Final U.S. wheat export inspections reached 23.7 million metric tons in the 2025/2026 marketing year ended May 31, up nearly 15% from a year earlier and the highest since 2020/2021.
USDA had started the year projecting 21.8 MMT, but sales kept outpacing expectations as both core buyers and swing markets stayed active despite geopolitical uncertainty, volatile freight costs and heavy competition from other exporters.
Mexico remained the top buyer, up 3% year over year, while Nigeria bought 1.65 MMT—more than double the prior year—and Indonesia increased purchases 50% to 1.15 MMT after a July milling-industry MOU.
More than 55 countries bought U.S. wheat during the year, and USDA has already reported over 3.0 MMT in 2026/2027 sales, suggesting momentum is carrying into the new season as the U.S. harvest begins.