Rome

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) released updated forecasts for global cereal production in 2025, with total output now pegged at 2 971 million tonnes, up 3.8% from last year's level and marking the largest annual growth since 2013.

The new Cereal Supply and Demand Brief attributed the upward revisions to higher production prospects across all crops. Notable increases are anticipated for wheat in Australia, maize in the United States of America, and rice in India.

World cereal total utilisation in 2025/26 is now forecast to rise to 2 930 million tonnes, with plentiful supplies available for both human consumption and animal feed.

Global cereal stocks are forecast to expand by the close of seasons in 2026 to 900.2 million tonnes, with world rice reserves possibly reaching a record high. The global cereal stocks-to-use ratio in 2025/26 is expected to remain virtually unchanged at 30.6%, continuing to indicate comfortable global supply prospects.

READ MORE: 10 inspiring stories of Changemakers from Chhattisgarh

FAO's new forecasts point to a 2.5% annual increase in international cereal trade, now predicted to reach 497.1 million tonnes. The rise is due to an anticipated notable growth in the world wheat trade, while international rice trade is expected to decline due to lower demand by Asian and African countries, reflecting good local harvests and large purchases made in 2025.