International Markets

Canada
Canada shares the world’s longest international border with the United States and is a top market for U.S. rice. Canada does not produce any rice. It grows wild rice, which is not a true rice, but the seed of an aquatic grass. The majority of rice on store shelves that is consumed in Canada is grown in the U.S. Essentially, U.S.-grown rice is as local as it gets for Canadians.
Central America
China
“Have you eaten rice yet?” is a common Chinese expression used as a way to say hello. Per capita rice consumption in China is estimated at 221 pounds per year, nearly 10 times U.S. per capita consumption and one of the highest in the world. China is the largest importer of rice, bringing in over 5 million tons annually. The U.S. rice industry has been working for over a decade to gain access to the Chinese market and while progress has been made, we are not yet to the finish line.
Colombia
Rice is a staple in Colombia whose 50 million people have a high domestic consumption level of more than 1.6 million tons per year. Traditional dishes such as Bandeja Paisa (white rice, red beans, ground beef, plantain, sausage, fried pork skin, corn patty, avocado, and a fried egg) can be found on the table year-round.
Cuba
Cuba is a small Caribbean island 93 miles south of Key West, Florida with a population of over 11 million. Once the number one export market for U.S. rice, exports evaporated when the U.S. imposed an embargo against Cuba. Given their large consumption of rice at 190 lbs per capita annually, Cuba remains a large consumer of rice and will be a top market for U.S. rice once again.
Ghana
Haiti
Haiti is a beautiful mountainous country that makes up the Western third of the island once known as Hispaniola, sharing a border with the Dominican Republic. Haitians prefer to eat rice on a daily basis, consuming about 115 lbs annually per capita.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong produces no rice yet eats nearly 100 pounds per capita annually and thus is dependent upon imports. Hong Kong is a truly open market (like the U.S.!) with no quantitative or qualitative restrictions and no tariffs on imported rice.
Iraq
Japan
Japan is the United States’ second largest milled rice export market in terms of volume and first in terms of value. Many rice farmers in California grow varieties such as Koshihikari, Akitakomachi or sweet rice specifically for the Japanese market though the majority of imports are Calrose. Japan has recently subsidized super premium quality rice and rice for feed use for domestic Japanese farmers, resulting in an insufficient supply of reasonably priced rice favored by the foodservice industry. This provides a large opportunity for imported rice, such as U.S. rice.
Jordan
Jordan is the largest single Arab market for U.S. medium grain rice exports and continues to be a growth market. Jordan is one of the four driest countries in the world, making the country heavily reliant on food imports including rice. Rice is a staple and the average yearly consumption is estimated at 53 lbs. per capita, yet the country produces no rice. The most popular national dish, mansaff, uses U.S. medium grain rice.
Mexico
Mexico is the largest export market for U.S. rice and has been for years. In 1994 they entered into the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and the United States. Since then Mexico’s economy has grown exponentially. The country currently manages a $2.4 trillion economy, which is 11th largest in the world. Mexico’s population of nearly 125 million people is a critical component of U.S. trade.
Saudi Arabia
Rice is the main dish in Saudi Arabia and is usually served twice daily. Saudi Arabia is the Middle East’s second largest importer of long grain rice; they do not produce rice and thus depend entirely on imports. Rice is imported freely by private companies, with zero import duty and no import subsidies.
Singapore
South Korea
South Korea is a country of 51 million and is the second largest market for U.S. rice in Asia. Per capita consumption is estimated at 136 pounds per year but is declining. South Korea imported 152,000 MT of U.S. rice in 2017.
Taiwan
Taiwan has a population of 23.5 million and per capita rice consumption is estimated at 97.9 pounds per year. The U.S. is the largest rice supplier to Taiwan, accounting for about half of their imports. Taiwan has in recent years imported U.S. Calrose, Southern medium grain, long grain and glutinous rice from the U.S.
Turkey

Turkey grows rice; however, it is not enough to satisfy domestic demand which has been increasing over the past several years. Recently, there has been a good deal of uncertainty in the market due to the tense political and economic situation which has led to the rapid depreciation of the Turkish Lira against foreign currencies and an increase in interest rates.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is the single largest market for U.S. rice sales in the European Union, mostly importing U.S. long grain rice, as well as some medium grain rice for sushi. In 2017, the UK imported 678,000 MT of rice, with India being the largest single supplier, mostly Basmati rice. The USA is the eighth largest exporter with a 4 percent market share.
West Bank

Recent News

Jun 13, 2019

Final installment in the series.

ARLINGTON, VA – The newly published U.S. Rice Sustainability Report highlights the myriad ways the U.S. rice industry’s commitment to sustainability has improved the land, the air, and the water of this country. Much has already been said about the countless benefits to wildlife, soil quality, energy efficiency, and more. But sustainability goes beyond environmental benefits: one of the most significant contributions of the U.S. rice industry is economic, because if a sustainability practice doesn’t pay its way on the farm or mill, it’s not truly sustainable.

Nearly 85 percent of the rice consumed in the United States is U.S. grown on family farms across the six major rice-producing states. The rice industry is a boon to the national economy, exporting roughly half of its yearly crop to 120 countries around the world. Across the U.S., more than 5,000 rice farmers directly support nearly 15,000 jobs, generating $1.56 billion in direct labor income. Rice mills provide an additional $245 million in wages and support an annual average employment of nearly 5,000 people. The total economic effect of all this was a staggering $5.65 billion in 2015, the final year of the 36-year period studied by the report.

While the rice industry certainly bolsters the national economy, the effects of economic sustainability are perhaps most apparent on a local level. Rice is the backbone of many rural areas, providing the bulk of jobs and income that flows back into the community. In Stuttgart, Arkansas, for example, rice is truly the economic engine that drives the local economy. With a population of about 9,000, most people in the “Rice and Duck Capital of the World” are employed either directly or indirectly by the rice industry.

“Three rice mills employ more than 2,000 people,” said Carl Brothers, former senior vice president and chief operating officer at Riceland Foods, based in Stuttgart. “Nearly one person in every family in Stuttgart is involved with the rice mills in some way.”

On average, each rice farm contributes $1 million to the local economy.

When taking into account input suppliers and others whose businesses are dependent on rice farms and mills, the numbers rise to nearly 32,000 jobs supported by the rice industry in 2017, with $2.32 billion in labor income. This is not even including the labor that is indirectly supported by U.S. rice, such as transportation, wholesale, and retail.

Rice farms and mills are staples of the local economy, and farmers and millers are leaders in the community. In addition to all the ways they give back to the environment, rice farmers and millers also are generous contributors to at-risk populations both at home and overseas. In 2017, the rice industry provided 40 million pounds of rice, including 5 million donated pounds, to the Feeding America food bank network to help the estimated 1 in 8 Americans struggling with food insecurity and hunger. Rice farmers and millers also frequently partner with local food banks. All across the U.S., millions of servings of rice make their way to the plates of neighbors in need. They have been there for their communities when natural disasters hit, helping employees and neighbors get back on their feet and back into their homes. And every year, anywhere from 3 to 5 percent of overall rice exports go toward international food aid, providing a safe and nutritious food staple for vulnerable people around the world.

Sustainability is an ultimate benefit for everyone that lives on the land, breathes the air, drinks water, and eats rice. The U.S. Rice Industry Sustainability Report includes many comprehensive examples of how rice is a pillar of the national economy and local communities, and more examples present themselves every day. Because in the end, the rice industry is about people.