How reliant is the world on Indian rice exports?
Global rice prices are at their highest levels in 15 years, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The surge follows India’s announcement on July 20 that it would cease the export of non-basmati white rice with immediate effect. The decision came just days after Russia halted participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, causing global food commodity prices to rise.
ndia will export an estimated 20.5 million tonnes of milled rice this year, almost 2.5 times that of the second largest exporter, Thailand with 8.5 million tonnes. Thailand is followed by Vietnam (7.9 million tonnes), Pakistan (3.6 million tonnes) and the United States (2.1 million tonnes).
India has dominated rice exports over the past decade due in part to low local prices and high domestic stocks, which allows the country to offer rice at discounts.
The animation below shows the world’s top rice exporters from 2001 to 2023: