FAO report: EU to become the largest producer of wheat by 2032
The EU will soon become the largest exporter of wheat in the world but worldwide growth of cereals is projected to slow down and the area of cropland in Europe is also likely to decrease, according to a new report.
The worldwide growth of overall cereal demand is expected to be slower over the next decade than it was in the past decade, due to slowing growth in feed demand, biofuels, and other industrial uses.
In western Europe, per capita food use of cereals is expected to be stagnant, or even declining, due to low population growth and consumer preferences moving away from staple commodities.
These figures outlining the projections of cereals in the EU and the rest of the world are detailed in the latest Agricultural Outlook 2023-32 report published by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The report shows that in western Europe, cropland is projected to decrease, since any increase in crop production is tightly regulated by policies on environmental sustainability, and as land used for fruits, vegetables and other crops is expected to decline.
The EU is projected to become the largest producer of wheat by 2032, overtaking China, where wheat production is responding to demand decreases from negative population growth.
The EU, the second-largest wheat exporter, will account for 17% of global trade in 2032, although exports are projected below the record volumes of 2019 and 2022, according to the latest Agricultural Outlook 2023-32 report.
