Is About 80% of the Cotton and 40% of the Winter Wheat Raised in the United States Exported?

May 20, 2026

By Matthew Yim

According to the USDA Economic Research Service, 85% of the 14.3 million bales of cotton and 38% of the 1.2 billion bushels of winter wheat produced in the United States have been exported since the start of the ongoing 2025-2026 marketing years of each crop.

This is slightly above the 2024-2025 numbers, which saw 83% and 30% of U.S.-produced cotton and winter wheat exported, respectively.

Oklahoma typically ranks second in U.S. winter wheat production and seventh in cotton production.

The United States is the second-largest exporter of cotton after Brazil and among the top five exporters of wheat. Vietnam, Pakistan and China are the top importers of U.S. cotton, and Mexico, the Phillipines, Japan, South Korea and China are historically top importers of U.S. wheat.

U.S. agricultural exports decreased 3% from 2024 to 2025, with China, which currently has a 15% tariff on U.S. cotton and wheat, accounting for $16 billion of the decline.

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