Mexico led the ranking of the largest importers of rice from the United States in 2024, displacing Japan.
Imports of US rice to the Mexican market grew at an annual rate of 59% in 2024, to US$443 million.
In contrast, Japanese imports of this grain fell 29% to $296 million.
Largest importers of rice
According to data from the Department of Commerce, these Mexican purchases broke records in 2024, both in terms of value and as a proportion of total US rice exports, with a share of 18.2%.
In Mexico, rice accompanies stews such as mole, chicken, or seafood, and appears in desserts such as rice pudding. In Japan, it is the basis for sushi, donburi, onigiri, and as a side dish in soups or steamed dishes.
Worldwide, U.S. rice exports totaled $2.44 billion in 2024, an increase of 21% over 2023.
Other relevant markets for shipments of this product from the United States were Haiti ($268 million), South Korea ($199 million), Canada ($187 million), and Saudi Arabia ($128 million).
The following are Mexican imports of rice originating in the United States, in millions of dollars:
- 2018: 268.
- 2019: 278.
- 2020: 245.
- 2021: 306.
- 2022: 219.
- 2023: 278.
- 2024: 443
Global market
Rice is a staple food in Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, with growing consumption in Africa.
The FAO and the OECD predict that global consumption will increase by 1% annually, driven by 69% in Asia due to population growth.
As a result, global per capita consumption would rise by 0.8 kg, mainly in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
According to both sources, global production will grow by 61 Mt and reach 598 Mt in 2034, thanks to yield improvements in low- and lower-middle-income countries. India will lead with 41% of the increase, followed by Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. China will grow by 0.11% annually, with higher yields and less harvested area.
The reduction in China and Brazil will be offset by increases in Africa and Asia, while in upper-middle-income and high-income countries the increase will be marginal.