What does China produce and export?
China ranks in the top ten producers of 68 commodities: aluminum (#1, 61% of world output in 2025), apples (#1, 52% of world output in 2024), cinnamon (#1, 38% of world output in 2024), coal (#1, 52% of world output in 2025), cotton (#1, 23% of world output in 2023), eggs (#1, 35% of world output in 2024) and more. It is a top-ten exporter of apples (#1, 16% of world export value in 2024), ginger (#1, 56% of world export value in 2024), graphite (#1, 42% of world export value in 2024), plywood (#1, 27% of world export value in 2024), rare earths (#1, 38% of world export value in 2024) and more.
China's position begins with a mismatch: it built the world's largest steel, construction and manufacturing base on a land area whose ore bodies are low-grade and whose farmland per person is small. Its domestic iron ore averages far below the iron content of Australian or Brazilian rock, so the coastal mills buy the difference. In 2024 China took 71% of world iron ore import value and 63% of world copper import value (CEPII BACI). Copper follows the electrical grid, air conditioning and property cycles rather than steel, but the logic is the same: mine output at home covered 7.8% of the world total in 2025 (USGS), far short of what the refineries consume.
The soybean trade was created by policy. China chose in the 1990s to stay self-sufficient in food grain but not in oilseeds, and as pork and poultry production industrialized the crushers needed protein meal. China bought 59% of world soybean import value in 2024 (CEPII BACI) while growing 5.2% of the world's soybeans in 2024 (FAOSTAT). Energy went the same way after domestic oilfields at Daqing matured: China took 24% of world crude oil import value in 2024 (CEPII BACI).
Where China dominates production, cheap power explains it. Smelters built on Shandong and Inner Mongolia coal, and more lately on Yunnan hydropower, made 61% of the world's primary aluminum in 2025 (USGS). Very little of that metal leaves as ingot, because an export tax pushes shipments into semi-finished forms instead; China still imported 9.8% of world aluminum import value in 2024 (CEPII BACI).
Farm output is large but consumed at home. Irrigated fields in Xinjiang, mechanized and picked largely by machine since the 2010s, grew 23% of the world's cotton in 2023 (FAOSTAT). Grain policy runs on procurement, minimum prices and large state reserves, so record harvests rarely show up as exports.
What does China produce?
| Commodity | World rank | Share of world | Production | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | 1 | 61% | 45 million t | 2025 | USGS MCS |
| Apples | 1 | 52% | 51.3 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Cinnamon | 1 | 38% | 94,216 t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Coal | 1 | 52% | 4,663 million tonnes | 2025 | Energy Institute |
| Cotton | 1 | 23% | 5.6 million t | 2023 | FAOSTAT |
| Eggs | 1 | 35% | 30.9 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Gold | 1 | 12% | 380 t | 2025 | USGS MCS |
| Grapes | 1 | 22% | 16.8 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Graphite | 1 | 78% | 1.4 million t | 2025 | USGS MCS |
| Honey | 1 | 24% | 444,800 t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Lamb | 1 | 23% | 2.6 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Lead | 1 | 42% | 1.9 million t | 2025 | USGS MCS |
| Molybdenum | 1 | 37% | 97,000 t | 2025 | USGS MCS |
| Peanuts | 1 | 34% | 19.6 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Phosphate rock | 1 | 44% | 110 million t | 2025 | USGS MCS |
| Plywood | 1 | 53% | 60.4 million m3 | 2024 | faostat_fo |
