Which large markets depend on imports, and which produce far more than they use?

Of 356 country-and-commodity markets that are each at least 2% of world domestic supply (2023 food balance sheets), 79 get half or more of their supply from imports; the largest is China's soybeans, 121 million tonnes of supply with 84% imported. 47 produce at least one and a half times what they use, which makes them net suppliers to the rest of the world.

Definitions are FAO's. Self-sufficiency is production divided by (production + imports − exports); import dependency is imports divided by the same total, both as percentages. A country can be both a big importer and a big exporter of one item (re-exports, different grades), so a high import dependency does not mean it cannot feed itself, only that much of what it uses crosses a border. Only markets of at least 2% of world supply are shown, so a small economy that imports everything does not crowd the list. Where FAO shows no production or exports for a country that has domestic supply, they are read as zero. Click a heading to sort.

Large markets that rely on imports

Markets with import dependency of 50% or more
Country	Commodity	Domestic supply	Share of world supply	Import dependency	Self-sufficiency	Food kg per person
China	Soybeans	121 million tonnes	32%	84%	16%	5.4
China	Cassava	39.5 million tonnes	12%	87%	13%	2.2
Turkey (Türkiye)	Wheat	33.4 million tonnes	4%	69%	59%	164
Germany	Wheat	20.4 million tonnes	2.4%	56%	106%	75
Thailand	Cassava	17.7 million tonnes	5.2%	60%	173%	3.3
United States	Apples	17.2 million tonnes	16%	77%	30%	49
United States	Oranges	12.7 million tonnes	10%	84%	25%	36
Germany	Canola	10.3 million tonnes	11%	62%	39%	0.0
China	Barley	10.2 million tonnes	7.5%	89%	16%	1.6
India	Palm oil	9.2 million tonnes	12%	100%	<0.1%	1.3
China	Sorghum	8.1 million tonnes	17%	64%	36%	3.2
Spain	Barley	8.1 million tonnes	6%	52%	53%	5.2
Indonesia	Sugar	7.5 million tonnes	4.4%	72%	32%	26
United States	Pineapples	6.3 million tonnes	18%	102%	2.7%	18
China	Palm oil	5.0 million tonnes	6.6%	99%	2%	1.9
Germany	Tomatoes	4.1 million tonnes	2.1%	103%	2.5%	47
United States	Bananas	4.1 million tonnes	3.1%	114%	0.1%	11
Pakistan	Palm oil	3.0 million tonnes	4%	100%	<0.1%	8.7
United States	Oats	3.0 million tonnes	14%	75%	28%	6.2
India	Sunflower oil	2.8 million tonnes	13%	98%	2.3%	1.8
Pakistan	Canola	1.9 million tonnes	2.1%	58%	42%	0.0
China	Sunflower oil	1.8 million tonnes	8.5%	83%	18%	0.4
United States	Palm oil	1.7 million tonnes	2.3%	107%	<0.1%	0.0
Bangladesh	Palm oil	1.6 million tonnes	2.2%	100%	<0.1%	3.5
United States	Coffee	1.4 million tonnes	12%	146%	0.2%	4.2
Turkey (Türkiye)	Sunflower oil	1.4 million tonnes	6.4%	113%	62%	5.9
China	Sesame seed	1.3 million tonnes	28%	69%	34%	0.4
Spain	Sunflower oil	901 thousand tonnes	4.2%	80%	47%	11
Germany	Oats	839 thousand tonnes	4.1%	72%	61%	5.2
