Leading Rice Export Countries
Chinese Rice Sales Down 65% while Indian Grain Shipments Rise 41%
Apr 16, 2008
According to the latest rice statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Thailand exports more milled rice by weight than any other country.
In 2004, overall world rice exports were 29 million tons up 4.4% from 2003. Thailand, India, Vietnam, the United States and Pakistan lead the world in rice exports.
Thailand Leading Rice Exporter
Thailand’s rice exports fell slightly to 9.7 million tons in 2007 and are expected to drop further to 8.5 million tons in 2008. While Thailand has not yet announced quotas or other restrictions on its rice exports, that could change given that other large rice exporters like India and Vietnam have announced controls including premium pricing to constrain rice shipments as a way to feed domestic consumers and control rising price inflation in the home country.
The analysis below identifies other top rice exporting regions from around the world.
Rice Exporters by Continent
- Asia … 22.1 million tons (76.3% of global rice exports)
- North and Central America … 3.1 million tons (10.6%)
- Europe … 1.6 million tons (5.4%)
- South America … 1.2 million tons (4.2%)
- Africa … 952,380 tons (3.3%).
Top Rice Exporters by Country
The rice exporting countries on the list below are responsible for 97% of world rice exports, led by Thailand.
- Thailand … 10 million tons (34.5% of global rice exports)
- India … 4.8 million tons (16.5%)
- Vietnam … 4.1 million tons (14.1%)
- United States … 3.1 million tons (10.6%)
- Pakistan … 1.8 million tons (6.3%)
- China (including Taiwan) … 901,550 tons (3.1%)
- Egypt … 836,940 tons (2.9%)
- Italy … 668,940 tons (2.3%)
- Uruguay … 609,170 tons (2.1%)
- Spain … 346,030 tons (1.2%)
- Argentina … 257,750 tons (0.9%)
- Guyana … 256,330 tons (0.9%)
- United Arab Emirates … 164,350 tons (0.6%)
- Belgium-Luxembourg … 157,190 tons (0.5%)
- Myanmar … 150,030 tons (0.5%).
Fastest-growing Rice Exporters by Country
Rice shipments from the following countries rose the fastest in 2004 from the prior year.
- Guyana … 256,330 tons (up 59.2% in 2004)
- Argentina … 257,750 tons (up 45.1%)
- Egypt … 836,940 tons (up 42.9%)
- India … 4.8 million tons (up 40.9%)
- Thailand … 10 million tons (up 19.0%)
- Italy … 668,940 tons (up 17.3%)
- Vietnam … 4.1 million tons (up 7.2%)
- Belgium-Luxembourg … 154,200 tons (up 1.9%)
- Pakistan … 1.8 million tons (up 0.2%).
Fastest-declining Rice Exporters by Country
The rice-producing nations below decreased their milled rice exports the most in 2004.
- China (including Taiwan) … 901.55 (down 65.4% in 2004)
- Myanmar … 150.03 (down 61.3%)
- United States … 3,066.77 (down 19%)
- United Arab Emirates … 164.35 (down 14.6%)
- Spain … 346.03 (down 9.4%)
- Uruguay … 625 (down 2.5%).
References for this Article
This article presents independent calculations and insights based on statistics published on the International Rice Research Institute’s website.
For a list of source materials complete with links to the most current information on country-specific GDP, trade partners, imports and exports, visit the Richest Research Sources panel at the top right of the World’s Richest Countries website. That site is a reference toolkit developed specifically for international trade researchers.
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