What is the worlds largest agricultural crop?

Question

This is for "total world" production. Not concerned with any particular region or country.

From wikipedia, I'm getting sugar cane, but any sources are allowed. Mainly looking for confirmation here. Also having trouble with the way the weight units are expressed, but I believe they are all "about" the same. Namely, 1 tonne = 1 metric ton.(?)

From wikipedia: 

Sugar cane: 1,743,092,995 tonnes(?)

Maize(corn):   817,110,509 tons(?)

Wheat:           690 million metric tons(?)

rice:   (about) 400 million metric tons
http://www.rice-trade.com/world-wide-rice-production.html

Potatoes:      315 million metric tons.

Other vegetables and fruits appear to be way down the list.

Other crop possibilities?

Thanks to all, in advance.

Jason S · Accepted Answer

The most recent data from the UN - Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is for 2009. The following was indicated on their site.

Largest agricultural crop by area would be Wheat. Data below is in hectares (May include official, semi-official or estimated data)

Maize 159,531,007   
Potatoes 18,326,242   
Rice, paddy 161,420,743 
Rye 6,593,479   
Sugar cane 23,727,751 
Wheat 225,437,694

Largest agricultural crop based on production (in tonnes) would be sugar cane. The list below may include official, semi-official or estimated data.

Maize 817,110,509   
Potatoes 329,556,911   
Rice, paddy 678,688,289   
Rye 17,856,568  
Sugar cane 1,682,577,768   
Wheat 681,915,838 
 
Wood production for 2009 in cubic meters
Roundwood + (Total) 3,290,937,654.00

The FAO site has many more statistics for world agricultural production

Vincent G · Answer

One tonne is indeed a metric ton.

You numbers are essentially right. However, something needs to be taken into account.
Sugar cane crop would be evaluated as the mass of the whole plant, a large proportion thereof being bagasse, which is used as animal feed, as a fuel or to turn into other products, after the sugar is extracted. When one quotes wheat at 690 million tonnes, that is only the grain, which is almost completely food; the rest of the plant is not considered in the overall mass.

Anonymous · Answer

Natual disasters cannot be diverted. You can't simply change their direction. As for averting these disasters, only some forecasting will help. For example, when there is to be a frost in Florida, growers may place smudge pots out to warm the area if a cold snap has been predicted. Things like tsunalmi's and hurricanes you can't do much about.

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What is the worlds largest agricultural crop?

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