United States	Cocoa	839 thousand tonnes	17%	132%	<0.1%	2.4
Iran	Sunflower oil	799 thousand tonnes	3.7%	95%	5.2%	7.3
Italy	Sunflower oil	770 thousand tonnes	3.6%	87%	19%	6.3
China	Palm kernel oil	737 thousand tonnes	8.6%	98%	2.3%	0.1
Spain	Pineapples	708 thousand tonnes	2.1%	123%	<0.1%	14
Italy	Olive oil	535 thousand tonnes	17%	90%	77%	8.6
Indonesia	Cocoa	525 thousand tonnes	10%	60%	103%	1.7
Iraq	Sunflower oil	497 thousand tonnes	2.3%	94%	6%	6.5
Spain	Olive oil	493 thousand tonnes	16%	61%	201%	9.0
Philippines	Coffee	493 thousand tonnes	4.2%	95%	6.1%	4.3
India	Dates	487 thousand tonnes	5.1%	101%	<0.1%	0.3
France	Sunflower oil	460 thousand tonnes	2.1%	59%	135%	4.9
Germany	Coffee	449 thousand tonnes	3.8%	291%	<0.1%	5.3
United States	Coconut oil	431 thousand tonnes	15%	105%	<0.1%	0.2
United States	Olive oil	370 thousand tonnes	12%	101%	4.5%	1.1
Italy	Coffee	365 thousand tonnes	3.1%	215%	<0.1%	6.1
Hong Kong	Coffee	359 thousand tonnes	3%	110%	<0.1%	43
France	Coffee	346 thousand tonnes	2.9%	144%	<0.1%	5.2
United Kingdom	Coffee	345 thousand tonnes	2.9%	177%	<0.1%	5.0
United States	Palm kernel oil	311 thousand tonnes	3.6%	106%	<0.1%	0.0
China	Coffee	308 thousand tonnes	2.6%	79%	35%	0.2
Brazil	Palm kernel oil	297 thousand tonnes	3.5%	74%	27%	0.0
Germany	Palm kernel oil	282 thousand tonnes	3.3%	111%	<0.1%	—
United Kingdom	Cocoa	270 thousand tonnes	5.3%	134%	<0.1%	3.9
Canada	Coffee	269 thousand tonnes	2.3%	134%	<0.1%	6.8
France	Cocoa	268 thousand tonnes	5.3%	222%	<0.1%	4.0
United States	Honey	253 thousand tonnes	14%	79%	25%	0.7
Morocco	Dates	237 thousand tonnes	2.5%	56%	45%	3.9
Netherlands	Coconut oil	195 thousand tonnes	6.8%	201%	<0.1%	—
Germany	Coconut oil	189 thousand tonnes	6.6%	114%	<0.1%	—
China	Coconut oil	182 thousand tonnes	6.4%	100%	<0.1%	0.1
Turkey (Türkiye)	Sesame seed	177 thousand tonnes	3.6%	120%	7.5%	0.7
China	Cocoa	175 thousand tonnes	3.5%	134%	<0.1%	0.1
Malaysia	Coconut oil	162 thousand tonnes	5.7%	172%	37%	1.9
Russia	Cocoa	162 thousand tonnes	3.2%	154%	<0.1%	1.1
Spain	Cocoa	149 thousand tonnes	2.9%	264%	<0.1%	3.1
India	Cocoa	123 thousand tonnes	2.4%	90%	19%	0.1
Sri Lanka	Coconut oil	106 thousand tonnes	3.7%	81%	37%	1.9
France	Olive oil	105 thousand tonnes	3.4%	109%	3.8%	1.6
Portugal	Olive oil	82 thousand tonnes	2.7%	126%	200%	5.9
Germany	Honey	81 thousand tonnes	4.4%	80%	43%	0.9
Brazil	Olive oil	80 thousand tonnes	2.6%	100%	<0.1%	0.4
Italy	Coconut oil	67 thousand tonnes	2.3%	135%	<0.1%	—
United Kingdom	Olive oil	65 thousand tonnes	2.1%	103%	<0.1%	0.9
Germany	Olive oil	62 thousand tonnes	2%	110%	<0.1%	0.7
Spain	Coconut oil	62 thousand tonnes	2.2%	147%	<0.1%	—
United States	Pepper	58 thousand tonnes	7.7%	115%	<0.1%	0.2
United Kingdom	Honey	53 thousand tonnes	2.9%	86%	17%	0.8
France	Honey	45 thousand tonnes	2.4%	69%	40%	0.7
India	Cloves	21 thousand tonnes	12%	110%	<0.1%	0.0