| Pork | 1 | 46% | 57.1 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Potatoes | 1 | 24% | 94.8 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Rare earths | 1 | 69% | 270,000 t | 2025 | USGS MCS |
| Steel | 1 | 52% | 980 million t | 2025 | USGS MCS |
| Tea | 1 | 50% | 16.3 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Tin | 1 | 24% | 71,000 t | 2025 | USGS MCS |
| Tobacco | 1 | 37% | 2.3 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Tomatoes | 1 | 33% | 61.6 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Wheat | 1 | 18% | 140.1 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Wool | 1 | 21% | 364,481 t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Zinc | 1 | 32% | 4.1 million t | 2025 | USGS MCS |
| Bananas | 2 | 8.4% | 11.8 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Canola | 2 | 19% | 16.9 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Chicken | 2 | 12% | 15.4 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Corn | 2 | 24% | 294.9 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Lithium | 2 | 21% | 62,000 t | 2025 | USGS MCS |
| Orange juice | 2 | 11% | 7.6 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Oranges | 2 | 11% | 7.6 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Rice | 2 | 25% | 207.5 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Sawnwood | 2 | 14% | 60.7 million m3 | 2024 | faostat_fo |
| Silk | 2 | 32% | 147,000 t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Uranium | 2 | 17% | 485 terawatt-hours | 2025 | Energy Institute |
| Bauxite | 3 | 20% | 87 million t | 2025 | USGS MCS |
| Beef | 3 | 10% | 7 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Ginger | 3 | 12% | 585,378 t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Linseed | 3 | 9.3% | 280,000 t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Mangoes | 3 | 6.6% | 4.1 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Milk | 3 | 5.2% | 40.8 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Potash | 3 | 13% | 6.3 million t | 2025 | USGS MCS |
| Silver | 3 | 13% | 3,400 t | 2025 | USGS MCS |
| Copper | 4 | 7.8% | 1.8 million t | 2025 | USGS MCS |
| Iron ore | 4 | 11% | 290 million t | 2025 | USGS MCS |
| Logs | 4 | 9.8% | 190.9 million m3 | 2024 | faostat_fo |
| Natural gas | 4 | 6.3% | 264 billion cubic metres | 2025 | Energy Institute |
| Soybeans | 4 | 5.2% | 20.7 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Sugar | 4 | 5.3% | 10 million t | 2023 | FAOSTAT |
| Natural rubber | 5 | 5.9% | 877,600 t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Pineapples | 5 | 7.3% | 2.1 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Pistachios | 5 | 5.7% | 78,986 t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Sisal | 5 | 6.1% | 14,292 t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Vanilla | 5 | 6.1% | 435 t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Jute | 6 | 0.3% | 9,632 t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Nickel | 6 | 3.1% | 120,000 t | 2025 | USGS MCS |
| Cloves | 7 | 0.7% | 1,337 t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Crude oil | 7 | 4.3% | 4,340 thousand barrels daily | 2025 | Energy Institute |
| Hazelnuts | 7 | 2.1% | 25,437 t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Manganese | 7 | 3.5% | 700,000 t | 2025 | USGS MCS |
| Sesame seed | 8 | 5.7% | 380,000 t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Sorghum | 8 | 4.8% | 3.1 million t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Lentils | 9 | 2.1% | 167,596 t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Pepper | 9 | 3.7% | 34,588 t | 2024 | FAOSTAT |
| Cobalt | 10 | 0.6% | 2,000 t | 2025 | USGS MCS |
What does China export?
