Top Rice Importing Countries in the World (2025 Rankings)

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Rice is a staple food for billions of people across the globe, but not every country can produce enough to meet domestic demand. Many nations rely heavily on imports to ensure food security and maintain stable supply chains. This article explores the top rice importing countries in the world in 2025, based on the latest available trade data. These rankings offer insight into consumption trends, agricultural limitations, and regional dependencies on the global rice trade.

Global Rice Import Overview

In 2025, the total global rice import volume has reached an all-time high of approximately 95.3 million tonnes.
This significant rise is driven by growing populations, urbanization, and shifting dietary preferences—especially in countries that lack the climatic or geographic conditions to produce rice efficiently. Global rice trade plays a crucial role in feeding nations that are resource-constrained or face climate variability, and the demand is expected to keep rising in many regions, especially Africa and the Middle East.

Top 10 Rice Importing Countries (by Quantity)

  1. China – 9,187,000 tonnes
  2. Belgium – 6,751,000 tonnes
  3. Philippines – 4,861,000 tonnes
  4. Iraq – 3,195,000 tonnes
  5. Ivory Coast – 2,600,000 tonnes
  6. Benin – 2,354,000 tonnes
  7. Senegal – 2,221,000 tonnes
  8. Malaysia – 2,002,000 tonnes
  9. Iran – 1,998,000 tonnes
  10. Mozambique – 1,989,000 tonnes

China, despite being the largest rice producer in the world, also tops the import chart due to high domestic consumption, regional shortfalls, and a preference for specific rice varieties not widely grown domestically. Belgium appears high on the list primarily due to re-export activities and its role as a logistical hub within Europe.

The Philippines, which struggles with domestic rice production constraints like typhoons, land shortages, and rising demand, is the third-largest importer. Iraq, Iran, and many West African nations such as Ivory Coast, Benin, and Senegal depend on rice imports to supplement local production and ensure price stability. Malaysia and Mozambique round out the top 10, reflecting the grain’s critical importance in their national diets.

Rice Import by Country (FAOSTAT 2023)

