That dollar amount reflects a 28.9% increase since five years earlier in 2019 when flour exports were worth $6.78 billion.
Year over year, the value of globally exported flours fell by -5.9% compared to $9.28 billion starting in 2022.
The 5 biggest exporters of flours are Türkiye, Germany, Kazakhstan, Egypt and Italy. Collectively, that cohort of major suppliers generated 41.5% of flours sold on international markets during 2023.
A granular food powder made via grinding raw grains or roots, flour is a key ingredient in dietary staples such as bread, pastries and stews.
Different types of flours in 2023: Almost three-quarters (72%) of globally exported flours was made from wheat or meslin flour, while 15.8% was derived from other cereals (excluding wheat and meslin). Another 10.1% of the overall total is attributable to peas, beans, lentils and other dried leguminous vegetables. Finally, 2% was potato-based flour.
From a continent perspective, $3.4 billion or 39.1% worth of all flour exports worldwide during 2023 originated in Asia.
In second place were suppliers in Europe (35%) trailed by North America (9.8%), Latin America (6.5%) plus the Caribbean and Africa (8.9%). The smallest continent for generating international flour sales was Oceania via a tiny 0.6% share led by Australia.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 1101 for wheat or meslin flour, 1102 for other cereal flours, 1106 for flour made from peas, beans, lentils and similar dried leguminous vegetables. The 6-digit HTS prefix is 110510 for potato-derived flour.
Wheat or Meslin Flour Exports by Country:
Below are the 25 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of flour made from wheat or meslin and that was shipped during 2023.
- Türkiye: US$1.5 billion (23.4% of exported wheat flour)
- Germany: $631.5 million (10%)
- Kazakhstan: $579.7 million (9.2%)
- Egypt: $390.7 million (6.2%)
- Italy: $273.7 million (4.3%)
- Canada: $195 million (3.1%)
- Argentina: $165.3 million (2.6%)
- Belgium: $160.7 million (2.6%)
- United Kingdom: $153.6 million (2.4%)
- Russia: $150.4 million (2.4%)
- France: $139.9 million (2.2%)
- United States: $138.8 million (2.2%)
- Vietnam: $111.4 million (1.8%)
- Japan: $98.7 million (1.6%)
- Netherlands: $95 million (1.5%)
- mainland China: $92.1 million (1.5%)
- United Arab Emirates: $87.2 million (1.4%)
- Hungary: $63.7 million (1%)
- Serbia: $60.3 million (1%)
- Poland: $59.6 million (0.9%)
- Dominican Republic: $54.8 million (0.9%)
- India: $52.7 million (0.8%)
- Spain: $49.1 million (0.8%)
- Mexico: $47 million (0.7%)
- Djibouti: $46.4 million (0.7%)
By value, the above countries produced over four-fifths (81.4%) of wheat or meslin-based flour in 2023.
Leading international sales gains for this commodity from 2022 to 2023 were suppliers in: Egypt (up 167.7%), Mexico (up 77.5%), mainland China (up 36.5%), Germany (up 22.1%), France (up 19.9%) and Canada (up 15.2%).
Enduring the greatest declines were wheat or meslin flour exporters in India (down -80.9% from 2022), Spain (down -23.8%), Kazakhstan (down -23%), Hungary (down -22%) and Argentina (down -16%).
Cereals Flour Exports by Country (Not Wheat or Meslin):
Below are the 25 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of flour made from cereals other than wheat or meslin and that was shipped during 2023.
- Mexico: US$192.8 million (13.9% of exported other cereals flours)
- Thailand: $156.5 million (11.3%)
- United States: $116 million (8.4%)
- Italy: $91.5 million (6.6%)
- Germany: $85.1 million (6.2%)
- India: $62 million (4.5%)
- Uganda: $53.6 million (3.9%)
- Belgium: $50.8 million (3.7%)
- Colombia: $48.9 million (3.5%)
- France: $45.3 million (3.3%)
- El Salvador: $43.2 million (3.1%)
- South Africa: $34.6 million (2.5%)
- Canada: $32.5 million (2.3%)
- Netherlands: $30.3 million (2.2%)
- Portugal: $21.3 million (1.5%)
- Egypt: $18.5 million (1.3%)
- Spain: $16.7 million (1.2%)
- Poland: $16.5 million (1.2%)
- Zambia: $15.4 million (1.1%)
- Brazil: $14 million (1%)
- Honduras: $13 million (0.9%)
- Dominican Republic: $12.5 million (0.9%)
- Costa Rica: $12.1 million (0.9%)
- Vietnam: $11.2 million (0.8%)
- United Kingdom: $10.7 million (0.8%)
By value the above countries produced 80.6% of cereals-based flour in 2023 (excluding those made from wheat or meslin).
