U.S. retail price of white rice 1995-2019

In 2019, the retail price of long-grain, uncooked white rice stood at 71 U.S. cents per pound. In 2008, rice prices rose to record highs, from 55 to 81 U.S. cents, as global trade restrictions were put in place, causing many large importers to panic buy rice.

U.S. rice industry

In the United States, about 2.5 million acres of rice were planted and harvested in 2019. The top rice-producing states that year were Arkansas, California, Louisiana, among others. Arkansas was the leading state by far, producing over 84 million cwt (centrum weight) of rice in 2019.

Leading rice producers worldwide

Within the 2018/2019 period, India and China were the top rice-producing countries by far, based on the area harvested. India harvested a milled rice area of approximately 44 and a half million hectares, while China’s area amounted to some 30 million hectares. In terms of production, however, China produced a higher volume of milled rice than India within the same crop year: China produced close to 150 million metric tons of rice, while India’s figures reached an estimated 116 million tons.