Food Miles: Who Produces, Who Profits?

    Trace the journey from farm to fork. Discover how a product worth $0.20 at the farm becomes $2.80 at your tableโ€”and why the farmers who feed the world receive the smallest share.

    Based on verified FAO data and supply chain research

    โš ๏ธ The Farmer Crisis

    Farmer Receives:

    $2.5/kg

    Consumer Pays:

    $18/kg

    Price Multiple:

    7.2x

    Consumers pay 7.2x what farmers receive

    ๐ŸŒพTop 20 Global Crops

    Most traded agricultural commodities worldwide

    1. ๐ŸŒพ Wheat

    China

    High

    2. ๐ŸŒฝ Corn/Maize

    USA

    High

    3. ๐Ÿš Rice

    India

    High

    4. ๐Ÿฅ” Potatoes

    China

    High

    5. ๐Ÿฌ Sugarcane

    Brazil

    High

    6. ๐Ÿซ˜ Soybeans

    USA

    High

    7. ๐Ÿฅ• Cassava

    Nigeria

    Medium

    8. ๐Ÿ… Tomatoes

    China

    Medium

    9. ๐ŸŒ Bananas

    India

    Medium

    10. ๐ŸŽ Apples

    China

    Medium

    11. โ˜• Coffee

    Brazil

    High

    12. ๐Ÿซ Cocoa

    Ivory Coast

    Medium

    13. ๐Ÿ‡ Grapes

    China

    Medium

    14. ๐Ÿฅฅ Coconuts

    Indonesia

    Medium

    15. ๐Ÿง… Onions

    India

    Medium

    16. ๐ŸŠ Oranges

    Brazil

    Medium

    17. ๐Ÿฅ› Milk

    USA

    High

    18. ๐Ÿฅฌ Vegetables

    China

    High

    19. ๐Ÿซ› Pulses

    India

    Medium

    20. ๐ŸŒฐ Nuts

    USA

    Medium

    Farmers are not just food producersโ€”they are the custodians of our land, water, and biodiversity. They work tirelessly from dawn to dusk, nurturing the soil that feeds humanity, yet they struggle with unpredictable weather, rising costs, and unfair market prices.

    The Struggle is Real: While consumers pay premium prices, farmers often earn less than the cost of production. Many small-scale farmers live below the poverty line, unable to afford healthcare or education for their children, despite feeding millions.

    ๐Ÿ’ก How We Can Change the World:

    Small applications like this one, dedicated to promoting good food culture and sustainable practices, create awareness and connect conscious consumers directly with farmers. When we choose local, organic, and fair-trade products, we vote for a better worldโ€”one where farmers are respected, the environment is protected, and future generations inherit a thriving planet.

    Every meal is an opportunity to support farmers. Every choice we make ripples across the entire food system. Together, we can build a world where those who feed us are valued, where sustainability is the norm, and where good food is accessible to all.

    Supply Chain Stages

    1. FARMER

    $2.5

    Small Ethiopian Coffee Farmer

    2. COLLECTOR

    $4

    Local Coffee Collector

    +60% markup

    3. EXPORTER

    $6.5

    Ethiopian Coffee Exporter

    +62.5% markup

    4. IMPORTER

    $10

    European Coffee Importer

    +53.8% markup

    5. ROASTER

    $18

    Specialty Coffee Roaster

    +80% markup

    Why This Matters

    Farmers are the foundation of our food system, yet they receive the smallest share of what consumers pay. This map demonstrates typical supply chain patterns where farmers get pennies while intermediaries markup prices many times over. The country rankings shown are verified FAO data, while price progressions are illustrative examples based on industry research.

    What's Verified: Country production rankings, agricultural output values
    What's Illustrative: Specific supply chain prices and margins
    What's Universal: The pattern that farmers receive unfairly low compensation

