This document discusses several major food crops and their production and trade globally. It provides details on the climate, soil and land requirements for key crops like wheat and rice. Wheat thrives in temperate grasslands and is a staple in many countries. Rice is important in tropical areas and feeds over half the world's population. The largest wheat and rice producers are China, India, the US and Russia. Major exporters of crops like wheat, rice and corn include the US, Australia and Canada, while importers are in Europe, Asia, and Africa. The document analyzes production and trade of these vital food crops worldwide.

1. WORLD TRADE IN
AGRICULTURAL
PRESENTED BY
Kiran Prasad

2. Introduction
Agriculture refers to the art of
raising plant life from the soil. It
is not merely tilling of land, but
implies a conscious and
determined effort on the part of
man to utilise the soil for his
benefit. It includes all such
human efforts as are conducive
to the quick and better growth
of vegetable and animal
products for the benefit of man.
It is the most important of all
primary human occupations and
is carried out throughout the
world except in the Polar
regions.

3. Types of Agriculture
• Intensive Cultivation
• Extensive Cultivation
1. Intensive Cultivation: In thickly populated countries where cultivable land is limited, man uses
this limited land intensively so as to obtain the maximum output. He tries to raise more than
one crop from the same field and thus, under this method, the land is under one or the other
crop throughout the year. Extra care is, therefore, essential to maintain the fertility of soil. The
chief characteristics of this system are:
a) Application of a lot of labour and capital to maintain the fertility of the soil.
b) Use of scientific fertilizers and improved quality of seeds and
c) Provision of water through irrigation. Countries like China, Japan, India, Britain, Holland,
Belgium and Germany follow this method of cultivation.
2. Extensive Cultivation: The method is generally practised in those countries where land is
abundant and the population relatively sparse, e.g. the U.S.A, Argentina, Brazil the U.S.S.R,
Australia, etc. Under this method, the farmer generally specializes in one or two major
commercial crops and performs farming operations with the help of machines. The chief
charateristics of this system are as follows: a) This system is highly capital-intensive. Under this
system, all the agricultural operations are performed with the aid of machines. B) Farms are
very large in size and spread over hundreds of acres. C) No extra care is required to maintain
the fertility of soil and in most cases fertility of soil is replenished through natural processes. D)
The farmers specialise in one or two major commercial crops, e.g., wheat is grown extensively
in the Prairies of the U.S.A. and Canda. e) The farmers get very large arrgregate outputs, though
yield per acre is generally low. F) The countries practising extensive cultivation raise bumper
crops and have large surpluses for export.

4. Production of Different Food Crops
The important food crops cultivated in different parts of the world
include wheat, rice, maize, rye, oats, millets and barley of these crops wheat
and rice are the principal food grains of the world. In 1975, world production of
wheat and rice amounted to 355*2 million tonnes and 343*9 million tonnes
respectively. In the same year, wheat and rice occupied 228*2 million and
140*9 million hectares of land respectively or together these two crops
occupied nearly 40% of the total land area under food crops.
Wheat and rice are very rich crops and require exacting conditions for
their growth. They cannot be cultivated in poor soils and adverse climatic
conditions. But the other food crops may be cultivated even under adverse
conditions, in relatively poorer soil which are unsuited for wheat or rice
cultivation.

5. WHEAT
Wheat is the most important of all grains since it makes the best flour and
bread that is the best for the growth of man’s body. It is the staple food of all the white
people and is consumed widely in the Soviet Union, the United States of America,
Canada, India, China, the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Turkey.

6. Producing Acres
Wheat has a wide range of cultivation. It grows in the
temperate west marginal region, the Mediterranean region, the
temperate continental grassland region, and in the monsoon
region. However, the biggest producer of wheat is the temperate
continental grassland region because of the most favourable
conditions for wheat cultivation prevailing in this region. Most
parts of this region are thinly populated. And hence, land is cheap
and abundant. Climate every where is favourable for wheat
cultivation.

