The overall value of rice imports from all buyer countries grew by an average 31% since 2019 when worldwide rice purchases cost $25.5 billion.
Year over year, globally imported rice flatlined via a -0.9% slowdown compared to $33.7 billion in international purchases during 2022.
The top 5 countries for importing rice are Indonesia, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, United States of America and mainland China. Combined, those 5 major rice buyers generated almost one quarter (23.4%) of worldwide demand for imported rice.
Applying a continental lens, Asian countries consumed the highest dollar worth of imported rice during 2023 with purchases valued at $15.7 billion or 46.9% of the global total. In second place were African importers at 22.6% while another 15% of worldwide rice imports was delivered to buyers in Europe.
Smaller percentages were accepted by importers in North America (7%), Latin America (6.8%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceanian countries (1.6%) led by Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix for rice is 1006.
Rice Imports by Country
Below are the 15 countries that imported the highest dollar value worth of rice during 2023.
- Indonesia: US$1.8 billion (5.4% of total rice imports)
- Philippines: $1.6 billion (4.9%)
- Saudi Arabia: $1.5 billion (4.6%)
- United States: $1.42 billion (4.3%)
- mainland China: $1.41 billion (4.2%)
- Iraq: $1.34 billion (4%)
- Malaysia: $819.8 million (2.5%)
- United Kingdom: $750 million (2.2%)
- Japan: $745.7 million (2.2%)
- Vietnam: $743.4 million (2.2%)
- Iran: $736.4 million (2.2%)
- Ivory Coast: $722.1 million (2.2%)
- France: $677.9 million (2%)
- United Arab Emirates: $670 million (2%)
- Benin: $652.8 million (2%)
The top 15 countries purchased 46.9% of all rice imported during 2023. Imported rice remains in demand from importing geographies located around the globe. (See the searchable list further down this article).
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing markets for rice since 2022 were: Indonesia (up 785.5%), Malaysia (up 34.6%), Philippines (up 28.4%) and the United Kingdom (up 24.3%).
Three major buyer countries recorded declines in their imported rice purchases namely Iran (down -64.2% from 2022), mainland China (down -46.3%) and Ivory Coast (down -10.8%).
Searchable List of Rice Importing Countries in 2023
The 100 countries showcased in the automated database account for 96.1% of the global spending on imported rice during 2023.
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns below.
| Rank | Importer | Rice Imports | 2022-3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Indonesia | $1,789,024,000 | +785.5% |
| 2. | Philippines | $1,635,577,000 | +28.4% |
| 3. | Saudi Arabia | $1,535,432,000 | +10.6% |
| 4. | United States | $1,422,519,000 | +1.2% |
| 5. | mainland China | $1,407,464,000 | -46.3% |
| 6. | Iraq | $1,339,434,000 | +20.4% |
| 7. | Malaysia | $819,849,000 | +34.6% |
| 8. | United Kingdom | $749,966,000 | +24.3% |
| 9. | Japan | $745,692,000 | +11.2% |
| 10. | Vietnam | $743,421,000 | +7.8% |
| 11. | Iran | $736,353,000 | -64.2% |
| 12. | Ivory Coast | $722,145,000 | -10.8% |
| 13. | France | $677,919,000 | +3.2% |
| 14. | United Arab Emirates | $670,007,000 | +22.7% |
| 15. | Benin | $652,788,000 | +2.8% |
| 16. | South Africa | $634,722,000 | +32.7% |
| 17. | Germany | $532,408,000 | +10.2% |
| 18. | Brazil | $529,371,000 | +51.2% |
| 19. | Belgium | $520,130,000 | -6.1% |
| 20. | Canada | $508,912,000 | +1.9% |
| 21. | Senegal | $498,016,000 | -10.6% |
| 22. | Türkiye | $485,078,000 | +65.5% |
| 23. | Netherlands | $483,170,000 | +14.8% |
| 24. | Yemen | $464,135,000 | +3.7% |
| 25. | Mexico | $414,814,000 | -3.7% |
| 26. | Kenya | $392,414,000 | +34.9% |
