Total global rice consumption 2008/09-2023/24

Global consumption of rice has seen a slight increase over the last several years. In the 2022/23 crop year, about 520.4 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.