | +8.6% |
| 1982 | 15.72 million tonnes | +11.8% |
| 1983 | 13.52 million tonnes | -14.0% |
| 1984 | 10.35 million tonnes | -23.5% |
| 1985 | 5.84 million tonnes | -43.5% |
| 1986 | 7.45 million tonnes | +27.5% |
| 1987 | 16.12 million tonnes | +116.5% |
| 1988 | 15.20 million tonnes | -5.7% |
| 1989 | 16.60 million tonnes | +9.2% |
| 1990 | 13.72 million tonnes | -17.3% |
| 1991 | 13.48 million tonnes | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 11.69 million tonnes | -13.3% |
| 1993 | 7.38 million tonnes | -36.8% |
| 1994 | 9.28 million tonnes | +25.7% |
| 1995 | 20.49 million tonnes | +120.8% |
| 1996 | 10.91 million tonnes | -46.7% |
| 1997 | 4.30 million tonnes | -60.6% |
| 1998 | 3.97 million tonnes | -7.6% |
| 1999 | 3.50 million tonnes | -11.9% |
| 2000 | 3.21 million tonnes | -8.1% |
| 2001 | 3.51 million tonnes | +9.2% |
| 2002 | 2.91 million tonnes | -17.0% |
| 2003 | 2.16 million tonnes | -25.7% |
| 2004 | 9.83 million tonnes | +354.9% |
| 2005 | 6.36 million tonnes | -35.3% |
| 2006 | 3.67 million tonnes | -42.3% |
| 2007 | 1.63 million tonnes | -55.6% |
| 2008 | 1.62 million tonnes | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 3.23 million tonnes | +99.4% |
| 2010 | 6.22 million tonnes | +92.6% |
| 2011 | 6.03 million tonnes | -3.1% |
| 2012 | 15.52 million tonnes | +157.4% |
| 2013 | 16.24 million tonnes | +4.7% |
| 2014 | 21.96 million tonnes | +35.2% |
| 2015 | 35.79 million tonnes | +62.9% |
| 2016 | 25.15 million tonnes | -29.7% |
| 2017 | 29.85 million tonnes | +18.7% |
| 2018 | 24.88 million tonnes | -16.7% |
| 2019 | 22.18 million tonnes | -10.9% |
| 2020 | 41.31 million tonnes | +86.2% |
| 2021 | 73.62 million tonnes | +78.2% |
| 2022 | 63.42 million tonnes | -13.9% |
| 2023 | 68.14 million tonnes | +7.5% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 68.14 million tonnes is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 861,000 tonnes, 79.1× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- China's 68.14 million tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 467,000 tonnes, 145.9× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | +354.9% | 2.16 million tonnes | 9.83 million tonnes |
| 1977 | +199.7% | 2.34 million tonnes | 7.01 million tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.58 million tonnes | 3.79 million tonnes | 6.65 million tonnes | 9 |
| 1970s | 5.98 million tonnes | 2.34 million tonnes | 11.76 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.78 million tonnes | 5.84 million tonnes | 16.60 million tonnes | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.87 million tonnes | 3.50 million tonnes | 20.49 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.81 million tonnes | 1.62 million tonnes | 9.83 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.38 million tonnes | 6.03 million tonnes | 35.79 million tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.62 million tonnes | 41.31 million tonnes | 73.62 million tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More agriculture & rural data for China
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 1.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0666 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 923.03 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3366 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? in China?
- Cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? in China was 68.14 million tonnes in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 73.62 million tonnes in 2021.
- What is the lowest cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.62 million tonnes in 2008.
- How does China rank for cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters??
- China ranks 1st out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters? rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 319.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Cereals: which countries are net importers and exporters?. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Imports and exports are measured as the net sum of all cereal crop varieties. Countries which lie above the grey line are net importers of cereals; those below the line are net exporters.