From the staggering volume of 176.4 million hundredweight of wheat flour produced in the U.S. to the $85.2 billion global flour market, these statistics reveal an industry that is not only massive but dynamically evolving to meet the demands of a changing world.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, U.S. wheat flour production reached 176.4 million hundredweight, marking a 1.2% increase from 2021
- Global wheat milling capacity stood at approximately 850 million metric tons annually as of 2023
- U.S. corn dry milling production was 1.47 billion bushels in 2022
- The U.S. grain milling industry generated $28.6 billion in revenue in 2023
- Global flour market size was valued at $85.2 billion in 2022
- U.S. flour milling revenue increased 4.1% to $11.2 billion in 2023
- The U.S. grain milling industry employed 38,500 workers in 2023
- Global grain milling workforce estimated at 2.5 million in 2022
- U.S. flour milling sector had 12,400 employees in 2023
- U.S. wheat flour exports reached 3.2 million metric tons in 2022
- Global wheat flour trade volume was 20.1 million tons in 2022
- U.S. corn starch exports totaled 1.8 million tons in 2022
- U.S. grain milling industry adopted 45% automated processes by 2023
- Global shift to whole grain flour consumption up 12% from 2018-2023
- U.S. flour fortification with micronutrients reached 98% compliance in 2023
The global grain milling industry is experiencing steady production growth and substantial revenue across major regions.
Employment
- The U.S. grain milling industry employed 38,500 workers in 2023
- Global grain milling workforce estimated at 2.5 million in 2022
- U.S. flour milling sector had 12,400 employees in 2023
- India's rice milling industry employed over 1.2 million workers in 2023
- EU grain milling employment totaled 145,000 in 2022
- U.S. corn dry milling employed 15,200 in 2023
- China's wheat milling workforce was 450,000 in 2022
- U.S. rice milling employment stood at 2,800 workers in 2023
- Brazil corn milling sector employed 28,000 in 2022
- U.S. average wage in grain milling was $58,400 annually in 2023
- Canada flour milling had 4,500 employees in 2022
- Turkey grain milling employment reached 65,000 in 2022
- U.S. wet corn milling employed 9,100 in 2023
- Australia grain milling workforce was 5,200 in 2022/23
- France milling industry employed 22,000 in 2022
- Pakistan rice milling labor force exceeded 800,000 in 2023
- U.S. grain milling average hourly wage was $28.10 in May 2023
- Russia grain milling employment was 120,000 in 2022
- U.S. flour millers' unionized workforce percentage was 15% in 2023
- Egypt milling sector employed 95,000 workers in 2022
- U.S. grain milling establishments totaled 1,045 in 2023
- Thailand rice milling employment was 250,000 in 2023
- U.S. grain milling industry saw 2.1% employment growth from 2022-2023
Employment Interpretation
While the U.S. miller comfortably earns their $28.10 an hour, the global grain milling story is really one of sheer, dusty scale, where a staggering 2.5 million souls collectively ensure the world's most essential powders don't end up as just so much chaff.
Market
- The U.S. grain milling industry generated $28.6 billion in revenue in 2023
- Global flour market size was valued at $85.2 billion in 2022
- U.S. flour milling revenue increased 4.1% to $11.2 billion in 2023
- Corn milling products market in North America reached $15.4 billion in 2022
- EU grain milling industry revenue totaled €45.7 billion in 2022
- India's rice milling market size was INR 1.2 trillion in 2023
- U.S. rice milling revenue stood at $3.8 billion in 2023
- Global wheat flour market projected to grow at 3.2% CAGR to 2030
- Brazil corn products milling revenue hit BRL 25 billion in 2022
- U.S. malt manufacturing revenue was $9.1 billion in 2023
- China's grain milling industry revenue exceeded CNY 500 billion in 2022
- U.S. dry corn milling revenue reached $12.5 billion in 2023
- Canada flour milling market size was CAD 4.2 billion in 2022
- Turkey wheat flour market revenue was $4.8 billion in 2022
- Global rice flour market valued at $1.9 billion in 2023
- U.S. wet corn milling revenue totaled $10.3 billion in 2023
- Australia grain milling revenue was AUD 3.5 billion in 2022/23
- France flour market size reached €6.7 billion in 2022
- Pakistan rice milling industry revenue hit PKR 800 billion in 2023
- U.S. grain milling profit margin averaged 5.2% in 2023
- Russia grain milling revenue was RUB 1.2 trillion in 2022
- U.S. organic flour market grew to $1.1 billion in 2022
- Egypt flour milling market size was EGP 45 billion in 2022
- Global corn starch market from milling valued at $22.4 billion in 2023
- U.S. grain milling enterprises numbered 1,120 in 2023
Market Interpretation
Amidst a global hustle to mill grain into gold, America’s bakeries are humming—if you can hear them over the world’s grinding machinery—but the real breadwinner is corn, which quietly secured the American loaf’s upper crust.
