Rice Consumption Per Capita by Country (2025 Rankings)

Rice is more than just a staple food—it is a cultural cornerstone in many countries, forming the base of meals across Asia, Africa, and parts of Latin America. While total rice consumption highlights the largest consumer nations, per capita rice consumption reveals how deeply rice is embedded in a country’s daily diet. In this article, we explore the top rice-consuming countries per person, using 2025 data to understand which populations rely on rice the most in their everyday lives.

Global Per Capita Rice Consumption Overview

In 2025, the average global rice consumption per person is approximately 80.5 kilograms per year.
This number varies dramatically across regions. In Southeast Asia and parts of Africa, rice is consumed in much higher quantities due to cultural norms, limited dietary diversity, and the grain’s affordability and availability. In contrast, rice plays a smaller role in the diets of Western countries, where other grains like wheat dominate. High per capita consumption often correlates with low-income countries where rice is the primary calorie source.

Top 10 Countries with Highest Rice Consumption Per Person

Here are the top 10 countries with the highest per capita rice consumption:

Myanmar leads the world in per capita rice consumption, with the average person consuming nearly 279 kg of rice annually. That’s over three times the global average. Countries like Comoros and Gambia, despite their small size, also rank high due to their limited dietary variety and heavy reliance on rice as the staple grain.

Cambodia, Bangladesh, and Vietnam continue the Southeast Asian dominance in rice intake. In these nations, rice forms the foundation of nearly every meal. Even in times of economic strain, rice remains affordable and widely accessible, making it crucial to food security.

Other entries in the top 10 include Laos, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia—all nations where rice not only satisfies nutritional needs but also holds cultural, spiritual, and economic importance. With over 180 kg per person annually in many of these countries, rice is as essential as water and salt in daily cooking.

Rice Consumption Per Capita by Country (FAOSTAT 2023)

Global Trends in Per Capita Rice Consumption

Over the past decade, global per capita rice consumption has remained relatively stable, fluctuating between 79 and 83 kg per person per year. However, shifts are noticeable:

• Urbanization and westernized diets in countries like China, South Korea, and Japan have slightly reduced individual rice intake.
• Emerging economies in Africa are increasing their per capita consumption, as rice replaces traditional grains like millet and sorghum.
• Climate change and economic instability can affect rice affordability, causing per capita numbers to fluctuate locally even as global averages stay constant.

Why Per Capita Data Matters

Looking at per capita consumption paints a very different picture than total consumption. While countries like the U.S. and China consume massive quantities of rice overall, their per capita figures are far lower due to population size and dietary diversity. Per capita data helps identify where rice is a vital daily necessity, where nutritional programs must prioritize rice availability, and where overreliance on a single staple might pose health or food security risks.

Rice continues to serve as the primary source of calories and nutrition in many parts of the world. In 2025, countries like Myanmar, Comoros, Gambia, and Cambodia demonstrate the highest per person consumption levels, revealing a strong dependence on this versatile grain. Understanding per capita trends is crucial for shaping agricultural policies, food aid strategies, and sustainable consumption patterns for the future.

Explore More Rice-Related Insights

• Top Rice Producing Countries in the World
• Rice Production Per Capita by Country
• Top Rice Consuming Countries in the World
• Least Rice Consuming Countries (Lowest Rankings)
• Top Rice Exporting Countries in the World
• Top Rice Importing Countries in the World

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Source

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.