Large markets that produce far more than they use

Markets with self-sufficiency of 150% or more
Country	Commodity	Domestic supply	Share of world supply	Self-sufficiency
Philippines	Coconut oil	138 thousand tonnes	4.8%	980%
Australia	Oats	482 thousand tonnes	2.3%	623%
Canada	Oats	1.8 million tonnes	8.5%	603%
Syria	Olive oil	99 thousand tonnes	3.2%	561%
Tunisia	Olive oil	70 thousand tonnes	2.3%	438%
Vietnam	Coffee	499 thousand tonnes	4.2%	391%
Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire)	Cocoa	352 thousand tonnes	7%	363%
Brazil	Coffee	1.2 million tonnes	10%	336%
Brazil	Sugar	7.3 million tonnes	4.3%	327%
Australia	Barley	3.8 million tonnes	2.8%	314%
Malaysia	Palm oil	5.6 million tonnes	7.4%	309%
Brazil	Soybeans	59.2 million tonnes	16%	302%
France	Barley	3.6 million tonnes	2.6%	297%
Philippines	Pineapples	1.3 million tonnes	3.7%	286%
Greece	Olive oil	104 thousand tonnes	3.4%	285%
Thailand	Sugar	5.1 million tonnes	3%	274%
Brazil	Pepper	28 thousand tonnes	3.7%	270%
Vietnam	Pepper	103 thousand tonnes	14%	240%
Tanzania	Sesame seed	131 thousand tonnes	2.7%	236%
Tanzania	Cloves	4 thousand tonnes	2.3%	225%
Indonesia	Palm oil	20.3 million tonnes	27%	225%
Brazil	Oranges	7.9 million tonnes	6.3%	223%
United States	Sorghum	3.6 million tonnes	7.4%	218%
Argentina	Sunflower oil	801 thousand tonnes	3.7%	213%
Brazil	Sesame seed	130 thousand tonnes	2.7%	205%
Spain	Olive oil	493 thousand tonnes	16%	201%
Portugal	Olive oil	82 thousand tonnes	2.7%	200%
Spain	Pork	2.5 million tonnes	2.1%	192%
Russia	Sunflower oil	3.8 million tonnes	18%	180%
United States	Soybeans	67.8 million tonnes	18%	174%
Thailand	Cassava	17.7 million tonnes	5.2%	173%
Ethiopia	Coffee	324 thousand tonnes	2.7%	173%
Brazil	Corn	71.1 million tonnes	5.9%	171%
Iraq	Dates	374 thousand tonnes	3.9%	171%
Ukraine	Barley	3.3 million tonnes	2.4%	166%
Turkey (Türkiye)	Olive oil	150 thousand tonnes	4.9%	166%
Thailand	Rice	24.8 million tonnes	3.2%	160%
Canada	Canola	11.3 million tonnes	12%	160%
Russia	Wheat	49.4 million tonnes	5.9%	153%
Philippines	Bananas	3.8 million tonnes	2.9%	153%
Indonesia	Pepper	41 thousand tonnes	5.5%	152%
Finland	Oats	561 thousand tonnes	2.7%	152%
France	Wheat	18.8 million tonnes	2.2%	152%
Canada	Barley	4.1 million tonnes	3%	152%
Turkey (Türkiye)	Grapes	2.2 million tonnes	3.1%	151%
Thailand	Palm kernel oil	200 thousand tonnes	2.3%	150%
Tunisia	Dates	257 thousand tonnes	2.7%	150%

Countries whose exports exceed production plus imports

FAO reports a negative domestic supply for these countries, meaning exports exceed production plus imports in the year (FAO imputes these figures, for example for a re-exporter or a draw on stocks). They are shown here as published, not as consumption, and are left out of every ranking, share and per-person figure. Self-sufficiency and import dependency are not defined for them, so they are not in either table above; they are listed here, largest exports first, rather than dropped. 75 country-and-commodity pairs in 2023.