| Rank | Country | Export value (US$) | Share of world |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | apples | $1.3 billion | 16% |
| 1 | ginger | $722.6 million | 56% |
| 1 | graphite | $227.8 million | 42% |
| 1 | plywood | $4.6 billion | 27% |
| 1 | rare-earths | $422.1 million | 38% |
| 1 | silk | $177.8 million | 48% |
| 1 | silver | $5.2 billion | 16% |
| 1 | steel | $19.4 billion | 28% |
| 2 | honey | $237.2 million | 10% |
| 2 | phosphate-fertilizers | $595.6 million | 17% |
| Rest of world | $0 | <0.1% |
| Commodity | World rank | Share of world exports | Export value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apples | 1 | 16% | $1.3 billion | 2024 |
| Ginger | 1 | 56% | $722.6 million | 2024 |
| Graphite | 1 | 42% | $227.8 million | 2024 |
| Plywood | 1 | 27% | $4.6 billion | 2024 |
| Rare earths | 1 | 38% | $422.1 million | 2024 |
| Silk | 1 | 48% | $177.8 million | 2024 |
| Silver | 1 | 16% | $5.2 billion | 2024 |
| Steel | 1 | 28% | $19.4 billion | 2024 |
| Honey | 2 | 10% | $237.2 million | 2024 |
| Phosphate fertilizers | 2 | 17% | $595.6 million | 2024 |
| Cobalt | 3 | 3.5% | $166.1 million | 2024 |
| Grapes | 3 | 9.7% | $1.3 billion | 2024 |
| Pepper | 3 | 14% | $875.5 million | 2024 |
| Tea | 3 | 17% | $1.3 billion | 2024 |
| Yams | 3 | 11% | $27.3 million | 2024 |
| Bauxite | 4 | 1.9% | $222.6 million | 2024 |
| Cassava | 4 | 7.7% | $264.2 million | 2024 |
| Cinnamon | 4 | 15% | $128.4 million | 2024 |
| Lithium | 4 | 1.6% | $62.6 million | 2024 |
| Peanuts | 4 | 10% | $482.5 million | 2024 |
| Sesame seed | 4 | 5.7% | $447.7 million | 2024 |
| Nickel | 5 | 8.3% | $1.2 billion | 2024 |
| Tin | 5 | 7.6% | $487.9 million | 2024 |
| Eggs | 6 | 4.9% | $288.7 million | 2024 |
| Jute | 6 | 1.4% | $3 million | 2024 |
| Molybdenum | 6 | 5.5% | $446.9 million | 2024 |
| Oranges | 7 | 3.4% | $185.4 million | 2024 |
| Tobacco | 7 | 4.1% | $580.3 million | 2024 |
| Wool | 7 | 1.4% | $38.4 million | 2024 |
| Chicken | 8 | 2.9% | $1 billion | 2024 |
| Manganese | 8 | 0.9% | $54.4 million | 2024 |
| Pistachios | 8 | 0.8% | $25.9 million | 2024 |
| Potatoes | 8 | 3.7% | $261.4 million | 2024 |
| Rice | 8 | 2.4% | $952.2 million | 2024 |
| Shrimp | 9 | 3% | $941.6 million | 2024 |
| Tomatoes | 10 | 1.7% | $199.9 million | 2024 |
| Uranium | 10 | <0.1% | $19,504 | 2024 |
Top-ten importer of
- Barley: #1, 34% of world imports, $3.1 billion (2024)
- Bauxite: #1, 86% of world imports, $9.9 billion (2024)
- Beef: #1, 32% of world imports, $11.8 billion (2024)
- Canola: #1, 23% of world imports, $3 billion (2024)
- Chicken: #1, 7.7% of world imports, $2.7 billion (2024)
- Chromium: #1, 65% of world imports, $5.5 billion (2024)
- Coal: #1, 22% of world imports, $39.3 billion (2024)
- Cobalt: #1, 68% of world imports, $3.2 billion (2024)
- Copper: #1, 63% of world imports, $66.2 billion (2024)
- Cotton: #1, 26% of world imports, $4.5 billion (2024)
- Crude oil: #1, 24% of world imports, $318.4 billion (2024)
- Fishmeal: #1, 35% of world imports, $3.3 billion (2024)
- Iron ore: #1, 71% of world imports, $112.6 billion (2024)
- Linseed: #1, 28% of world imports, $349.6 million (2024)
- Lithium: #1, 67% of world imports, $2.6 billion (2024)
- Logs: #1, 41% of world imports, $5.4 billion (2024)
- Manganese: #1, 60% of world imports, $3.9 billion (2024)
- Milk: #1, 12% of world imports, $2.7 billion (2024)
- Natural gas: #1, 18% of world imports, $87.9 billion (2024)
- Natural rubber: #1, 24% of world imports, $4 billion (2024)
