International commodity trade 2021: phenomenal trends

The article examines the most significant aspects of the evolutionary dynamics of international commodity exchange over the past five years, with an emphasis on the extraordinary shifts in this area noted by official statistics in 2021. The author analyzes significant changes in modern global trade, reflected in the sinusoidal trajectory of its development against the background of increasing turbulence, uncertainty of prospects for its transformation in the current and upcoming period. In a historically short period, the rise of 2018 was noted with the subsequent decline of 2019 and the crisis shocks of 2020 in direct connection with the widespread dissemination of a new viral infection in the world, the corresponding adoption of protective measures in many countries. Based on the latest official statistical materials and author's calculations, the most relevant trends that have manifested themselves in international commodity trade during the recovery period after the global crisis, that is, in 2021, are shown. Against the background of the general expansion of foreign trade activities of the leading subjects of international commodity exchange, the largest beneficiaries of the past year in the field of exports were identified, the rating of which was headed by the Russian Federation, Belgium, the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands and the USA. The analysis undertaken is based on the methodology of comparative statistical research. The current materials, calculated data of the author, actually introduced into the domestic scientific circulation for the first time, are given.