10 Countries That Produce the Most Rice in the World

Rice is one of the most important crops in the world, providing food and income for billions of people. Rice is grown in more than 100 countries, but some of them produce much more than others. In this article, we will look at the top 10 rice-producing countries in the world, based on the latest data from 2022.

China

China is the world’s largest rice producer, with an estimated output of 148.99 million tons in 2022. China has a long history of rice cultivation, dating back to ancient times. Rice is grown in almost every province of China, but the main regions are the Yangtze River basin, the Pearl River delta, and the Sichuan basin. China consumes most of its rice domestically, but also exports some to other Asian countries.

India

India is the second-largest rice producer in the world, with an estimated output of 129 million tons in 2022. India is also the largest exporter of rice in the world, accounting for about one-third of global trade. Rice is grown in many states of India, but the major ones are West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. Rice is a staple food for most Indians, especially in the south and east.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh is the third-largest rice producer in the world, with an estimated output of 35.85 million tons in 2022. Bangladesh is also one of the largest consumers of rice per capita, as it forms the basis of most meals. Rice is grown throughout the country, but the main areas are the Ganges delta, the Brahmaputra valley, and the Barind tract. Bangladesh relies on rice imports to meet its domestic demand, especially during natural disasters.

Indonesia

Indonesia is the fourth-largest rice producer in the world, with an estimated output of 34.4 million tons in 2022. Indonesia is also one of the largest consumers of rice per capita, as it is a staple food for most Indonesians. Rice is grown mainly on the islands of Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, and Bali. Indonesia aims to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production by increasing its yield and area.

Vietnam

Vietnam is the fifth-largest rice producer in the world, with an estimated output of 27.19 million tonnes in 2022. Vietnam is also the second-largest exporter of rice in the world, after India. Rice is grown mostly in the Mekong delta and the Red River delta, where irrigation and fertilization are widely used. Vietnam produces various types of rice, such as fragrant rice, glutinous rice, and jasmine rice.

Thailand

Thailand is the sixth-largest rice producer in the world, with an estimated output of 19.7 million tons in 2022. Thailand is also one of the leading exporters of rice in the world, especially high-quality varieties such as jasmine rice and hom mali rice. Rice is grown mainly in the central plains and the northeast region of Thailand, where rainfall and irrigation are abundant.

Myanmar

Myanmar is the seventh-largest rice producer in the world, with an estimated output of 12.6 million tons in 2022. Myanmar was once a major exporter of rice until political and economic turmoil reduced its production and trade. Rice is grown mostly in the Ayeyarwady delta and the central dry zone of Myanmar, where irrigation systems are being improved.

Philippines

The Philippines is the eighth-largest rice producer in the world, with an estimated output of 12.4 million tons in 2022. The Philippines is also one of the largest importers of rice in the world, as its domestic consumption exceeds its production. Rice is grown throughout the country, but mainly on Luzon Island and Mindanao Island. The Philippines aims to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production by increasing its yield and area.

Pakistan

Pakistan is the ninth-largest rice producer in the world, with an estimated output of 8.7 million tons in 2022. Pakistan is also a major exporter of rice, especially basmati rice and long-grain white rice. Rice is grown mainly in Punjab province and Sindh province, where irrigation from rivers and canals are available.

Japan

Japan is the tenth-largest rice producer in the world, with an estimated output of 7.56 million tons in 2022. Japan is also one of the largest consumers of rice per capita, as it is a traditional and cultural food for most Japanese people. Rice is grown mainly on Honshu Island and Kyushu Island, where terraced fields and modern technology are used.

Rice is a vital crop for many countries around the world, both as a source of food and income. The top 10 rice-producing countries account for more than 80% of the world’s rice production, and they have different characteristics and challenges in their rice sectors. By learning more about these countries, we can appreciate the diversity and importance of rice in the world.

Rice Production by Country: Trends and Implications

Rice is one of the most important staple foods in the world, especially in Asia, Africa and Latin America. It provides food security, income and livelihoods for billions of people. However, rice production is facing many challenges, such as climate change, water scarcity, pests and diseases, land degradation and market volatility. In this blog post, we will examine the trends and implications of rice production by country, using the latest statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and other sources.

Top 10 Rice Producers in 2021

According to the FAO, the world’s total paddy rice production in 2021 was estimated at 787.3 million tons, a slight increase from 784.8 million tons in 2020. The top 10 rice producers accounted for more than 80% of the global output. The following table shows the ranking of the top 10 rice producers in 2021, along with their production volumes and shares of the world total.

Rank	Country	Production (tons)	Share (%)
1	China	212,843,000	27.0
2	India	195,425,000	24.8
3	Bangladesh	56,944,554	7.2
4	Indonesia	54,415,294	6.9
5	Vietnam	43,852,729	5.6
6	Thailand	33,582,000	4.3
7	Myanmar	24,910,000	3.2
8	Philippines	19,960,170	2.5
9	Pakistan	13,984,009	1.8
10	Brazil	11,660,603	1.5

Source: FAO

Global Rice Consumption and Trade

The global rice consumption in 2021/22 was projected at 513.4 million tons of milled rice, an increase of 1.3% from the previous year. The growth in consumption was mainly driven by Asia, where rice is a staple food for most of the population. The per capita rice consumption in Asia was estimated at 85 kg per year, compared to the world average of 67 kg per year.

The global rice trade in 2021 was estimated at 47.4 million tons of milled rice, a decrease of 4% from the record high of 49.4 million tons in 2020. The decline in trade was mainly due to lower imports by China, Nigeria and Iran, as well as export restrictions imposed by some major exporters such as India and Vietnam due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The top five rice exporters in 2021 were India (16 million tons), Thailand (7 million tons), Vietnam (6.5 million tons), Pakistan (4 million tons) and Myanmar (3 million tons). The top five rice importers in 2021 were China (4 million tons), Nigeria (3 million tons), Philippines (2.8 million tons), Iran (2.5 million tons) and Indonesia (2 million tons).

Source: Statista

Future Outlook and Challenges

The future outlook for rice production is uncertain, as it depends on many factors such as climate change, population growth, urbanization, dietary changes and technological innovations. According to the FAO, the global demand for rice is expected to increase by about 1% per year until 2030, reaching about 570 million tons of milled rice. However, the supply of rice may not be able to keep up with the demand, as the area under rice cultivation is projected to decline by about 0.5% per year due to land conversion, water scarcity and environmental degradation.

To meet the future demand for rice, it is essential to improve the productivity and sustainability of rice production systems through research and development, extension and innovation, policy support and investment. Some of the key challenges that need to be addressed include:

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing resilience to climate change impacts such as droughts, floods and temperature extremes.
Improving water use efficiency and management to cope with water scarcity and pollution.
Enhancing soil health and fertility to prevent land degradation and erosion.
Controlling pests and diseases to reduce crop losses and minimize the use of pesticides.
Increasing the quality and diversity of rice varieties to meet the changing preferences and needs of consumers and markets.
Promoting value addition and processing to increase the income and livelihoods of rice farmers and processors.
Strengthening the institutional and policy frameworks to facilitate the coordination and collaboration among stakeholders in the rice sector.

Source: World Population Review

References:

https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL/visualize

https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_rice_production

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/rice-production-by-country

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/03/visualizing-the-world-s-biggest-rice-producers/