Top Rice Producing Countries
Asian Nations Generate over 90% of World Rice Production
As rice prices soar on world markets, major Asian rice producers like China and India are looking at a rice to riches scenario.
More than half of the world’s population depends on rice as a staple food. As of April 2008, the price of rice has doubled, putting pressure on lower-producing nations like the Philippines, which imports about 15% of its rice supplies.
In international trade, countries that are high producers of rice have a strong competitive advantage given the current shortage. In contrast, lower producers have much less control on their imports when the world’s largest rice exporters cut sales to ensure they can feed their own people.
Rice Production by Continent
Based on 2006 statistics, the following list shows that Asian countries enjoy a prohibitive lead in farming rice.
1. Asia … 574.2 million tons (91% of global rice harvest)
2. South America … 22.6 million tons (3.6%)
3. Africa … 20 million tons (3%)
4. North America … 11.1 million tons (1.8%)
5. Europe … 3.4 million tons (1%)
In addition, Oceania farms 148,000 tons of rice.
Top Ten Rice Producers by Country
Together, China and India accounted for over half of the world’s rice supply in 2006.
1. China … 182 million tons (28.8% of global rice harvest)
2. India … 136.5 million tons (21.6%)
3. Indonesia … 54.4 million tons (8.6%)
4. Bangladesh … 43.7 million tons (6.9%)
5. Vietnam … 35.8 million tons (5.7%)
6. Thailand … 29.3 million tons (4.6%)
7. Myanamar … 25.2 million tons (4%)
8. Philippines … 15.3 million tons (2.4%)
9. Brazil … 11.5 million tons (1.8%)
10. Japan … 10.7 million tons (1.7%).
Other Leading Rice Farming Nations
11. United States … 8.8 million tons (1.4% of global rice harvest)
12. Pakistan … 8.1 million tons (1.3%)
13. Korea Rep … 6.3 million tons (1%)
14. Cambodia … 6.3 million tons (1%)
15. Egypt … 6.1 million tons (1%)
16. Nepal … 4.2 million tons (0.7%)
17. Nigeria … 3.6 million tons (0.6%)
18. Iran … 3.5 million tons (0.6%)
19. Madagascar … 3.5 million tons (0.6%)
20. Sri Lanka … 3.3 million tons (0.5%)
21. Laos … 2.7 million tons (0.4%)
22. Colombia … 2.5 million tons (0.4%)
23. Korea DPR … 2.5 million tons (0.4%)
24. Peru … 2.5 million tons (0.4%)
25. Malaysia … 2.2 million tons (0.3%).
Fastest Growing Rice Producers
Indonesia and Bangladesh experienced the fastest growth in rice production during 2006, up 8.6% and 6.9% respectively from 2005.
Producers with Declining Rice Crops
American rice production was down over 13% in 2006 from the prior year. In 2008, U.S. rice seedings are down further due to flooding in rice-growing regions.
Similarly, Brazil’s rice harvest in 2006 was almost 13% lower than rice production than in 2005.
References
This article presents independent calculations and insights based on statistics published on the International Rice Research Institute’s website.
