A plague of locusts.

Grain markets.

Generally, countries with high wheat consumption and insufficient domestic production or specific quality requirements are the most frequent buyers. In 2024, the top importers by value included, Indonesia, Mainland China, Italy, The Philippines, Spain, Algeria and Japan.

As of Friday, January 16, 2026, countries actively buying or seeking to buy wheat on the international market included Saudi Arabia, Jordan, China, Egypt, and members of the European Union.

Current market activity is driven by both ongoing domestic needs and responses to global supply dynamics, such as competitive pricing from major exporters.

Saudi Arabia: The General Food Security Authority has an active tender to buy 595,000 metric tons of hard-grain milling wheat of optional origin, with the bidding period closing on January 16, 2026.

Jordan: The state grain buyer is currently tendering to buy up to 120,000 metric tons of milling wheat from optional origins, with the deadline for price offers set for January 20, 2026.

China: Buyers have been active in recent months, purchasing wheat from Australia and Canada to take advantage of low global prices.

Egypt: A major global wheat importer who consistently sources large volumes to meet its domestic consumption needs.

European Union (EU): The EU is a significant importer in this current season, with notable volumes coming from Canada, Moldova, and Serbia, as well as high-protein milling wheat from the UK.

MENA Countries: Beyond Saudi Arabia, other countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), such as Algeria, Libya, and Yemen, are consistently active in the market, often importing from the Black Sea region.