Country-and-commodity pairs with a negative FAO domestic supply
Country	Commodity	Production	Imports	Exports	Domestic supply as published
Romania	Canola	1.8 million tonnes	203 thousand tonnes	2.4 million tonnes	−292 thousand tonnes
Zambia	Milk	504 thousand tonnes	91 thousand tonnes	1.7 million tonnes	−1.1 million tonnes
Netherlands	Cocoa	0 tonnes	1.5 million tonnes	1.4 million tonnes	−83 thousand tonnes
Paraguay	Rice	978 thousand tonnes	1 thousand tonnes	1.3 million tonnes	−228 thousand tonnes
Indonesia	Coffee	760 thousand tonnes	109 thousand tonnes	912 thousand tonnes	−10 thousand tonnes
Uruguay	Soybeans	648 thousand tonnes	35 thousand tonnes	775 thousand tonnes	−93 thousand tonnes
Poland	Beef	515 thousand tonnes	48 thousand tonnes	637 thousand tonnes	−33 thousand tonnes
Laos	Plantains	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	635 thousand tonnes	−635 thousand tonnes
India	Coffee	333 thousand tonnes	96 thousand tonnes	476 thousand tonnes	−45 thousand tonnes
Ecuador	Cocoa	376 thousand tonnes	7 thousand tonnes	434 thousand tonnes	−51 thousand tonnes
United Arab Emirates	Coffee	0 tonnes	355 thousand tonnes	374 thousand tonnes	−20 thousand tonnes
Cameroon	Cocoa	300 thousand tonnes	2 thousand tonnes	354 thousand tonnes	−52 thousand tonnes
Afghanistan	Tomatoes	0 tonnes	56 thousand tonnes	327 thousand tonnes	−271 thousand tonnes
Costa Rica	Cassava	103 thousand tonnes	16 thousand tonnes	296 thousand tonnes	−177 thousand tonnes
Malaysia	Coffee	6 thousand tonnes	194 thousand tonnes	280 thousand tonnes	−80 thousand tonnes
Moldova	Canola	211 thousand tonnes	3 thousand tonnes	272 thousand tonnes	−42 thousand tonnes
Costa Rica	Oranges	199 thousand tonnes	69 thousand tonnes	268 thousand tonnes	−1 thousand tonnes
Serbia	Canola	136 thousand tonnes	1 thousand tonnes	141 thousand tonnes	−3 thousand tonnes
Nicaragua	Bananas	91 thousand tonnes	3 thousand tonnes	122 thousand tonnes	−29 thousand tonnes
United Arab Emirates	Cocoa	0 tonnes	74 thousand tonnes	118 thousand tonnes	−17 thousand tonnes
Jordan	Eggs	89 thousand tonnes	2 thousand tonnes	102 thousand tonnes	−11 thousand tonnes
Tanzania	Soybeans	39 thousand tonnes	35 thousand tonnes	101 thousand tonnes	−20 thousand tonnes
Madagascar	Peanuts	56 thousand tonnes	3 thousand tonnes	98 thousand tonnes	−38 thousand tonnes
Cyprus	Pineapples	0 tonnes	47 thousand tonnes	89 thousand tonnes	−43 thousand tonnes
Tanzania	Coffee	63 thousand tonnes	2 thousand tonnes	85 thousand tonnes	−19 thousand tonnes
Hungary	Coffee	0 tonnes	66 thousand tonnes	78 thousand tonnes	−13 thousand tonnes
Guinea	Cocoa	23 thousand tonnes	1 thousand tonnes	76 thousand tonnes	−52 thousand tonnes
Cyprus	Oranges	33 thousand tonnes	14 thousand tonnes	56 thousand tonnes	−8 thousand tonnes
Mexico	Dates	17 thousand tonnes	6 thousand tonnes	56 thousand tonnes	−33 thousand tonnes
Ukraine	Sorghum	42 thousand tonnes	0 tonnes	56 thousand tonnes	−12 thousand tonnes
Canada	Tea	0 tonnes	25 thousand tonnes	51 thousand tonnes	−25 thousand tonnes
Spain	Tea	0 tonnes	13 thousand tonnes	49 thousand tonnes	−35 thousand tonnes
Uganda	Cocoa	35 thousand tonnes	2 thousand tonnes	47 thousand tonnes	−10 thousand tonnes
DR Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo)	Cocoa	35 thousand tonnes	3 thousand tonnes	40 thousand tonnes	−2 thousand tonnes
Madagascar	Cloves	25 thousand tonnes	0 tonnes	40 thousand tonnes	−15 thousand tonnes
Trinidad and Tobago	Pineapples	1 thousand tonnes	9 thousand tonnes	39 thousand tonnes	−29 thousand tonnes
Ecuador	Coffee	6 thousand tonnes	15 thousand tonnes	37 thousand tonnes	−16 thousand tonnes