Production
- In 2022, U.S. wheat flour production reached 176.4 million hundredweight, marking a 1.2% increase from 2021
- Global wheat milling capacity stood at approximately 850 million metric tons annually as of 2023
- U.S. corn dry milling production was 1.47 billion bushels in 2022
- In 2021, India's rice milling output totaled 104 million metric tons
- EU wheat flour production volume was 32.5 million tons in 2022
- Brazil's corn milling capacity utilization rate averaged 78% in 2023
- U.S. durum wheat milling produced 14.2 million hundredweight in 2022
- China's wheat flour output reached 132 million metric tons in 2022
- U.S. rye flour production was 0.8 million hundredweight in 2022
- Australia's barley milling for malt production hit 4.2 million tons in 2022/23
- U.S. whole wheat flour production increased to 7.1 million hundredweight in 2022
- Russia wheat milling output was 48 million tons in 2022
- U.S. corn wet milling production of starch was 5.6 billion pounds in 2022
- France's soft wheat flour production totaled 18.9 million tons in 2022
- U.S. semolina production from durum reached 4.3 million hundredweight in 2022
- Ukraine's wheat flour exports equivalent milling was 22 million tons in 2022
- U.S. rice milling yield averaged 68% in 2022
- Canada's wheat milling production was 3.2 million metric tons in 2022
- Turkey's wheat flour production hit 20.5 million tons in 2022
- U.S. corn milling for ethanol feedstock was 5.4 billion bushels in 2022
- Germany's rye flour output was 1.1 million tons in 2022
- U.S. oat milling production reached 0.45 million tons in 2022
- Pakistan's rice milling output was 7.8 million tons in 2022
- U.S. flour milling capacity utilization was 82% in 2022
- Argentina's wheat milling production totaled 6.2 million tons in 2022
- U.S. sorghum dry milling output was 0.32 billion bushels in 2022
- Egypt's wheat flour production reached 20.1 million tons in 2022
- U.S. specialty flour production grew 3.5% to 2.1 million hundredweight in 2022
- Thailand's rice milling capacity was 35 million tons annually in 2023
- U.S. wheat cleanings for milling were 947 million bushels in 2022
Production Interpretation
The world's milling machines are humming a global tune of staggering tonnage, proving that while bread may be the staff of life, it's statistics that are the real daily grind.
Trade
- U.S. wheat flour exports reached 3.2 million metric tons in 2022
- Global wheat flour trade volume was 20.1 million tons in 2022
- U.S. corn starch exports totaled 1.8 million tons in 2022
- EU rice imports for milling were 1.9 million tons in 2022
- India exported 22.3 million tons of milled rice in FY 2022/23
- Brazil corn exports for milling feedstock hit 45 million tons in 2022
- U.S. durum wheat semolina exports were 0.45 million tons in 2022
- China imported 28.5 million tons of wheat for milling in 2022
- Canada wheat flour exports totaled 2.1 million tons in 2022
- Turkey exported 5.2 million tons of wheat flour in 2022
- U.S. rice exports reached 2.1 million metric tons in 2022/23
- Australia barley malt exports were 4.8 million tons in 2022/23
- France wheat flour exports hit 4.3 million tons in 2022
- Pakistan basmati rice exports valued at $3.1 billion in FY2022/23
- U.S. corn gluten feed exports were 12.5 million tons in 2022
- Russia wheat grain exports for milling were 42 million tons in 2022
- U.S. grain sorghum exports totaled 11.2 million tons in 2022/23
- Egypt imported 12.4 million tons of wheat for milling in 2022
- Thailand rice exports were 7.5 million tons in 2022
- U.S. flour milling imports were 0.9 million tons in 2022
- Argentina wheat exports reached 11.8 million tons in 2022
- Global rice trade volume was 53.1 million tons in 2022/23
- U.S. high fructose corn syrup exports valued at $450 million in 2022
Trade Interpretation
The sheer tonnage of global flour, rice, and corn shipments reveals that national breadbaskets are not just feeding their own but are aggressively engaged in a high-stakes game of culinary chess, moving strategic commodities across the board to feed the world and secure their economic advantage.
Trends
- U.S. grain milling industry adopted 45% automated processes by 2023
- Global shift to whole grain flour consumption up 12% from 2018-2023
- U.S. flour fortification with micronutrients reached 98% compliance in 2023
- EU sustainable milling certifications increased 25% in 2022
- India's parboiled rice milling share rose to 42% in 2023
- U.S. gluten-free grain products from milling grew 8.5% annually to 2023
- Brazil's fortified corn flour usage up 15% in school feeding 2022
- China wheat milling energy efficiency improved 18% since 2015 by 2023
- U.S. ancient grains milling output up 22% to 2023
- Canada low-glycemic index flour production increased 30% in 2022
- Turkey organic wheat flour share reached 5.2% of market in 2023
- U.S. milling wastewater recycling rate averaged 75% in 2023
- Australia climate-resilient wheat varieties milled up 40% in 2023
- France ancient wheat milling grew 28% from 2020-2023
- Pakistan fortified wheat flour coverage hit 85% population in 2023
- U.S. corn milling for plant-based proteins surged 35% in 2023
- Russia digital twin adoption in mills reached 20% by 2023
- Global milling AI predictive maintenance usage up 40% to 2023
- U.S. zero-waste milling initiatives covered 15% facilities in 2023
- Thailand premium jasmine rice milling premiumized 25% output in 2023
Trends Interpretation
The global milling industry is deftly spinning its wheels toward a smarter, healthier, and more sustainable future, quietly fortifying our diets and its own efficiency in one calculated, high-tech grind.
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