Israel Grain Imports Steady at 2.15 MMT for 2026/27

Israel’s wheat imports are projected to hold at 2.15 million metric tons for marketing year 2026/27, as conflict-affected farmland and poor weather continue to suppress domestic production. The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service published report IS2026-0004 on March 23, 2026, covering wheat, corn, and barley markets. Corn imports are expected to edge higher, driven by a resilient poultry and egg sector.

Israel’s Grain Market: Structural Import Dependence

Approximately 90 percent of Israel’s grain supply comes from abroad, reflecting chronic domestic production constraints. Arid conditions, limited arable land, and conflict-related disruption in southern growing regions severely restrict local output. Furthermore, domestic cereal production covers only a small fraction of national food and feed requirements.

Israel’s feed milling industry commonly shifts between wheat, corn, barley, and sorghum based on relative prices. Consequently, import volumes across each grain category respond closely to global price movements and freight cost differentials.

Wheat: Stable Imports, Diversification Push

The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service projects Israeli wheat production at 60,000 metric tons for marketing year 2026/27, unchanged from the previous year. Farmland near the Gaza periphery has not fully recovered from conflict disruption. Poor weather in southern growing regions, which account for roughly 70 percent of planted wheat area, further constrains yields.

Total wheat consumption is estimated at 2.3 million metric tons for 2026/27, steady year-on-year. The feed sector is forecast to decline as corn displaces wheat in animal rations, while home baking demand partially offsets seasonal losses during Passover. Passover is the major Jewish spring festival, during which dietary law prohibits leavened wheat products, reducing both food and feed use temporarily.

Russia supplies 70 to 80 percent of Israel’s wheat imports, with Ukraine and Romania providing most of the remainder. However, the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security signed a cooperation agreement with Moldova in September 2025 to develop alternative supply channels. Despite this effort, Black Sea origin wheat remains the most price-competitive option for Israeli millers and importers.

Corn: U.S. Regains Market Share

Israel produces no feed corn due to water scarcity. Additionally, the country relies entirely on imports to meet animal feed requirements across its poultry, egg, and dairy sectors. Corn imports for marketing year 2026/27 are forecast at 1.45 million metric tons, slightly above the previous year.

The poultry sector accounts for 19 percent of Israel’s total agricultural output and drives the majority of corn demand. Israelis consume an average of 50 kilograms of poultry per person annually, sustaining consistent feed grain requirements. Moreover, dairy farms are required under government regulation to provide kosher-for-Passover feed ahead of and during the holiday, raising seasonal corn demand significantly.

U.S. corn exports to Israel reached 871,000 metric tons in marketing year 2024/25, the highest recorded level, owing to competitive pricing. The United States also supplies approximately 80 percent of Israel’s imports of distillers dried grains with solubles and corn gluten feed, by-products of ethanol production used primarily in the dairy sector. No tariffs currently apply to U.S. corn entering Israel.

New Legislation Targets Inventory Transparency

The Knesset, Israel’s parliament, approved legislation on January 26, 2026, requiring major holders of wheat and animal feed inventories to submit monthly stock reports to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. The law takes effect four months after publication. Authorities designed the measure to improve real-time supply visibility and strengthen emergency preparedness given Israel’s heavy dependence on maritime grain imports.

Furthermore, Israel recently expanded grain storage capacity at the Haifa port terminal, which is expected to hold up to 110,000 metric tons. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security aims to maintain national wheat emergency stocks at approximately 400,000 metric tons.

Barley: Low Volumes, Stable Demand

Israel produced 14,000 metric tons of barley across 5,000 hectares in marketing year 2026/27, unchanged from the previous year. Farmers plant barley primarily in low-rainfall areas where wheat cannot be grown competitively. Barley is more drought-resistant and better suited to Israel’s arid southern zones.

Barley consumption is forecast to decline slightly to 300,000 metric tons in 2026/27, as sheep and goat production contracts. The European Union, Ukraine, and Russia supply most barley imports, with no U.S. origin barley recorded in recent marketing years. Nevertheless, Israeli buyers may explore alternative sources as the country pursues broader import diversification across all grain categories.

Global Context

Israel’s dependence on Black Sea grain — particularly Russian wheat — mirrors patterns seen across the Middle East and North Africa. European grain exporters, including Romania and Moldova, are actively seeking to expand their share of this market. Therefore, any sustained disruption to Black Sea shipping routes or Russian export policy would have immediate consequences for Israeli food security and regional grain prices.

Market Outlook

In the near term — the next 30 to 90 days — Israeli grain buyers will monitor Black Sea freight rates, U.S. corn pricing, and the pace of recovery in conflict-affected southern farmland. The new monthly stock reporting requirement may initially create administrative adjustment costs for private importers and storage operators. However, improved inventory data should benefit government planning and emergency procurement decisions over time.

Over the next 6 to 12 months, U.S. corn exporters may maintain competitive positioning if pricing remains favourable relative to Brazilian and Ukrainian origins. Meanwhile, Israel’s wheat diversification programme could gradually open market share for European and Central Asian suppliers. Barley volumes are unlikely to change significantly unless sheep and goat industry policy shifts materially or feed price spreads widen.