Kenya	Barley	33 thousand tonnes	3 thousand tonnes	35 thousand tonnes	−15 thousand tonnes
Turkey (Türkiye)	Pork	0 tonnes	2 thousand tonnes	35 thousand tonnes	−33 thousand tonnes
Belize	Oranges	11 thousand tonnes	16 thousand tonnes	29 thousand tonnes	−2 thousand tonnes
Netherlands	Tea	0 tonnes	28 thousand tonnes	29 thousand tonnes	−1 thousand tonnes
Pakistan	Plantains	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	22 thousand tonnes	−22 thousand tonnes
Indonesia	Plantains	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	16 thousand tonnes	−16 thousand tonnes
Moldova	Rice	0 tonnes	13 thousand tonnes	15 thousand tonnes	−2 thousand tonnes
Mexico	Plantains	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	15 thousand tonnes	−15 thousand tonnes
Uganda	Pineapples	8 thousand tonnes	0 tonnes	15 thousand tonnes	−6 thousand tonnes
Mexico	Tea	0 tonnes	3 thousand tonnes	13 thousand tonnes	−10 thousand tonnes
Uganda	Oranges	0 tonnes	4 thousand tonnes	13 thousand tonnes	−9 thousand tonnes
China	Yams	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	11 thousand tonnes	−11 thousand tonnes
Eswatini	Plantains	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	10 thousand tonnes	−10 thousand tonnes
India	Yams	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	8 thousand tonnes	−8 thousand tonnes
Argentina	Sesame seed	0 tonnes	1 thousand tonnes	7 thousand tonnes	−6 thousand tonnes
Senegal	Canola	0 tonnes	4 thousand tonnes	6 thousand tonnes	−2 thousand tonnes
Greece	Plantains	0 tonnes	2 thousand tonnes	5 thousand tonnes	−3 thousand tonnes
Lebanon	Plantains	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	5 thousand tonnes	−5 thousand tonnes
South Africa	Dates	0 tonnes	3 thousand tonnes	5 thousand tonnes	−2 thousand tonnes
Egypt	Plantains	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	4 thousand tonnes	−4 thousand tonnes
Guatemala	Canola	0 tonnes	1 thousand tonnes	4 thousand tonnes	−3 thousand tonnes
Cambodia	Cocoa	0 tonnes	1 thousand tonnes	4 thousand tonnes	−3 thousand tonnes
Peru	Olive oil	0 tonnes	1 thousand tonnes	4 thousand tonnes	−3 thousand tonnes
Sierra Leone	Pineapples	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	4 thousand tonnes	−4 thousand tonnes
Afghanistan	Yams	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	3 thousand tonnes	−3 thousand tonnes
Ghana	Coffee	1 thousand tonnes	1 thousand tonnes	3 thousand tonnes	−1 thousand tonnes
Gambia	Sesame seed	1 thousand tonnes	0 tonnes	3 thousand tonnes	−2 thousand tonnes
Solomon Islands	Palm kernel oil	2 thousand tonnes	0 tonnes	3 thousand tonnes	−4 thousand tonnes
Trinidad and Tobago	Canola	0 tonnes	1 thousand tonnes	3 thousand tonnes	−2 thousand tonnes
Estonia	Palm kernel oil	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	2 thousand tonnes	−2 thousand tonnes
Kenya	Pepper	1 thousand tonnes	0 tonnes	2 thousand tonnes	−1 thousand tonnes
Cambodia	Honey	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	2 thousand tonnes	−2 thousand tonnes
Zambia	Pepper	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	2 thousand tonnes	−2 thousand tonnes
Micronesia	Corn	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	1 thousand tonnes	−1 thousand tonnes
Gambia	Cocoa	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	1 thousand tonnes	−1 thousand tonnes
Turkmenistan	Sesame seed	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	1 thousand tonnes	−1 thousand tonnes
Uruguay	Coconut oil	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	1 thousand tonnes	−1 thousand tonnes
Vietnam	Yams	0 tonnes	0 tonnes	1 thousand tonnes	−1 thousand tonnes

