Ethiopia has become the largest wheat producer in Africa for the first time in history, harvesting a record 33 million tons of grain.
A few years ago, the country actively imported wheat, but government programs to stimulate summer and seasonal production have radically changed the situation.
This season, the area under wheat increased to 8 million hectares, and increased agricultural production efficiency allowed harvesting 33 million tons of grain from them, which exceeded last year’s figure by 5 million tons.
In addition to the grain industry, Ethiopia is actively developing livestock farming. Currently, about 500,000 liters of milk are delivered to the country’s cities every day. This improves people’s living standards and reduces their dependence on social support.
The country’s authorities believe that the further introduction of new agricultural technologies and an increase in sowing areas will allow wheat production to increase to 50 million tons in the coming years, securing the country’s status as one of the largest agricultural producers on the continent.
Export of сereals, legumes (with products of their processing) and flour
Export сofereals, legumes (with products of their processing) and flour 2025/26 Mkt year, thousand tons as of 08.05.2026 (data of State Customs Service of Ukraine) https://minagro.gov.ua
| 2025/2026 Mkt year | 2024/2025 Mkt year | |||
| Total | including:for May 2026 | Totalfor 19.05.2025 | including:for May 2025 19.05.2025 | |
| Cereals and legumes, total | 30997 | 798 | 37153 | 1885 |
| wheat | 11587 | 267 | 14497 | 594 |
| barley | 1467 | 5 | 2291 | 24 |
| rye | 0,2 | 0,0 | 10,8 | 0,0 |
| maize | 17503 | 526 | 19808 | 1259 |
| Wheat flour, thousand tonnes | 53,6 | 0,8 | 58,1 | 3,7 |
| Other flour, thousand tonnes | 1,4 | 0 | 4,3 | 0,1 |
| Total flour, thousand tonnesin terms of grain, thousand tonnes | 55,0 | 0,8 | 62,3 | 3,8 |
| 73,3 | 1,1 | 83,1 | 5,1 | |
| Total export, thousand tonnes (grain + flour) | 31070 | 800 | 37236 | 1890 |