International Markets

Canada
Canada shares the world’s longest international border with the United States and is a top market for U.S. rice. Canada does not produce any rice. It grows wild rice, which is not a true rice, but the seed of an aquatic grass. The majority of rice on store shelves that is consumed in Canada is grown in the U.S. Essentially, U.S.-grown rice is as local as it gets for Canadians.
Central America
China
“Have you eaten rice yet?” is a common Chinese expression used as a way to say hello. Per capita rice consumption in China is estimated at 221 pounds per year, nearly 10 times U.S. per capita consumption and one of the highest in the world. China is the largest importer of rice, bringing in over 5 million tons annually. The U.S. rice industry has been working for over a decade to gain access to the Chinese market and while progress has been made, we are not yet to the finish line.
Colombia
Rice is a staple in Colombia whose 50 million people have a high domestic consumption level of more than 1.6 million tons per year. Traditional dishes such as Bandeja Paisa (white rice, red beans, ground beef, plantain, sausage, fried pork skin, corn patty, avocado, and a fried egg) can be found on the table year-round.
Cuba
Cuba is a small Caribbean island 93 miles south of Key West, Florida with a population of over 11 million. Once the number one export market for U.S. rice, exports evaporated when the U.S. imposed an embargo against Cuba. Given their large consumption of rice at 190 lbs per capita annually, Cuba remains a large consumer of rice and will be a top market for U.S. rice once again.
Ghana
Haiti
Haiti is a beautiful mountainous country that makes up the Western third of the island once known as Hispaniola, sharing a border with the Dominican Republic. Haitians prefer to eat rice on a daily basis, consuming about 115 lbs annually per capita.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong produces no rice yet eats nearly 100 pounds per capita annually and thus is dependent upon imports. Hong Kong is a truly open market (like the U.S.!) with no quantitative or qualitative restrictions and no tariffs on imported rice.
Iraq
Japan
Japan is the United States’ second largest milled rice export market in terms of volume and first in terms of value. Many rice farmers in California grow varieties such as Koshihikari, Akitakomachi or sweet rice specifically for the Japanese market though the majority of imports are Calrose. Japan has recently subsidized super premium quality rice and rice for feed use for domestic Japanese farmers, resulting in an insufficient supply of reasonably priced rice favored by the foodservice industry. This provides a large opportunity for imported rice, such as U.S. rice.
Jordan
Jordan is the largest single Arab market for U.S. medium grain rice exports and continues to be a growth market. Jordan is one of the four driest countries in the world, making the country heavily reliant on food imports including rice. Rice is a staple and the average yearly consumption is estimated at 53 lbs. per capita, yet the country produces no rice. The most popular national dish, mansaff, uses U.S. medium grain rice.
Mexico
Mexico is the largest export market for U.S. rice and has been for years. In 1994 they entered into the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and the United States. Since then Mexico’s economy has grown exponentially. The country currently manages a $2.4 trillion economy, which is 11th largest in the world. Mexico’s population of nearly 125 million people is a critical component of U.S. trade.
Saudi Arabia
Rice is the main dish in Saudi Arabia and is usually served twice daily. Saudi Arabia is the Middle East’s second largest importer of long grain rice; they do not produce rice and thus depend entirely on imports. Rice is imported freely by private companies, with zero import duty and no import subsidies.
Singapore
South Korea
South Korea is a country of 51 million and is the second largest market for U.S. rice in Asia. Per capita consumption is estimated at 136 pounds per year but is declining. South Korea imported 152,000 MT of U.S. rice in 2017.
Taiwan
Taiwan has a population of 23.5 million and per capita rice consumption is estimated at 97.9 pounds per year. The U.S. is the largest rice supplier to Taiwan, accounting for about half of their imports. Taiwan has in recent years imported U.S. Calrose, Southern medium grain, long grain and glutinous rice from the U.S.
Turkey

Turkey grows rice; however, it is not enough to satisfy domestic demand which has been increasing over the past several years. Recently, there has been a good deal of uncertainty in the market due to the tense political and economic situation which has led to the rapid depreciation of the Turkish Lira against foreign currencies and an increase in interest rates.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is the single largest market for U.S. rice sales in the European Union, mostly importing U.S. long grain rice, as well as some medium grain rice for sushi. In 2017, the UK imported 678,000 MT of rice, with India being the largest single supplier, mostly Basmati rice. The USA is the eighth largest exporter with a 4 percent market share.
West Bank

Recent News

Person-holding-vintage-suitcase-with-international-flag-stickers — Packing it in -- 400 pages worth of U.S. trade barriers

Apr 01, 2025

WASHINGTON, DC – On Monday, March 31, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) published their 2025 National Trade Estimate (NTE) Report, an annual publication detailing foreign trade barriers faced by U.S. exporters. The 2025 NTE Report underscores the 2025 President’s Trade Policy Agenda, which USTR released on February 28, 2025.

Spanning nearly 400 pages, the report provides a comprehensive review of significant foreign barriers to U.S. exports of goods (including agriculture) and services, U.S. foreign direct investment, and U.S. electronic commerce in key export markets for the United States.

In October, USA Rice submitted comments to USTR that outline U.S. rice-specific barriers in markets throughout the globe in preparation for the 2025 NTE. USA Rice adjusts the annual submission each year as export situations continuously change. The USTR and sister agencies such as the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, State, and Treasury all review industry submissions and contribute to the comprehensive NTE report.

“We estimate that if all of our 2025 outlined trade barriers across all 14 markets we referenced were resolved, in time, it could result in nearly $500 million in additional export sales of U.S. rice,” said Karah Janevicius, USA Rice director of international trade policy. “Not only that, we further estimate that if India’s egregious rice-related policies and practices were eliminated, U.S. rice exports could increase by a minimum of $54 million annually.”

The NTE is instrumental in USTR negotiations to eliminate barriers when they engage in bilateral discussions with other countries. Last year, USTR broke past practice by limiting its scope to trade barriers that did not serve legitimate public policy interests, which drew criticism from business groups concerned about USTR leadership mainly on digital trade. This year, however, USTR addresses unfair and non-reciprocal practices from the largest export markets for the United States, covering nearly 60 trading partners.

Several of the USA Rice NTE submissions were highlighted in the comprehensive USTR report, including the Dominican Republic’s apparent violation of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), Honduras’s opaque and burdensome import licensing requirement, Panama’s resolution and auction of the 2025 milled rice quota allocation, and the continuing price ceilings and markups in Taiwan and Japan.

USTR also included mentions of longstanding trade distorting domestic support programs in India and China, on which USA Rice commented, encouraging action at the World Trade Organization. In all, USTR references rice 104 times throughout the report.

“It is encouraging to see USTR include current foreign policies that negatively impact the U.S. rice industry’s competitiveness in critical markets, such as the Dominican Republic,” said Janevicius. “The release of this report is timely, just as we prepare for the Trump Administration to launch their reciprocal tariffs action plan tomorrow, we are hopeful that USTR will utilize this report to begin taking enforcement actions to hold our trading partners accountable to their trade obligations. Only in this way will we see a restoration of fairness for our hardworking farmers, millers, merchants, and allied businesses here in the United States.”

Go here to access the 397-page report.