For which countries supply a given importer, see import dependency and trade flows (customs data, which can differ from FAO's balances in coverage and year). For who consumes the most, see consumption.

FAOSTAT Food Balance Sheets (2010-), CC BY 4.0. Each commodity uses its latest FBS year with domestic supply for at least 100 countries (2023 in the FAO release used). Self-sufficiency and import dependency are left out for a market whose production plus imports minus exports is not positive; countries with a negative FAO domestic supply are listed in their own table.

More patterns

Concentration: How much of each commodity comes from one country?
Producer or exporter?: Is the biggest producer also the biggest seller abroad?
Prices in real terms: Which prices are records once inflation is removed?
Growth and decline: Whose output is rising or falling fastest?
Linked prices and seasons: Which prices move together, and which have a season?
A century of real prices: Are minerals getting scarcer, judging by their real prices since 1900?
Supplier exposure: Which big buyers lean on one supplier for critical minerals?
Trade after export controls: What happened to a country's exports after it controlled them?
Export share history: Who has gained and lost share of world exports since 2000?
Prices around export controls: What happened to mineral prices after export controls?
Export basket prices: What would a country's commodity exports have fetched at each month's prices?
Substitution coverage: How large are other exporters' sales to other buyers next to an importer's biggest supplier?
Critical risk matrix: Which critical minerals combine concentrated mining, export controls and import reliance?
Country reserve life: Which producing countries have the least of what they mine?
Prices and cumulative output: Do prices fall as the world digs up more of a mineral?
US import reliance and recycling: How much of each mineral does the United States import, and how much comes from scrap?
Data confidence: How firm are each commodity's production numbers?
Export controls and bans: Which governments restrict exports of minerals, and what is still in force?
Chokepoints: Which narrow passages do the world's commodities depend on?
By-product minerals: Which minerals are by-products of other metals?
Peak production: Which minerals and fuels are still setting records, and which peaked years ago?
Reserves and mining: Where are the deposits, and who digs them up?
Supply concentration: Which commodities depend on the fewest suppliers?
Land or yield?: Did output grow because farmers planted more or farmed better?
Supply shocks and prices: When world output falls, do prices rise?
Category price indices: How have energy, metals and food prices moved since 1960?
Drawdowns and volatility: How far do prices fall, and do they recover?
Stocks and prices: Are prices lower when the world holds more stock?
Which prices follow oil?: How closely does each commodity track crude oil?
How reliable is the data?: How much of world output rests on estimates?
Net exporters and importers: Who is a net seller and who a net buyer?
Country leaders: Which countries lead across the most commodities?
Export dependency: Which countries rely on one commodity?
Concentration over time: Has production spread out or narrowed?
Import dependency: Which countries buy most of a commodity from one supplier?
Supplier shifts: Who gained and lost importers' business?
Trade price against benchmark: Does traded product sell above or below the benchmark price?
Prices in other currencies: How much of a price move is the dollar?
Do prices lead each other?: Does one commodity price move before another?
Volatility over time: Are prices more volatile than they used to be?
Seasonality: Which prices have a calendar-month pattern?
Price ratios: What does one commodity buy of another, and is that high or low?
El Niño and prices: Do El Niño and La Niña years move commodity prices?
Who consumes it: Which countries consume each commodity, and how much per person?
Trade flows: Who sells each commodity to whom?

Every figure is computed from the same tables as the commodity pages. The full set is in patterns.json, and single facts from it appear each day on the facts page.