According to a report issued by the Agriculture Organization and the United Nations, approximately 3/4th of the world's food is obtained from 12 plants and 5 animals. The staple crops, rice, wheat, and corn, account for 51% of the daily calorie intake by individuals.
The estimates suggest that the average global cereal production will significantly increase and reach 2800 million tonnes, which is 12.1 million tonnes more than the previous year. The total wheat production has increased by 776.7 million tonnes.
Rice production is expected to be 519 million tonnes this year (0.6 million tonnes more than last year), whereas maize production is expected to be 1,192 million tonnes, a 3% increase over last year.
According to these statistics, maize is estimated to account for 43 percent of the worldwide production of cereal, whereas wheat for 27.7 percent, and rice for 18.5 percent of total cereal production which is roughly 89 percent of the total.
As per the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the European Union makes up for 18% of total global wheat production, whilst also China accounts for 17% and India accounts for 14%.
Russia, on the other hand, has the world's largest wheat export industry, having exported 32.5 million tonnes in 2018-19, as per market research firm Export Genius. According to USDA, China (24%) leads the world in rice production, followed by India (19%), Bangladesh (7%), Indonesia (6%), and Vietnam (5%). India is the largest global rice exporter, with a total value of $7.9 billion, exported in 2020.
The United States, China, and Brazil account for 32%, 10%, and 22% of the global production of maize, respectively. As a result, millions and millions of people depend heavily on these crops to survive and contribute to the economy. Any interruption in their yield will be disastrous.