7. International Trade
The total world exports of wheat in 1975 were about
73.5 million metric tons. Wheat is one of the most important
commodities of international trade. Two major factors
account for this large volume of trade in wheat:
a) Quality of the grain, it produces best flour and bread which
is the best for the growth of human body; and
b) Much wheat is raised in semi-arid regions. In these regions,
sparse population allows huge surplus for other more
densely populated areas. Large-scale mechanisation of
wheat farming gives very large outputs to producing
countries. Hard wheats are mixed with soft wheats in order
to keep the quality of the flour high in international trade.

8. RICE
Rice is by far the most important grain of the
tropics. It is the staple food of the people living in
tropical countries and forms the principal food of 50
p.c. of the population of the world.
International Trade in Rice
The growth of population in rice growing
areas has directly stimulated production by adding to
the number of rice farmers and also consumers. Far
East has evidenced a rise in rice consumption of about
40 percent over the last twenty years, largely reflecting
the steady population growth. Per capita consumption
of rice has also gone up in various countries. In
industrial countries of North America and Western
Europe etc.

9. RYE
It is an important grain of temperature lands and is used in making bread and
liquors. It has been cultivated in Asia and Europe from times immemorial and has been
used by people of the low income group. It is the staple food of the peasant population
of more than half of Europe.
Producing Areas:
The principle rye producing countries of the world are: U.S.S.R, Germany,
Poland, Czechoslovakia, Turkey, the U.S.A. and Argentina. Europe produces and
consumes nearly 95% of the total world output. The U.S.S.R. alone accounts for nearly
45%.

10. International Trade:
Rye is essentially grown for home consumption and there
is very little international trade in rye. Canada, Sweden, Poland,
France, the U.S.A, Denmark, and Netherlands are the principal
exporters..
The principal importers of rye are the U.S.S.R, Poland,
West Germany, Romania, Japan, Bulgaria, U.K, East Germany,
Switzerland, Italy and the U.S.A.

11. MAIZE
Maize is an important food crop in the countries where people have a
low standard of living as in Central America, South America and some parts of
South-East Europe. It is also used in distilleries and in the manufacture of starch
and glucose. In U.S.A, it is used for feeding cattle.
Areas of Production:
U.S.A, U.S.S.R, Brazil, China, Mexico, Romania and Yugoslavia are the
principal producers.
International Trade:
Bulk of the maize produced is consumed in the home market and only
about 16 per cent of the maize produced is put in the world market for sale. The
chief exporting countries are the U.S.A, Thailand, Argentina, S. Africa, Brazil,
Belgium, Korea DPR, France, Singapore and Netherlands.

12. OATS
Oats is also an important foodgrain of the world and is used both for human
consumption and as feed for farm animals. It is also grown as a rotation crop and is
rotated with maize and wheat.
Producing Areas:
The U.S.A., the U.S.S.R., Canada, Poland, France, Germany and U.K are the
principal products of oats.
International Trade:
The International Trade in oats is extremely small and normally only 2 to 3
per cent of the world production of oats enters the world market. In 1975, only about
217 million metric tons out of a total production of 49 million metric tons of oats were
exported. The principal exporters are Australia, Canada, the U.S.A., Swedan, France,
the Netherlands and Norway.
The importing countries are W. Germany, the U.S.S.R, Switzerland, Poland, Italy, U.K,
Hungary, Ecuador, Japan, Belgium and Denmark.

13. BARLEY
Barley is believed to the most ancient of cultivated grains. It is used as a
foodgrain and a common feed for horses, cattle and a common feed for horses, cattle
and pigs.
Producing Areas:
Europe , U.S.S.R, North America, Asia
International Trade
Canada, France, Australia, the U.K. Denmark, the U.S.A and Netherlands are
the principal exporters of barley. In 1975, about 12.6 million metric tons of barley
were put in the world market for export. The respective shares of Canada, France,
Australia, the U.K., Denmark, the U.S.A, and the Netherlands in thousand metric tons
were : 3,356, 2.587, 1,749, I,068, 746, 658 and 282. Europe and North Central
American contributed 44.2% and 31.8% respectively;

14. MILIETS
Millet is a short season crop and serves both as human food and as fodder
for cattle.
Producing Areas:
Millets are largely cultivated in India, U.S.S.R, China, Sudan, Mexico, Japan
and Pakistan. India is the second largest producer surpassed only by China producing
10 to 11 million metric tons of millets every year.