| 27. | Mozambique | $349,463,000 | +10.2% |
| 28. | Haiti | $340,198,000 | +34.1% |
| 29. | Guinea | $335,695,000 | +11.6% |
| 30. | Italy | $307,973,000 | -13.4% |
| 31. | Niger | $307,002,000 | -43.9% |
| 32. | Singapore | $306,883,000 | +28.1% |
| 33. | Ghana | $286,297,000 | -25.5% |
| 34. | Oman | $282,370,000 | +16.8% |
| 35. | Spain | $281,386,000 | +1.7% |
| 36. | Djibouti | $273,554,000 | +9% |
| 37. | South Korea | $259,371,000 | -42.9% |
| 38. | Jordan | $249,149,000 | -3.5% |
| 39. | Liberia | $239,912,000 | +14.9% |
| 40. | Hong Kong | $235,901,000 | -5% |
| 41. | Cameroon | $228,303,000 | -25% |
| 42. | Ethiopia | $226,033,000 | -50.2% |
| 43. | Somalia | $222,096,000 | -8.9% |
| 44. | Australia | $221,717,000 | -3.9% |
| 45. | Kuwait | $221,291,000 | -16% |
| 46. | Afghanistan | $215,284,000 | +18.9% |
| 47. | Nepal | $207,149,000 | -33.6% |
| 48. | Venezuela | $205,369,000 | -0.7% |
| 49. | Madagascar | $198,595,000 | -38.8% |
| 50. | Cuba | $180,478,000 | -38.9% |
| 51. | Zimbabwe | $173,102,000 | +11.9% |
| 52. | Portugal | $166,542,000 | +16.3% |
| 53. | Qatar | $166,196,000 | +15% |
| 54. | Costa Rica | $161,810,000 | +65.6% |
| 55. | Papua New Guinea | $158,931,000 | -0.8% |
| 56. | Bangladesh | $157,988,000 | -57.7% |
| 57. | Sierra Leone | $155,858,000 | -2.9% |
| 58. | Angola | $151,516,000 | -58.3% |
| 59. | Poland | $143,615,000 | +7.1% |
| 60. | Egypt | $138,813,000 | +29.9% |
| 61. | Algeria | $136,042,000 | +52% |
| 62. | Uganda | $125,031,000 | -14.4% |
| 63. | Chile | $122,170,000 | +21.5% |
| 64. | Israel | $121,939,000 | -8.8% |
| 65. | Burkina Faso | $120,418,000 | -12.8% |
| 66. | Sweden | $110,015,000 | +12.1% |
| 67. | Russia | $109,474,000 | -7.7% |
| 68. | Switzerland | $102,409,000 | +0.2% |
| 69. | Peru | $101,408,000 | +23.9% |
| 70. | Czech Republic | $97,024,000 | -11.5% |
| 71. | Panama | $92,176,000 | +176.1% |
| 72. | Colombia | $87,976,000 | -27.3% |
| 73. | Gabon | $87,894,000 | +44.8% |
| 74. | Taiwan | $86,813,000 | -1.1% |
| 75. | Honduras | $83,579,000 | 0% |
| 76. | Bahrain | $81,833,000 | +24.6% |
| 77. | Nicaragua | $81,173,000 | +38% |
| 78. | Syria | $80,265,000 | +28.7% |
| 79. | Tanzania | $79,350,000 | +168730 |
| 80. | Timor-Leste | $78,137,000 | +12.8% |
| 81. | North Korea | $76,810,000 | +131.3% |
| 82. | Austria | $71,475,000 | +26% |
| 83. | Togo | $70,890,000 | +25.8% |
| 84. | Guatemala | $68,207,000 | -13.3% |
| 85. | Democratic Rep. Congo | $64,543,000 | +26.8% |
| 86. | Sudan | $62,260,000 | +22.7% |
| 87. | New Zealand | $61,711,000 | +0.7% |
| 88. | Mauritius | $61,376,000 | -1.4% |
| 89. | Denmark | $60,821,000 | +22.5% |
| 90. | Romania | $56,815,000 | -33.4% |
| 91. | Ukraine | $56,440,000 | -17.3% |
| 92. | Bulgaria | $56,386,000 | -22.5% |
| 93. | Jamaica | $56,264,000 | -1.6% |
| 94. | El Salvador | $56,242,000 | +8.7% |
| 95. | Ireland | $55,265,000 | +27.7% |
| 96. | Morocco | $54,049,000 | +25.7% |
| 97. | Hungary | $53,768,000 | -5.5% |
| 98. | Gambia | $51,548,000 | +28.5% |
| 99. | Mali | $50,631,000 | -71.2% |
| 100. | Finland | $50,294,000 | +17.4% |
After expanding the scope of our analysis to the top 100 rice importers, there were 59 gainers from 2022 to 2023.
Increasing their spending on imported rice the most were Tanzania (up 168,730% since 2022), Indonesia (up 785.5%), Panama (up 176.1%) and North Korea (up 131.3%).
Year over year, the severest declines in imported rice purchases belonged to buyers in Mali (down -71.2% from 2022), Iran (down -64.2%), Angola (down -58.3%), Bangladesh (down -57.7%) then Ethiopia (down -50.2%).
Rice Imports into Indonesia
Below are the top suppliers from which Indonesia imported the highest dollar value worth of rice during 2023. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country compared to 2022.