    Top 20 Countries by Agricultural Production Value

    Based on FAO data via Our World in Data

    Values represent gross production value in current USD

    #1
    30.1%
    $1,655B

    ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ China

    Rice, Wheat, Pork, Vegetables

    #2
    9.5%
    $524B

    ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ India

    Rice, Wheat, Sugarcane, Dairy

    #3
    8.6%
    $474B

    ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ USA

    Corn, Soybeans, Beef, Dairy

    #4
    4.0%
    $220B

    ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท Brazil

    Soybeans, Coffee, Sugar, Beef

    #5
    3.4%
    $188B

    ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ท Iran

    Wheat, Fruits, Nuts, Dairy

    #6
    2.5%
    $139B

    ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ Indonesia

    Palm Oil, Rice, Rubber

    #7
    2.2%
    $118B

    ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡บ Russia

    Wheat, Barley, Sunflower

    #8
    1.6%
    $89B

    ๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต Japan

    Rice, Vegetables, Seafood

    #9
    1.3%
    $73B

    ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท France

    Wheat, Dairy, Wine, Poultry

    #10
    1.3%
    $73B

    ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท Turkey

    Wheat, Fruits, Nuts

    #11
    1.3%
    $70B

    ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Canada

    Wheat, Canola, Pulses

    #12
    1.2%
    $64B

    ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฐ Pakistan

    Cotton, Rice, Wheat

    #13
    1.1%
    $63B

    ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Germany

    Dairy, Pork, Wheat

    #14
    1.1%
    $62B

    ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ Mexico

    Avocados, Tomatoes, Corn

    #15
    1.0%
    $57B

    ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia

    Wheat, Beef, Wool

    #16
    1.0%
    $54B

    ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Italy

    Wine, Pasta, Olive Oil

    #17
    1.0%
    $53B

    ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain

    Olives, Citrus, Wine

    #18
    0.9%
    $50B

    ๐Ÿ‡ป๐Ÿ‡ณ Vietnam

    Rice, Coffee, Cashews

    #19
    0.8%
    $45B

    ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ Thailand

    Rice, Rubber, Cassava

    #20
    0.8%
    $45B

    ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด Colombia

    Coffee, Flowers, Bananas

    ๐Ÿ“Š Data Source & Methodology

    Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) via Our World in Data

    Values shown are Gross Production Value (current USD) representing the total value of agricultural output. Percentages calculated based on estimated global agricultural production of ~$5.5 trillion. These 20 countries represent approximately 74% of total global agricultural production value. Data reflects most recent available statistics from FAO.

    Top 20 Restaurant Dining Nations

    Countries where people dine out most frequently

    Based on food service market research and consumer surveys

    #1
    5.9x/week
    $3,459
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ USA

    Fast food & dining culture

    #2
    5.4x/week
    $2,940
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต Japan

    Izakaya & ramen culture

    #3
    5.1x/week
    $2,731
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ China

    Restaurant-centric lifestyle

    #4
    4.8x/week
    $2,365
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Canada

    Diverse dining scene

    #5
    4.6x/week
    $2,210
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ Australia

    Cafe & dining culture

    #6
    4.3x/week
    $2,089
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง UK

    Pub & restaurant tradition

    #7
    5.2x/week
    $1,987
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท South Korea

    Korean BBQ & cafe culture

    #8
    4.1x/week
    $1,856
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท France

    Bistro & fine dining

    #9
    6.1x/week
    $1,823
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฌ Singapore

    Hawker & restaurant hub

    #10
    3.8x/week
    $1,678
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Germany

    Beer garden & gasthaus

    #11
    3.9x/week
    $1,645
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Italy

    Trattoria & pizzeria

    #12
    4.2x/week
    $1,534
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ Spain

    Tapas & dining out

    #13
    5.8x/week
    $1,498
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ฐ Hong Kong

    Dim sum & dining culture

    #14
    3.2x/week
    $1,412
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ช Sweden

    Fika & restaurant culture

    #15
    3.4x/week
    $1,367
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฑ Netherlands

    Cafe & eetcafe culture

    #16
    3.3x/week
    $1,289
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ช Belgium

    Brasserie tradition

    #17
    4.5x/week
    $1,256
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ช UAE

    International dining hub

    #18
    2.9x/week
    $1,234
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ญ Switzerland

    High-end dining

    #19
    2.8x/week
    $1,187
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ด Norway

    Restaurant & cafe scene

    #20
    4.7x/week
    $1,156
    per person/year

    ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ Mexico

    Street food & taquerias

    ๐Ÿฝ๏ธ Data Source & Methodology

    Sources: Euromonitor International, Statista Food Service Reports, Nielsen Consumer Research, National Restaurant Association reports, and various market research studies (2023-2024).

    Annual Spend: Average per capita spending on restaurant/food service per year (USD). Frequency: Average number of times per week citizens eat out or order food. Data represents general trends and may vary by urban/rural areas, age demographics, and income levels. These rankings reflect countries with highest restaurant engagement, not necessarily the largest food service markets by total revenue.

    โš ๏ธ IMPORTANT: Data Transparency & Limitations

    Supply Chain Prices: The price progression examples (e.g., $0.20 โ†’ $2.80) are illustrative based on industry research, trade publications, and academic studies of typical supply chain markups. They demonstrate realistic patterns but are not real-time market prices. Actual prices vary significantly by season, quality, location, and market conditions.

    Country Production Rankings: Based on verified FAO data via Our World in Data. Values represent gross agricultural production value in current USD. Rankings and percentages are accurate as of latest FAO release.

    Purpose: This visualization aims to educate about supply chain structures and demonstrate why farmers receive disproportionately small shares of consumer prices. While specific numbers are illustrative, the pattern and problem are real.
    Sources: FAO STAT, Our World in Data, World Bank Agricultural Data, USDA FAS, academic research on food supply chains.
    For accurate real-time pricing: Consult USDA Market News, FAO GIEWS, or agricultural commodity exchanges.

    From soil to service. From guest to legacy.

    @2025 Anna Chakra. All rights reserved.