Soybeans Harvested Area by Country

This chart shows Soybeans Harvested Area by Country.

Glycine max, commonly known as soybean in North America or soya bean,is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses. The plant, classed as an oilseed rather than a pulse by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, produces significantly more protein per acre than most other uses of land.

Fat-free soybean meal is a significant and cheap source of protein for animal feeds and many packaged meals. For example, soybean products, such as textured vegetable protein (TVP), are ingredients in many meat and dairy substitutes.The beans contain significant amounts of phytic acid, dietary minerals and B vitamins. Soy vegetable oil, used in food and industrial applications, is another product of processing the soybean crop.

Traditional non-fermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk from which tofu and tofu skin are made. Fermented soy foods include soy sauce, fermented bean paste, natto and tempeh. The main countries growing soybeans are the United States , Brazil (31%) and Argentina (18%).

Soybeans are a globally important crop, providing oil and protein. In the United States, the bulk of the harvest is solvent-extracted with hexane, and the "toasted" defatted soymeal then makes possible the raising of farm animals on a large industrial scale. Soybean products are used in a large variety of processed foods. 

Global production of soybeans is forecast to be 324 million tonnes, a 5% increase from the 2014 world total.The United States, Brazil and Argentina are the world's largest soybean producers and represent more than 80% of global soybean production.