FAO and OECD say the EU will soon become the world’s largest wheat producer

The European Union will soon become the world’s largest wheat exporter, according to the new report Agricultural Outlook 2023-2032 published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Economic (OECD). This was reported on July 11 by the online publication Agriland.

Global growth in total grain demand over the next decade is projected to be slower than in the past decade due to slower growth in demand for feed, biofuels and other industrial uses. In Western Europe, per capita cereal consumption is projected to stagnate or even decline due to low population growth and shifting consumer preferences away from staples.

The report also shows that arable land will shrink in Western Europe as any increase in crop production is heavily regulated by environmental sustainability policies.

In addition, increased income will reduce per capita demand for staple foods, particularly cereals, thus contributing to a shift in consumption towards foods with higher nutritional value, especially micronutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts.

The FAO and OECD predict that by 2032 the EU will become the largest wheat producer, surpassing China, where wheat production is responding to declining demand due to population decline. The EU will represent 17% of world trade.

Source: Rossa Primavera