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

2026 IFE Tradeshow, Anita Katial, Ag Counsellor, FAS London, Eszter, Jeremy Pang, Robert W. Thomas, Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in London — Chef Jeremy Pang (center) shares his rainbow fried rice with (from left) FAS Ag Counsellor Anita Katial, USA Rice's Eszter Somogyi, , and Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in London Robert W. Thomas

Apr 03, 2026

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – The International Food and Drink Exhibition (IFE) took place here this week, and for the fifth time in as many years USA Rice exhibited in the U.S. Pavilion. The IFE is the single most important tradeshow for UK food, drink, and hospitality professionals, and has a legacy of more than 40 years connecting buyers and suppliers across the retail, wholesale, distribution, import/export, and foodservice sectors in the United Kingdom.

“With multiple ethnic groups here, the UK is a very diverse rice market so in response we showcased all different types of U.S. rice, educating interested visitors on the high quality, safety, and sustainable production techniques our industry follows,” said Eszter Somogyi, USA Rice director for Europe, Middle East, and Africa, who staffed the exhibit. “All trade leads collected here will be shared with USA Rice membership for future follow up.”

To create more interaction and interest among attendees, USA Rice teamed up with Jeremy Pang, a Chinese celebrity chef with a strong media presence including TV appearances, authorship, and his own “School of Wok” cooking academy in London Covent Garden, as well as 560k+ social followers across Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. Chef Jeremy cooked up a rainbow fried rice dish at the USA Rice booth featuring U.S. long grain in a favorite Chinese recipe. Booth visitors tasted samples of the dish and provided overwhelmingly positive feedback. The effort was amplified across the social media channels of USA Rice, Chef Jeremy, and the IFE tradeshow.

Total rice imports to the UK average between 650,000 - 750,000 MT annually, and while about 45 percent of the rice market is dominated by India and Pakistan mainly through basmati sales, there is an opportunity for growth for a number of U.S. rice types. Concerning major market trends, current food consumption in the UK is defined by a complex balance between health-conscious choices and economic pressures. Rice as a natural ingredient fits well with these trends, as it provides an affordable and easy choice for consumers aiming for less processed and healthier choices.

According to an article published by The Grocer, a leading trade title in the UK, rice is once again the king of the starchy sides in 2025: volume sales have jumped in the UK by 4.1 percent more than pasta, noodles, and potatoes, helped by consumers buying in bulk and larger formats in world food aisles.

During 2025, rice demand continued to be driven by new, smaller pack formats from 1kg to 10kg, purchased by consumers who are doing more cooking at home and experimenting with world cuisine, much of which incorporates rice in a variety of dishes.

“U.S. rice is well positioned to benefit from these reported trends, having an established presence in the Chinese, African and Caribbean, and Korean and Japanese market segments with a variety of local brands,” Somogyi added.

U.S. rice sales to the UK totaled 20,800 MT in 2025 with a value of $15.4 million.