- Nickel: #1, 13% of world imports, $1.9 billion (2024)
- Peanuts: #1, 13% of world imports, $627.3 million (2024)
- Pistachios: #1, 26% of world imports, $909.1 million (2024)
- Platinum: #1, 22% of world imports, $3.2 billion (2024)
- Sesame seed: #1, 27% of world imports, $2.2 billion (2024)
- Shrimp: #1, 27% of world imports, $8.7 billion (2024)
- Sisal: #1, 26% of world imports, $179.3 million (2024)
- Sorghum: #1, 81% of world imports, $2.2 billion (2024)
- Soybeans: #1, 59% of world imports, $47.2 billion (2024)
- Uranium: #1, 51% of world imports, $803.2 million (2024)
- Wool: #1, 71% of world imports, $2 billion (2024)
- Aluminum: #2, 9.8% of world imports, $7.8 billion (2024)
- Cassava: #2, 18% of world imports, $608.5 million (2024)
- Coconut oil: #2, 13% of world imports, $1 billion (2024)
- Jute: #2, 14% of world imports, $29.5 million (2024)
- Lamb: #2, 13% of world imports, $1.2 billion (2024)
- Mangoes: #2, 15% of world imports, $638.4 million (2024)
- Molybdenum: #2, 12% of world imports, $1 billion (2024)
- Palm oil: #2, 7.3% of world imports, $3.2 billion (2024)
- Pepper: #2, 9.5% of world imports, $573.9 million (2024)
- Pineapples: #2, 7.1% of world imports, $198.7 million (2024)
- Sawnwood: #2, 18% of world imports, $6.7 billion (2024)
- Tin: #2, 11% of world imports, $707.7 million (2024)
- Tobacco: #2, 13% of world imports, $1.8 billion (2024)
- Zinc: #2, 8.4% of world imports, $1.2 billion (2024)
- Bananas: #3, 6.3% of world imports, $981.1 million (2024)
- Oats: #3, 13% of world imports, $148.8 million (2024)
- Potash: #3, 18% of world imports, $3.6 billion (2024)
- Sunflower oil: #3, 5.7% of world imports, $1.1 billion (2024)
- Wheat: #3, 5% of world imports, $2.9 billion (2024)
- Cardamom: #4, 7.8% of world imports, $97.3 million (2024)
- Cloves: #4, 5.4% of world imports, $35.3 million (2024)
- Gold: #4, 11% of world imports, $62.9 billion (2024)
- Pork: #4, 6.3% of world imports, $2.3 billion (2024)
- Sugar: #4, 4.1% of world imports, $1.8 billion (2024)
- Corn: #5, 4.5% of world imports, $2.1 billion (2024)
- Cashews: #6, 0.4% of world imports, $14.7 million (2024)
- Graphite: #6, 6.2% of world imports, $33.4 million (2024)
- Lead: #6, 5.5% of world imports, $484.8 million (2024)
- Oranges: #6, 3.7% of world imports, $203.5 million (2024)
- Palladium: #6, 6.7% of world imports, $873.2 million (2024)
- Palm kernel oil: #6, 6.6% of world imports, $72 million (2024)
- Almonds: #7, 4.8% of world imports, $252.9 million (2024)
- Quinoa: #7, 3.7% of world imports, $10.9 million (2024)
- Rare earths: #7, 3.8% of world imports, $42.4 million (2024)
- Salmon: #7, 6% of world imports, $954.1 million (2024)
- Silver: #7, 3.9% of world imports, $1.3 billion (2024)
- Grapes: #8, 2.9% of world imports, $386.8 million (2024)
- Phosphate rock: #8, 3.3% of world imports, $175.9 million (2024)
- Apples: #9, 3.2% of world imports, $258.4 million (2024)
- Avocados: #10, 1.6% of world imports, $152.6 million (2024)
- Hazelnuts: #10, 1.9% of world imports, $44.4 million (2024)
- Rice: #10, 2.3% of world imports, $905.7 million (2024)
Sources: FAOSTAT (crops and livestock), USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries (minerals), Energy Institute Statistical Review (energy) for production; CEPII BACI for trade. Ranks count only the commodities on this site.
Downloads and citation
This country's rankings as JSON. Cite as: Commodity Origins, "What does China produce and export?", https://commodityorigins.com/countries/CHN/ (CC BY 4.0).
Data updated 6 September 2026.