The U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission or USITC) today released a report on the competitiveness of the rice industries in the United States and other major producing and exporting countries.
The report, Rice: Global Competitiveness and Impacts on Trade and the U.S. Industry, was requested by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means (Committee) in a letter received on February 5, 2024. The Committee requested that the Commission conduct an investigation and produce a report that updates the findings of a USITC report on rice submitted to the Committee in 2015.
The new report, focused primarily on changes to the rice industry during from 2018 through 2023, provides information on recent developments in the rice industry in the United States, as well as Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Paraguay, Thailand, Uruguay and Vietnam. In addition, the report:
Compares the competitive strengths and weaknesses of the major exporters.
Provides a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the impact of government policies and programs on the U.S. rice industry and food security in developing countries.
Describes the effects of exports from major producing and exporting countries on the U.S. industry.
Major Findings of the Investigation
A small share of rice production is traded internationally, and rice exports are concentrated among a small number of exporters. India is the largest exporter. The United States supplies 1 percent of global production and 5 percent of global exports.
Rice is a staple food for more than half of the world’s population and plays an important cultural, economic and food security role for many countries. As a result, there is significant government intervention in the rice industry, including public stockholding, consumer and producer subsidies, policies that encourage production and trade policies.
Global events between 2018 and 2023 triggered price fluctuations in the rice industry. These events include:
The COVID-19 pandemic.
India’s export restrictions.
Spikes in transportation and input costs.
Climate- and weather-related disruptions such as droughts, floods and saltwater intrusion. Read More→
https://www.usitc.gov/press_room/news_release/2025/er0310_66637.htm
