Net food imports by crop - Wheat in China

China: Net food imports by crop - Wheat was 4.56 million in 2019. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2019)
4.56 million
Change on year
up 10.8%
World rank
14th
of 175 countries
All-time high
15.86 million
in 1989
All-time low
1.00 million
in 2008
Years of data
59
1961–2019

Net food imports by crop - Wheat in China, 1961–2019

05.0M10.0M15.0M196119902019

Source: FAOSTAT. Available at: http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for net food imports by crop - wheat in China is 4.56 million, measured in 2019.

The figure is up 10.8% on the previous year and up 115.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, net food imports by crop - wheat in China peaked at 15.86 million in 1989 and was at its lowest, 1.00 million, in 2008.

That places China 14th out of 175 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Net food imports by crop - Wheat in China, year by year

Annual values for Net food imports by crop - Wheat in China, 1961 to 2019.
Year Value Change
1961 4.23 million —
1962 3.90 million -8.0%
1963 6.04 million +54.9%
1964 5.76 million -4.6%
1965 6.53 million +13.5%
1966 6.60 million +1.0%
1967 4.81 million -27.1%
1968 5.05 million +5.1%
1969 4.57 million -9.5%
1970 6.03 million +31.8%
1971 3.67 million -39.1%
1972 5.19 million +41.3%
1973 6.96 million +34.2%
1974 6.27 million -9.9%
1975 4.14 million -34.0%
1976 2.75 million -33.5%
1977 7.60 million +176.3%
1978 8.47 million +11.4%
1979 9.54 million +12.7%
1980 11.77 million +23.4%
1981 13.78 million +17.0%
1982 14.65 million +6.3%
1983 11.94 million -18.5%
1984 10.66 million -10.7%
1985 6.25 million -41.3%
1986 7.00 million +12.0%
1987 14.17 million +102.4%
1988 15.59 million +10.0%
1989 15.86 million +1.7%
1990 13.50 million -14.9%
1991 13.36 million -1.1%
1992 11.62 million -13.0%
1993 7.42 million -36.2%
1994 8.38 million +12.9%
1995 12.68 million +51.4%
1996 9.23 million -27.2%
1997 2.84 million -69.2%
1998 2.51 million -11.4%
1999 1.44 million -42.6%
2000 2.05 million +41.8%
2001 1.72 million -16.0%
2002 1.77 million +2.6%
2003 1.65 million -6.4%
2004 8.33 million +403.8%
2005 4.80 million -42.4%
2006 1.57 million -67.3%
2007 1.32 million -16.3%
2008 1.00 million -23.9%
2009 2.12 million +111.8%
2010 2.35 million +10.7%
2011 2.61 million +11.0%
2012 5.05 million +93.9%
2013 6.83 million +35.2%
2014 4.27 million -37.5%
2015 4.31 million +1.0%
2016 4.72 million +9.6%
2017 5.72 million +21.0%
2018 4.12 million -28.0%
2019 4.56 million +10.8%

China compared with similar countries

  • China's 4.56 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 286,356, 15.9× the median. (50 countries reporting)
  • China's 4.56 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 230,742, 19.8× the median. (24 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Net food imports by crop - Wheat in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2004 +403.8% 1.65 million 8.33 million
1977 +176.3% 2.75 million 7.60 million

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 5.28 million 3.90 million 6.60 million 9
1970s 6.06 million 2.75 million 9.54 million 10
1980s 12.17 million 6.25 million 15.86 million 10
1990s 8.30 million 1.44 million 13.50 million 10
2000s 2.63 million 1.00 million 8.33 million 10
2010s 4.45 million 2.35 million 6.83 million 10

Countries ranked near China

  1. 11 Mexico 4.80 million compare
  2. 12 Nigeria 4.66 million compare
  3. 13 Bangladesh 4.60 million compare
  4. 15 Morocco 3.84 million compare
  5. 16 South Korea 3.75 million compare
  6. 17 Belgium 3.66 million compare

See the full ranking of 175 places →

More reference data data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is net food imports by crop - wheat in China?
Net food imports by crop - wheat in China was 4.56 million in 2019, according to FAOSTAT. Available at: http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data.
What is the highest net food imports by crop - wheat recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 15.86 million in 1989.
What is the lowest net food imports by crop - wheat recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 1.00 million in 2008.
How does China rank for net food imports by crop - wheat?
China ranks 14th out of 175 countries with data for 2019.
Is net food imports by crop - wheat rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is up 115.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from FAOSTAT. Available at: http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data, published as part of Net food imports by crop - Wheat. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Net food imports by crop - Wheat in China. Statizoid, drawing on FAOSTAT. Available at: http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data. Retrieved 28 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/net-food-imports-by-crop-wheat/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Net food imports by crop - Wheat
Source
FAOSTAT. Available at: http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
175 places, 7,821 data points, 1961–2019
Last refreshed

Net food imports are generated from FAOSTAT, taking Export level (tonnes) from the Import level (tonnes) [both under Trade: Crops and Livestock Products]. Net food imports are a proxy for the country's vulnerability to global food prices.