Global consumption of rice has seen a slight increase over the last several years. In the 2023/24 crop year, about 523.8 million metric tons of rice were consumed worldwide, up from 437.18 million metric tons in the 2008/2009 crop year.
Rice cultivation
Rice requires specific growing conditions to be successfully cultivated. It must be grown in a flooded field in several inches of water. Once the unprocessed rice is harvested, it is known as paddy rice. In 2021, China produced about 213 million metric tons of paddy rice, making that country the top producer of paddy rice worldwide. India had the largest harvest area of rice in the 2022/23 crop year, at 47.8 million hectares, while China harvested 29.5 million hectares of rice in that year.
Rice trade worldwide
In addition to having the largest harvest area of rice, India also was the top exporter of rice in the 2023/2024 marketing year. During that time period, India exported 16.5 million metric tons of rice. Despite being the top producer of rice worldwide, China’s consumption of rice cannot be satisfied by domestic production. China is also the second top importer of rice of any country in the world, at 2.8 million metric tons of rice.
Total rice consumption worldwide from 2008/2009 to 2024/2025 (in 1,000 metric tons)*
Characteristic
Consumption in thousand metric tons
2024/2025**
530,239
2023/2024
523,775
2022/2023
520,264
2021/2022
518,598
2020/2021
503,463
2019/2020
493,232
2018/2019
485,064
2017/2018
481,678
2016/2017
483,817
2015/2016
468,862
2014/2015
474,845
2013/2014
473,878
2012/2013
462,623
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Consumption in thousand metric tons2008/20092009/20102010/20112011/20122012/20132013/20142014/20152015/20162016/20172017/20182018/20192019/20202020/20212021/20222022/20232023/20242024/2025**
0100,000200,000300,000400,000500,000600,000
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* All data are reported on a milled basis. Residual included. Based on local marketing years. ** Forecast as of January 2025. Data prior to 2020/21 were taken from previous publications of the report.
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US Department of Agriculture. (January 19, 2025). Total rice consumption worldwide from 2008/2009 to 2024/2025 (in 1,000 metric tons)* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved February 21, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/255977/total-global-rice-consumption/
US Department of Agriculture. "Total rice consumption worldwide from 2008/2009 to 2024/2025 (in 1,000 metric tons)*." Chart. January 19, 2025. Statista. Accessed February 21, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/255977/total-global-rice-consumption/
US Department of Agriculture. (2025). Total rice consumption worldwide from 2008/2009 to 2024/2025 (in 1,000 metric tons)*. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: February 21, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/255977/total-global-rice-consumption/
US Department of Agriculture. "Total Rice Consumption Worldwide from 2008/2009 to 2024/2025 (in 1,000 Metric Tons)*." Statista, Statista Inc., 19 Jan 2025, https://www.statista.com/statistics/255977/total-global-rice-consumption/
US Department of Agriculture, Total rice consumption worldwide from 2008/2009 to 2024/2025 (in 1,000 metric tons)* Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/255977/total-global-rice-consumption/ (last visited February 21, 2025)
Total rice consumption worldwide from 2008/2009 to 2024/2025 (in 1,000 metric tons)* [Graph], US Department of Agriculture, January 19, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/255977/total-global-rice-consumption/
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