China’s Rice Imports by Country

Previously the world’s most valuable importer of rice, the People’s Republic of China placed fifth in 2023 behind Indonesia, Philippines, Saudi Arabia and the United States of America.

Total rice imports by country cost China a total US$1.41 billion via international purchases from 10 rice-supplying trade partners during 2023.

That dollar amount results from a 12.3% increase from $1.25 billion five years earlier during 2019.

Year over year, the overall cost of rice imported into China plunged -46.3% compared to $2.62 billion in 2022.

Most of China’s rice imports originate from fellow Asian countries. The only exception among the leading suppliers in 2023 was Italy.

Top Providers of Chinese Imported Rice

Below are the countries that supplied 100% of the rice imported by China during 2023.

1. Vietnam: US$543.2 million (38.6% of China’s total rice imports)
2. Thailand: $298.4 million (21.2%)
3. Myanmar: $224.8 million (16%)
4. Cambodia: $145.4 million (10.3%)
5. India: $93.8 million (6.7%)
6. Pakistan: $80.6 million (5.7%)
7. Laos: $20 million (1.4%)
8. Japan: $1.1 million (0.1%)
9. Taiwan: $107,000 (0.01%)
10. Italy: $88,000 (0.006%)

Three of mainland China’s leading rice suppliers (Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar), collected roughly three-quarters (75.8%) of overall Chinese spending on imported rice for 2023.

The top 5 rice providers supplied 92.8% of Chinese imports of the staple food grain.

Those percentages also illustrate the high concentration for China’s cohort of rice suppliers.

Fastest-Growing Suppliers of China’s Rice Imports Versus Decliners

Chinese purchases of rice from its largest supplier, Vietnam, was the sole gainer compared to 2022 unsurprising given the overall average -46.3% drop which encompasses statistics for all of China’s rice suppliers.

1. Vietnam: Up 24.3% since 2022)
2. Cambodia: Down -19.7%
3. Laos: Down -21.8%
4. Myanmar: Down -28.5%
5. Thailand: Down -29%
6. Japan: Down -51.8%
7. Italy: Down -73.2%
8. Pakistan: Down -82.3%
9. India: Down -87.9%
10. Taiwan: Down -98.9%

 
The severest year-over-year reductions were recorded by rice suppliers in highly populated India and Pakistan as well as the politically sensitive Taiwan.

See also Rice Exports by Country, Rice Imports by Country, China’s Top 10 Exports and China’s Top Trading Partners

Research Sources
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on September 23, 2024

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 23, 2024

Wikipedia, Rice. Accessed on September 23, 2024