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More corn is produced than any other grain crop, and for good reason. It is a staple food for many people and helps to feed a growing world population. It’s also a major component of livestock feed.
According to the latest United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) “World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates” report, nations worldwide are projected to produce 1,288.58 million metric tons of corn for the 2025-2026 season.
Corn is considered a multipurpose agricultural crop around the globe. It is used in consumer items, industrial products, biofuels, as a sweetener in many processed foods, and it’s the main ingredient in corn oil, corn starch, and corn syrup. It’s also used to create ethanol fuel, and even the cobs have industrial uses due to their absorbent qualities.
Read on for information about the world’s major corn-producing nations in the 2022-2023 season.
Key Takeaways
- Corn is the most produced crop in the world.
- It’s a cash crop due to its consumption as food and as a component in many types of products.
- The U.S. produces more corn than any other nation.
- Despite the challenges of war, Ukraine continues to be a top corn producer.
1. United States
The U.S. is by far the world’s largest producer of corn, with a 2024-2025 production of 377.63 million metric tons. The estimate for 2025-2026 is 425.26 million metric tons, as of August 2025.
The acreage dedicated to planting corn changes from season to season, but in all about 90 million acres of American land are planted with corn each production year since 2011. While the nation is an exporter of corn, most corn produced is used for domestic consumption as livestock feed and ethanol production. As the second leading export, corn commodities made up about 8% of total exports for 2024.
2. China
China’s 2024-2025 corn production was 294.92 million metric tons. For 2025-2026, the production estimate is 295.00 million metric tons. Its corn is used almost exclusively domestically.
The country is a major corn producer and the number of acres that Chinese farmers dedicate to corn will likely increase now that the government has decided to reduce its reliance on exported corn. Over the next ten years, China’s production and consumption of corn is expected to grow rapidly, with the rate of production exceeding the rate of consumption. China is the world’s largest imported of corn and if there are any changes to the their domestic supply-demand equation, this will have a great affect on the global market.
3. Brazil
Brazil produced 132 million metric tons of corn in 2024-2025. The USDA projects that it will produce 131 million metric tons in 2025-2026.
In addition to producing corn, the country is a major producer of many other crops including coffee, sugar, and soybeans. Though it consumes more corn than it exports, it is considered a major exporter of the crop.
4. India
The list of top producers stays pretty stable from year to year. That said, India is moving up the list. In the 2024-2025 season, it produced 42.28 million metric tons of corn. The USDA estimates that it will produce 42 million metric tons in 2025-2026.
While India is neither a major exporter nor an importer of corn, in 2024, they became “a net importer for the first time in decades,” due to an increase in ethanol in gasoline.
5. Argentina
Argentina is a significant corn producer and exporter. Its 2024-2025 corn production was 50 million metric tons. For 2025-2026, it’s estimated that the national production will increase to 53 million metric tons.
Argentina’s corn importing doesn’t amount to much. In fact, according to the OCED, corn is the second most exported commodity from Argentina, exporting most of their corn to Uruguay, Philippines, and Venezuela.
6. Mexico
Mexico rounds out the list of the world’s top six producers of corn. According to the USDA, the North American country produced 23.1 million metric tons of corn in 2024-2025. That number is expected to increase during the 2025-2026 season to 24.8 million metric tons.
Fast Fact
Some research indicates that maize—what many people call corn—was grown and domesticated about 9,000 years ago by indigenous inhabitants in the Mexican highlands.
About the European Union (EU)
Data on corn production is not collected for individual nations within the European Union (EU). However, this region of 27 countries deserves an honorable mention as a major corn producer and consumer.
For the 2024-2025 season, the EU as a whole could be considered the third-largest corn producer in the world, with 59.31 million metric tons of corn produced. The production projection for 2025-2026 is 58 million metric tons. At the same time, the EU is a net importer of corn to meet demand. In 2024, the U.S. became the EU’s second leading corn supplier, after Ukraine.
Breakdown of Global Corn Production in 2022-2023
Here’s a look at how the world’s producers of corn ranked, by percentage of global supply.
| Country/Region | Percentage of Global Production |
|---|---|
| United States | 31.54% |
| China | 23.37% |
| Brazil | 10.28% |
| European Union | 4.86% |
| Argentina | 4.45% |
| India | 2.83% |
| Ukraine | 2.47% |
| Mexico | 2.06% |
| Russia | 1.38% |
| Others | 16.76% |
What Can Be Made With Corn?
Corn can be used to produce a multitude of products, including animal feed, corn starch, sweeteners, corn oil, soft drinks, alcohol and ethanol fuel. Corn by-products can be found in rubber tires, fireworks, diapers and deodorant.
How Much Corn Is Used for Ethanol Fuel?
In the U.S., around 45% of all corn production goes to producing ethanol.
Which U.S. States Produce the Most Corn?
While corn is grown from the Great Plains states to Ohio, the most corn is produced in Illinois and Iowa.
The Bottom Line
More corn is grown throughout the entire world than any other grain crop. Its versatility makes it a commodity that goes beyond consumption as a food, as grown. Corn is used to produce an enormous number of other food products, as well as fuel and industrial products.
The top producers of corn by individual country are the U.S., China, Brazil, India, Argentina, and Mexico.