15. SUMMARY Food Crops
Crop Climate Soils Other factors Producing Exporting Importing
T-Temperature countries countries countries
R-Rainfall
Wheat Cool and moderately moist Sandy loams and Level land makes it U.S.S.R., U.S.A., U.S.A, Canada, U.K., Japan, India,
climate during growing black soils. Needs easy to use China, India, Australia, Brazil, Germany,
period, and warm and dry manufacturing machines. France, Canada, Argentina, France, Italy, Holland,
climate with sunshine every alternate Australia, Turkey, Sweden, Uruguay. Poland,
during harvesting period. year. Italy, W. Germany, Czechoslovakia.
T: 1280C to 190C Argentina,
(550F to 660F) Romania, U.K,
R : 25 to 73 cm Poland, Spain,
(10” to 30”) Yugoslavia.
Rice Hot and moist climate. Loams with high (i)Level land 90% of the Burma, U.S.A, India, Hong Kong,
Flooding in early period of silt and clay (ii)Cheap labour production from Thailand, Khmer Singapore,
growth. content. Monsoon Asia, Republic, U.A.R, Malaysia, U.K.
T : Average 270C China, India, Brazil, Ecuador, W. Germany,
(800F) Bangladesh, Vietnam, Formosa, France, Japan,
R : 100 cm to Indonesia, Japan, Spain, Italy Bangladesh.
150 cm Thailand, Burma,
(40” to 60”) Brazil, Indo-China,
U.A.R., Italy,
Spain and U.S.A
Rye Cool and moist climate Can be grown in U.S.S.R., Germany, Canada, U.S.A, Netherlands,
fertile as well as in Poland, W.Germany, Poland, Sweden,
poor lands, Mostly Czechoslovakia, France East and West
grown in poor, Turkey, U.S.A. Germany.
leached, acid and Argentina.
podsol soils.

16. Crop Climate Soils Other factors Producing Exporting Importing
T-Temperature countries countries countries
R-Rainfall
Maize Humid sub-tropical climate Well drained deep U.S.A, U.S.S.R, U.S.A., Argentina, Italy, Japan, U.K.
T : 200 to 240C loams. Brazil, China, Romania, Brazil, France, W.
In summer Mexico, Romania, Thailand, France, Germany,
(680 to 750F) Yogoslavia. South South Africa Netherlands,
7’20 to 13’30C Africa, France, Belgium –
In autumn India, Italy, Luxembourg
R : 76 to 127 cm Hungary, Thailand.
(30” to 50”)
Oats Cold damp climate. Also Fairly poor soils. U.S.A, U.S.S.R. Australia, U.S.A, W. Germany, U.K,
hot and very wet climate. Canada, France, Canada, U.S.S.R, Switzerland, Italy,
Crop of higher latitudes. W. Germany, U.K, Poland Belgium, Holland,
Poland, China, France, Denmark,
Sweden, Finland, India.
Australia.
Barley Climatic conditions almost Rich fertile soils. U.S.S.R., France, U.S.A, Canada, W. Germany,
similar to wheat Can not grow in Canada, U.S.A, France Denmark, Japan, U.K,
T : 13 0C to 190C poor sandy soils. U.K, W. Germany. Argentina, U.K. Netherland
(550F to 660F) Denmark, Spain,
R : 75 to 100 cm Turkey, East
(30” to 40”) Germany, India,
Rep. of Korea.
Millets Hot and semi-arid climate Poor sandy soils. India, U.S.S.R, Trade almost nil as
T : 240C to 290C China, Nigeria, the entire
(750F to 850F) Egypt, Uganda, production is
R : 50 to 75 cm Mali, Sudan, consumed locally.
(20” to 40”) Mexico, Japan and
Pakistan.