Top 10 Richest Farmers In The World 2026

When people think of immense wealth, the agricultural sector rarely comes to mind first. Yet a select group of individuals has transformed farming into billion-dollar enterprises. These agricultural tycoons do more than simply grow crops or raise livestock. They manage sprawling global operations, deploy cutting-edge technology, and shape international food markets. While compiling a definitive list of the wealthiest farmers remains challenging because many agricultural firms stay privately held, the following names consistently appear at the top of rankings. Our analysis for 2026 draws from the latest available net worth data, corporate filings, and public disclosures to present the ten richest farmers in the world today.

How We Ranked These

Our rankings rely on verified net worth figures from financial databases, stock exchange filings for publicly traded agricultural companies, and credible wealth estimates for privately held farming enterprises. We weighed total agricultural land holdings, revenue from crop and livestock production, market capitalization of agribusiness firms, and diversification into related sectors such as seed technology, food processing, and aquaculture. Net worth figures reflect valuations as of early 2026. Where individuals share ownership with family members, we report combined household wealth. The list prioritizes those whose primary wealth originates from farming and agricultural production rather than unrelated industries.

The Top 10 Richest Farmers In The World 2026:

1. Qin Yinglin

Qin Yinglin, a 60-year-old pig farmer from China, sits atop our list with a staggering net worth of $20.8 billion in 2026. He chairs Muyuan Foods, a company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange that processes approximately 80 million pigs annually. The scale of this operation is difficult to overstate. Muyuan Foods has become one of the world's largest pig farming enterprises, dominating pork production in a country where pork is the primary meat protein.

What makes Qin's story remarkable is its humble beginning. He and his wife Qian Ying started their operation in 1992 with just 22 pigs. From those modest roots, they built a vertically integrated empire that controls breeding, feed production, slaughtering, and processing. Qin ranks 14th among China's richest individuals overall. His unmatched fortune from scaled pig production dominance secures his position at number one. The sheer volume of pigs processed each year - roughly equivalent to the entire pork consumption of several European nations combined - demonstrates the industrial scale modern farming has achieved.

2. Harry Stine

Harry Stine, aged 84, claims the second spot with a net worth of $9.9 billion in 2026. He founded Stine Seeds, now the world's largest private seed company, specializing in genetically advanced soybean seeds. Stine's wealth has more than doubled since 2023, propelling him from fifth place to overtake several former leaders. This rapid growth reflects the soaring value of agricultural biotechnology and intellectual property in seed genetics.

Stine grew up on a farm just outside Des Moines, Iowa, and started his seed breeding business in the 1960s. From his father's farm, Stine became fascinated with seeds as a boy growing up in Iowa. He began farming at just five years old, driving a tractor to pick up straw bales. Today, Stine Seed's innovations in seed technology drive massive agricultural yields globally. The company's proprietary soybean genetics are used by farmers across the United States and internationally. Stine is also the richest man in Iowa. His rapid wealth growth in biotech seeds demonstrates how intellectual property in agriculture can generate returns rivaling those in technology sectors.

3. Stewart and Lynda Resnick

Stewart and Lynda Resnick hold the third position with a combined net worth of $8.5 billion in 2026. They own The Wonderful Company, a sprawling agribusiness empire encompassing vast pistachio, almond, and pomegranate farms. Their brand portfolio includes POM Wonderful and Fiji Water. Their operations span over 185,000 acres in California, making them dominant players in nut and fruit production.

Whether it is grapefruits in south Texas or almonds and oranges in California's Central Valley, the Resnicks owe their billions to the provisions that nature has provided through agriculture. Over half of all American households purchase at least one of their products. The Resnicks dropped from higher spots in previous years but remain key players in diversified agribusiness. Their position at number three reflects their strong standing in premium crop exports despite recent market fluctuations. The Wonderful Company's integrated model - from farming to processing to branding - serves as a template for modern agricultural conglomerates.

4. Andrej Babis

Andrej Babis, 71, ranks fourth with a net worth of $4.6 billion in 2026. He is a Czech business magnate and politician who recently became prime minister again in December 2025 after previously serving from 2017 to 2021. Babis built Agrofert from a fertilizer trading startup into a conglomerate covering agriculture, renewables, and media. Often called the "Czech Trump," his empire dominates Central European farming.

Babis is new to our top 10, ranking fourth for his rapid ascent via political and business synergies. Agrofert controls vast tracts of farmland across the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, and Poland. The conglomerate produces crops, processes food, manufactures fertilizers, and operates biogas plants. Babis's ability to leverage political influence alongside business interests has drawn both criticism and admiration. His return to the prime minister's office in late 2025 further solidifies his control over Central Europe's agricultural landscape.

