• World cereal production estimated to hit 2.925 billion tons in 2025/2026, marking a 2.3% increase from the previous cycle, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

• Corn, rice, and wheat, key contributors to global dietary intake, will drive the growth

Cereal crops are among the world's highest-yielding agricultural products. Two decades after surpassing the 2 billion tons mark, the grain production industry is aiming for another record-breaking milestone.

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the world's grain production is anticipated to reach 2.925 billion tons in 2025/2026, a 2.3% increase from the prior season. This bountiful yield marks the 7th consecutive year of global cereal supply growth since the 2018/2019 period.

The growth is expected to be bolstered by increases in corn, rice, and wheat production, which together provide over half of plant-based caloric intake and more than 40% of worldwide energy intake.

The Rome-based organization details that wheat volume is likely to rise by 0.9% to 805.3 million tons, while rice is projected to reach 555.6 million tons thanks to gains in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Vietnam. Corn production, meanwhile, is forecasted to surpass 1.2 billion tons due to improved weather conditions in Brazil and an expansion of farmland in India, the world's third and fifth-largest producers, respectively.

The FAO argues that the positive outlook for global supply has contributed to a 1.5% decrease in global cereal prices over the past month. This comes in the broader context of a 5.8% year-on-year rise in the monthly food price index, driven by increasing meat, dairy, and vegetable oil costs.

More generally, the UN agency notes that global cereal usage for human and animal consumption and industrial applications (including chemical production and biofuel manufacture) is projected to hit 2.9 billion tons in 2025/2026, a 0.8% increase from a year earlier. "Rice consumption is expected to continue growing, propelled by increasing food demand and sustained ethanol production in India," it added.

According to the UN body's data, cereal crops are grown on more than 583 million hectares (5.8 million km2) globally—roughly equivalent to the combined land areas of Algeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ethiopia.

This article was initially published in French by Espoir Olodo

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho