Rice is one of the most widely consumed grains and is a primary staple for more than half of the world’s population, particularly in Asia and Africa. The fact that rice was grown as a crop in 114 countries in 2021 highlights how vital rice is to the world. In this story, we use data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Statista, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to take a closer look at the global rice market. We dive into the figures to explore the countries that produce, import, and export the most rice. Let’s dig into some of the numbers.

Which countries produce the most rice?

In 2022, 513 million metric tons (milled production) of rice was produced globally. The top ten rice-producing nations were all located in Asia and accounted for 85 percent of global rice production. China led the pack with production reaching 145.9 million metric tons of rice (milled production), followed in second place by India with 136 million metric tons (milled production). The two leading rice producers accounted for more than 50 percent of the rice produced worldwide. What’s more staggering is that the top two produced more rice than the next eight countries combined.

Key statistics

• Just ten countries account for 85% of the rice produced globally

• The top two producers — China and India — account for more than 50% of the world’s rice production

• All the top 10 producers are located in Asia

Feeding the world

With about 85% of rice grown and harvested in just ten countries, many nations depend on imports to meet domestic demand. It’s a bit surprising to see China top the list of importers. Despite being the top producer, China production levels are not able to keep up with its insatiable appetite for rice and it has turned to international markets to import rice to meet demand at home. In 2022, it imported 4.6 million metric tons of rice. The chart below shows the top 10 rice importers in 2022.

So, where do countries import rice from? Well, it’s mostly from the top producers. India, the number two producer in the world, was the leading rice exporter in 2022, shipping 21.5 million metric tons of rice outside of its borders. India exported more than 2.5 times second-place Thailand. The charts below show the top 10 exporters.

As the global population grows, rice will continue to be a vital staple food. It’ll be interesting to see how the role of rice shifts in the face of changing diets, geopolitics, and climate change.

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