Russia takes the wheat crown

Russia's emergence as the world's leading exporter of wheat is reminiscent of the former Soviet dominance in production - albeit in vastly different conditions. Improvements in grain quality and efficiency are two important differences between the current and the Cold War era.

The countries of the former USSR harvested 18 percent of the global wheat harvest in 2017, the highest level since 1980, according to USDA data. According to the agency's forecasts, this year Russia will become the largest shipper by volume, overtaking the United States. America's share of the global crop fell to 6 percent in 2017, the lowest since 1960.