Maize: Movement
Four exporters, many hungry importers
What this tab covers How it flows between countries: the largest bilateral trade routes drawn on a world map, 2024 UN Comtrade export and import values with the top exporters and importers by share, plus shipping routes, chokepoints and trade restrictions.World exports of maize (HS 1005) were worth $44.3 billion in 2024. The United States supplied 32.4%, Brazil 18.5%, Argentina 14.8% and Ukraine 11.5%: four countries, about 77%. Imports are spread widely: Mexico 12.7%, Japan 9.3%, China 8.9%, South Korea 6.8% and Egypt 5.4%. US corn moves by barge down the Mississippi to the Gulf, then via Panama to Asia. Brazil ships from Santos, Paranaguá and new northern ports, Argentina down the Paraná, and Ukraine through the Black Sea and Bosporus. Northern and southern harvests alternate, so the US and Brazil take turns supplying.
Main trade routes, 2024
Chart: World map of the largest trade flows
Exporter (size = share of world exports) Importer (share of world imports) Largest bilateral flows (width = value) Shipping chokepoint UN Comtrade 2024, reported exports by the top four exporters of each traded form to their partners (US$). Bubbles: shares of reported world exports and imports for the main traded form. Hover a line or circle for values.