Leading the gainers from 2022 to 2023 were: Egypt (up 255.8%), South Africa (up 59.9%), India (up 55%), Mexico (up 26.4%) then Poland (up 26.3%).
Four major suppliers recorded double-digit declines year over year, namely: Zambia (down -76.1% from 2022), Brazil (down -43.4%), Spain (down -14.1%) and Canada (down -11.7%).
Potato Flour Exports by Country:
Below are the 25 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of potato-based flour that was shipped during 2023.
- Netherlands: US$112.4 million (62.9% of exported potato-based flours)
- United States: $20.2 million (11.3%)
- Poland: $8.7 million (4.9%)
- Belgium: $6.5 million (3.6%)
- Canada: $4.7 million (2.7%)
- India: $3.6 million (2%)
- Djibouti: $2.4 million (1.4%)
- Germany: $2 million (1.1%)
- United Kingdom: $1.9 million (1.1%)
- Thailand: $1.7 million (0.9%)
- Egypt: $1.5 million (0.8%)
- Kenya: $1.4 million (0.8%)
- South Africa: $1.32 million (0.7%)
- Italy: $1.32 million (0.7%)
- Belarus: $951,000 (0.5%)
- Bulgaria: $813,000 (0.5%)
- Singapore: $658,000 (0.4%)
- Indonesia: $638,000 (0.4%)
- Australia: $512,000 (0.3%)
- Malaysia: $467,000 (0.3%)
- Vietnam: $449,000 (0.3%)
- France: $420,000 (0.2%)
- Denmark: $399,000 (0.2%)
- Slovakia: $314,000 (0.2%)
- mainland China: $282,000 (0.2%)
By value, the above countries produced 97.3% of potato-based flours in 2023.
Strongest gains from 2022 to 2023 were posted by suppliers in: Kenya (up 11,292%), Bulgaria (up 1,045%), South Africa (up 469%), mainland China (up 378%) then Indonesia (up 159.3%).
Denmark endured the greatest decline (-32.1%) in its year-over-year flour export sales. Other double-digit drops were experienced by suppliers in France (down -24.1% from 2022) and Canada (down -11.2%).
Dried Legumes Flour Exports by Country:
Below are the 25 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of flour made from peas, beans and lentils or other dried legumes and that was shipped during 2023.
- India: US$163.7 million (18.6% of exported dried legumes flours)
- Spain: $88 million (10%)
- United States: $83.7 million (9.5%)
- mainland China: $41.4 million (4.7%)
- Türkiye: $36.8 million (4.2%)
- Thailand: $34.7 million (3.9%)
- Italy: $33.5 million (3.8%)
- Netherlands: $29.2 million (3.3%)
- Peru: $28.7 million (3.3%)
- Germany: $28.4 million (3.2%)
- Canada: $27.4 million (3.1%)
- Indonesia: $24.5 million (2.8%)
- France: $24.2 million (2.7%)
- Belgium: $21 million (2.4%)
- Denmark: $20.4 million (2.3%)
- Vietnam: $15.6 million (1.8%)
- Singapore: $14.1 million (1.6%)
- Brazil: $12.5 million (1.4%)
- Poland: $12.2 million (1.4%)
- Ecuador: $11.6 million (1.3%)
- United Kingdom: $11.3 million (1.3%)
- Malaysia: $11.2 million (1.3%)
- Honduras: $9.1 million (1%)
- Taiwan: $8.2 million (0.9%)
- Chile: $7.7 million (0.9%)
By value, the above countries exported 85.3% of dried legumes-based flours in 2023.
Leading the export gainers from 2022 to 2023 were: Poland (up 81.7%), mainland China (up 53.7%), Italy (up 28.1%), Denmark (up 27%) then Ecuador (up 20.7%).
The value of exports for dried legumes-based flour fell by double-digits for competitors in Thailand (down -48.6% compared to 2022), Vietnam (down -44.2%), Canada (down -35.4%), Malaysia (down -32.7%) and Brazil (down -17.4%).
See also Wheat Exports by Country, Top Pasta Exporters by Country and Barley Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on August 14, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 14, 2024
Wikipedia, Flour. Accessed on August 14, 2024