- Thailand: US$804.8 million (up 1,725% from 2022)
- Vietnam: $668.9 million (up 1,475%)
- Pakistan: $182.3 million (up 408.7%)
- Myanmar: $88.8 million (up 5,910%)
- India: $35.5 million (down -54.3%)
- Cambodia: $8.4 million (2022 data unavailable)
- Japan: $155,000 (up 3.3%)
- mainland China: $143,000 (up 19.2%)
- Philippines: $15,000 (2022 data unavailable)
- Malaysia: $2,000 (2022 data unavailable)
By value, the listed countries shipped 100% of all Indonesian rice imports during 2023.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of rice to Indonesia since 2022 were: Myanmar (up 5,910%), Thailand (up 1,725%), Vietnam (up 1,475%) and Pakistan (up 408.7%).
Overall, the value of Indonesia’s rice imports accelerated by an average 785.5% from all supplying countries since 2022 when rice purchases were valued at $202 million.
Rice Imports into the Philippines
Below are the top suppliers from which the Philippines imported the highest dollar value worth of rice during 2023. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country compared to 2022.
- Vietnam: US$1.3 billion (up 25.3% from 2022)
- Thailand: $163.5 million (up 143.6%)
- Myanmar: $64.1 million (up 0.1%)
- Pakistan: $47.5 million (down -15.6%)
- India: $46.7 million (up 18.6%)
- mainland China: $36.1 million (up 34.7%)
- Cambodia: $1.6 million (2022 data unavailable)
- South Korea: $1.3 million (down -44.1%)
- Taiwan: $650,000 (2022 data unavailable)
- Japan: $407,000 (up 66.8%)
- Italy: $57,000 (up 850%)
- Spain: $1,000 (down -50%)
By value, the listed countries shipped 100% of rice imported by the Philippines in 2023.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of rice to the Philippines since 2022 were: Italy (up 850%), Thailand (up 143.6%), Japan (up 66.8%) and mainland China (up 34.7%).
Overall, the value of the Philippines’ rice imports increased by an average 28.4% from all supplying countries since 2022 when rice purchases were valued at $1.3 billion.
Rice Imports into the United States
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which the United States of America imported the highest dollar value worth of rice during 2023. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country compared to 2022.
- Thailand: US$733.7 million (down -6.9% from 2022)
- India: $378.5 million (up 5.8%)
- Pakistan: $60.7 million (up 37.6%)
- mainland China: $45 million (up 33.9%)
- Vietnam: $30.8 million (up 29.8%)
- Brazil: $30.7 million (up 25.4%)
- Italy: $23.6 million (up 19%)
- Canada: $20.9 million (up 31.9%)
- Australia: $20.3 million (down -17%)
- Argentina: $17 million (down -15.9%)
- Japan: $14.5 million (up 39.3%)
- South Korea: $10 million (up 174.9%)
- Spain: $7.8 million (down -49.9%)
- Taiwan: $6 million (up 515.3%)
- Uruguay: $4.5 million (up 39.1%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 98.7% of American rice imports in 2023.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of rice to the United States of America since 2022 were: Taiwan (up 515.3%), South Korea (up 174.9%), Japan (up 39.3%) and Uruguay (up 39.1%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their rice supplied to American importers included: Spain (down -49.9% from 2022), Australia (down -17%), Argentina (down -15.9%) and Thailand (down -6.9%).
Overall, the value of the United States’s rice imports flatlined via an average 1.2% gain from all supplying countries since 2022 when rice purchases were valued at $1.4 billion.
Rice Imports into China
Below are the top suppliers from which mainland China imported the highest dollar value worth of rice during 2023. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value garnered by each supplying country compared to 2022.
- Vietnam: US$543.2 million (up 24.3% from 2022)
- Thailand: $298.4 million (down -29%)
- Myanmar: $224.8 million (down -28.5%)
- Cambodia: $145.4 million (down -19.7%)
- India: $93.8 million (down -87.9%)
- Pakistan: $80.6 million (down -82.3%)
- Laos: $20 million (down -21.8%)
- Japan: $1.1 million (down -51.8%)
- Taiwan: $107,000 (down -98.9%)
- Italy: $88,000 (down -73.2%)
The listed countries shipped 100% of all Chinese rice imports for 2023.
Among the above countries, Vietnam was the sole growth supplier of rice to mainland China since 2022 benefiting from a 24.3% increase.
Overall, the value of China’s rice imports fell by an average -46.3% from all supplying countries since 2022 when rice purchases were valued at $2.6 billion.
See also Rice Exports by Country, China’s Rice Imports by Country, Saudi Arabia’s Top 10 Imports, Average Rice Prices Compared for Major Rice Export Countries, Best Tofu Exports by Sales, Average Unit Prices & Weight
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Imports – Commodities. Accessed on August 17, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 17, 2024
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on August 17, 2024