# Country Import Quantity (Tonnes)
1China9,187,000
2Belgium6,751,000
3Philippines4,861,000
4Iraq3,195,000
5Ivory Coast2,600,000
6Benin2,354,000
7Senegal2,221,000
8Malaysia2,002,000
9Iran1,998,000
10Mozambique1,989,000
11Cuba1,954,000
12Netherlands1,905,000
13Saudi Arabia1,881,000
14United States1,841,000
15United Kingdom1,642,000
16Niger1,604,000
17South Africa1,597,000
18Guinea1,404,000
19Ethiopia1,363,000
20Bangladesh1,295,000
21Cameroon1,261,000
22Brazil1,181,000
23Djibouti1,179,000
24Sri Lanka1,175,000
25Nepal1,123,000
26Madagascar1,113,000
27Vietnam1,075,000
28Burkina Faso1,074,000
29Kenya1,074,000
30United Arab Emirates1,018,000
31Yemen969,000
32Japan967,000
33France961,000
34Somalia928,000
35Mexico894,000
36Canada859,000
37Angola816,000
38Ghana812,000
39Germany797,000
40Turkey794,000
41Afghanistan777,000
42Sierra Leone757,000
43Togo702,000
44Indonesia691,000
45Papua New Guinea690,000
46Gambia682,000
47South Korea673,000
48Spain649,000
49Haiti616,000
50Italy603,000
51Liberia593,000
52Venezuela575,000
53Timor-Leste553,000
54Poland468,000
55DR Congo453,000
56Hong Kong448,000
57Australia406,000
58Oman399,000
59Uganda393,000
60Rwanda382,000
61Russia366,000
62Zimbabwe353,000
63Mali345,000
64Czechia344,000
65Egypt310,000
66Chile305,000
67Kuwait296,000
68Israel290,000
69Portugal289,000
70Colombia278,000
71Algeria265,000
72Congo253,000
73Qatar252,000
74Costa Rica233,000
75Honduras220,000
76Comoros188,000
77Romania182,000
78Bulgaria179,000
79Taiwan178,000
80Sudan178,000
81Mauritius175,000
82Guatemala173,000
83Peru172,000
84Mauritania157,000
85Syria145,000
86Bhutan143,000
87Sweden135,000
88Tanzania135,000
89Ukraine132,000
90El Salvador129,000
91Nicaragua128,000
92Jamaica124,000
93Switzerland111,000
94Austria105,000
95Libya100,000
96Bahrain98,000
97Laos95,000
98Denmark88,000
99Botswana86,000
100Finland85,000
101Morocco85,000
102New Zealand85,000
103Mongolia80,000
104Hungary76,000
105Ireland74,000
106Guinea-Bissau73,000
107Azerbaijan72,000
108Panama70,000
109Thailand68,000
110Gabon67,000
111Solomon Islands67,000
112Eswatini60,000
113Cabo Verde56,000
114Fiji56,000
115Namibia53,000
116Norway52,000
117Trinidad and Tobago52,000
118Zambia52,000
119Lithuania50,000
120Slovakia48,000
121Tajikistan48,000
122Greece45,000
123Maldives45,000
124Albania39,000
125Dominican Republic36,000
126Vanuatu35,000
127Slovenia33,000
128Central African Republic30,000
129Lesotho30,000
130Tunisia30,000
131Burundi26,000
132Armenia22,000
133Kazakhstan20,000
134Croatia19,000
135India18,000
136Moldova18,000
137Chad17,000
138Georgia17,000
139Myanmar17,000
140Bahamas15,000
141Kyrgyzstan15,000
142Nigeria15,000
143Sao Tome and Principe15,000
144Samoa14,000
145Cyprus13,000
146Turkmenistan13,000
147Bolivia12,000
148Bosnia and Herzegovina12,000
149Pakistan12,000
150Serbia12,000
151Cambodia11,000
152Uzbekistan11,000
153Seychelles10,000
154Micronesia9,000
155South Sudan9,000
156Saint Vincent and the Grenadines8,000
157Estonia7,000
158Malta7,000
159New Caledonia7,000
160Barbados6,000
161Luxembourg6,000
162Marshall Islands6,000
163Saint Lucia5,000
164Grenada4,000
165Iceland3,000
166Montenegro3,000
167Antigua and Barbuda2,000
168Argentina2,000
169Paraguay2,000
170Belarus1,000
171Macao1,000
172Dominica1,000
173Ecuador1,000
174Latvia1,000
175Malawi1,000
176Nauru1,000
177Saint Kitts and Nevis1,000
178Suriname1,000
179Tonga1,000
180Tuvalu1,000

Beyond the top 10, countries like Saudi Arabia, Japan, United States, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Nepal also import substantial volumes of rice. These nations often have high per capita consumption, rapid urbanization, or limited rice-growing capacity. Several smaller or landlocked countries—including Djibouti, Sierra Leone, and Burkina Faso—rely heavily on rice imports to support basic food needs due to geographic limitations or weak agricultural infrastructure.

Global Rice Import Trends Over the Years

The global rice import volume has grown steadily from 49.5 million tonnes in 2010 to over 95 million tonnes in 2022. The surge is especially pronounced from 2020 onward, largely due to rising global food demand, economic recovery from the pandemic, and stockpiling by food-insecure nations. The rise also reflects increased climate unpredictability in traditionally rice-producing countries, making imports a necessary safeguard. This trend underscores how integral international trade is to maintaining global food stability.

Rice Import Dependency and Food Security

Rice-importing nations are particularly vulnerable to price shocks, supply disruptions, and export bans from producing countries. Therefore, many governments are investing in strategic grain reserves, long-term contracts with exporters, and domestic yield improvements. However, full self-sufficiency is not always feasible, especially in arid or highly urbanized regions. Import dependency highlights the fragility and interdependence of the global food system, making transparent and stable trade policies essential.

Rice imports are essential for feeding billions in countries with limited agricultural capacity. In 2025, China, Belgium, and the Philippines lead the world in rice imports, followed closely by several African and Middle Eastern countries. The rising trend in global rice trade signals both growing demand and the challenges of domestic self-sufficiency. As food security becomes an ever-pressing issue, managing import flows and fostering sustainable trade partnerships will remain a top priority for governments worldwide.

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