5. Gustav Magnar Witzoe

Gustav Magnar Witzoe, 33, is one of the youngest billionaires on our list, securing fifth place with a net worth of $4.4 billion in 2026. He inherits control of SalMar, a leading salmon farming company with stakes in Scottish Sea Farms, the United Kingdom's second-largest salmon producer. His father gifted him a controlling stake at age 18 for estate planning purposes, making him a billionaire before he could legally drink in the United States.

SalMar operates as one of the world's top aquaculture firms, producing Atlantic salmon in Norway, Scotland, and Iceland. The company has pioneered offshore salmon farming technology, placing massive submerged cages in exposed ocean locations. Witzoe's position as a fresh entrant with explosive fish farming wealth highlights the growing importance of aquaculture in global protein production. As wild fish stocks decline, farmed salmon represents an increasingly critical food source, and SalMar's technological edge positions it for continued growth.

6. Vadim Moshkovich

Vadim Moshkovich, 58, holds sixth place with a net worth of $2.9 billion in 2026. He owns Rusagro, a company farming over 600,000 hectares and ranking among Russia's largest pork and sugar producers. Moshkovich started out selling apartments, vodka, and oil in the early 1990s during Russia's chaotic post-Soviet transition. He later invested in land and created Rusagro.

The company sells its products in more than 15 countries and 80 Russian regions. Moshkovich's fortune grew from $2.3 billion in 2023, reflecting steady wealth increase in Russia's vast agro sector. Rusagro excels in integrated meat and sweetener production, controlling everything from feed production to slaughterhouses to sugar refineries. Moshkovich is also known for his philanthropic activities. His position at number six reflects consistent growth in Russia's agricultural sector, which has become increasingly important as the country pursues food self-sufficiency.

7. Pavel Demidov

Pavel Demidov, 57, and his family run Dominant Group, securing seventh place with a net worth of $1.8 billion in 2026. The company cultivates over 790,000 hectares as one of Russia's top sugar producers. Dominant Group also operates four dairies and holds top-10 cheesemaking status in Russia. They process 50,000 tons of sugar beet daily across seven plants. Demidov's wife Svetlana co-owns the operation.

This seventh spot stems from the family's scale in sugar and dairy dominance. Russia's sugar market has undergone significant consolidation, and Dominant Group has emerged as a major player. The company's dairy operations produce a range of cheeses, including varieties that compete with European imports. Demidov's ability to build a vertically integrated agribusiness spanning multiple protein and crop categories demonstrates the diversification strategy common among Russia's agricultural elite.

8. Igor Chuevokormov

Igor Chuevokormov leads a major Russian agribusiness focused on grain, livestock, and processing, earning eighth place with a net worth of $1.7 billion in 2026. His operations span extensive land holdings similar to his peers in Russia's agricultural sector. Chuevokormov contributes significantly to Russia's food security through large-scale grain production and livestock operations.

He ranks eighth for consistent wealth from diversified crop and feed production. Russia has emerged as one of the world's largest wheat exporters, and Chuevokormov's operations benefit from this global demand. His company processes grains into animal feed, flour, and other products, capturing value at multiple stages of the supply chain. The Russian government's support for agricultural self-sufficiency has created favorable conditions for large landowners like Chuevokormov.

9. Alexander and Victor Linnik

Twin brothers Alexander and Victor Linnik, both 58, founded Miratorg in 1995. They rank ninth with a combined net worth of $1.4 billion in 2026. Miratorg is Russia's largest agricultural landowner, controlling 1.4 million hectares. The company produces pork, beef including Wagyu and Black Angus breeds, poultry, and frozen vegetables. Miratorg also runs its own retail stores plus the Steak & Burger restaurant chain.

The Linnik twins take ninth place for sheer land control and product variety. Their integrated model covers farming all the way to retail, allowing them to capture margins at every level. Miratorg's introduction of Wagyu beef to Russian consumers represented a significant premiumization of the country's meat market. The brothers have built one of the most diversified agricultural operations in the world, spanning crop production, animal husbandry, processing, and direct-to-consumer sales.

10. He Zuxun

He Zuxun, 60, rounds out our top ten with a net worth of $1.4 billion in 2026. He heads Yunnan Shennong Agriculture Industry, China's largest pig farming and meat processor in Yunnan province. The company listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 2021. He started his career as a veterinarian before founding the company in 1999.

He Zuxun's position at number ten reflects his status as a provincial pig farming pioneer with exchange-listed growth. Yunnan Shennong benefits from China's massive pork consumption and the ongoing consolidation of the country's fragmented pig farming industry. As smaller farmers exit the market due to disease outbreaks and environmental regulations, large-scale operators like He's company gain market share. His background as a veterinarian gave him unique insights into animal health and disease prevention, critical advantages in an industry devastated by African swine fever in recent years.