After ranking as the world's largest rice importer in 2022, China slipped to ninth place globally in 2024, trailing major rice-consuming markets such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the United States.

In 2024, China spent approximately US$920.7 million on rice imports, sourcing the grain from 10 overseas supplier countries. This figure represents a 36.9% decline compared with import spending of US$1.46 billion in 2020.

On a year-to-year basis, China's rice import value fell sharply by 34.6%, down from US$1.41 billion in 2023, reflecting a notable contraction in import demand.

The vast majority of China's imported rice continued to come from Asian exporters. Among the top suppliers, Italy was the only non-Asian source, accounting for just a marginal share of total imports.

Major Sources of Rice Imported into China

The following countries accounted for 100% of China's rice imports in 2024:

1. Thailand: US$294.6 million (32%)

2. Myanmar: US$267.4 million (29%)

3. Vietnam: US$165.1 million (17.9%)

4. Pakistan: US$73.6 million (8%)

5. Cambodia: US$64.1 million (7%)

6. India: US$30 million (3.3%)

7. Laos: US$24.7 million (2.7%)

8. Japan: US$560,000 (0.06%)

9. South Korea: US$329,000 (0.04%)

10. Italy: US$173,000 (0.02%)

Together, Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), and Vietnam supplied nearly 79% of China's total rice import value in 2024. Expanding the scope, the top five exporters accounted for 93.9% of China's rice imports, underscoring the high level of supplier concentration within Asia.

Fastest-Growing and Declining Rice Suppliers to China

Despite the overall contraction in China’s rice imports, a small number of suppliers recorded year-on-year growth in 2024:

· Italy: up 96.6%

· Laos: up 23.6%

· Myanmar: up 18.9%

Meanwhile, most major suppliers experienced declining export values to China:

· Thailand: down 1.3%

· Pakistan: down 8.6%

· Japan: down 50.7%

· Cambodia: down 55.9%

· India: down 68%

· Vietnam: down 69.6%

The steepest year-on-year reductions were seen among exporters from Vietnam, India, Cambodia, and Japan, reflecting both weaker demand and shifting sourcing patterns.

Leading Chinese Rice Importers in 2024

According to Tendata global trade data, the top Chinese rice-importing companies in 2024 were:

1. Xiamen C&D Commodities Limited – US$38.26 million (15.62%)

2. China SDIC International Trade Co., Ltd. – US$22.91 million (9.35%)

3. Jiangsu Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Import & Export Group Corp – US$18.93 million (7.73%)

4. Guangzhou Yuzhou Grain and Oil Trading Co., Ltd. – US$16.98 million (6.93%)

5. Yihai Fangchenggang Soybeans Industries Co., Ltd. – US$12.62 million (5.15%)

6. Zhejiang Grain Group Co., Ltd. – US$4.85 million (1.98%)

7. Gold Profit Industrial Group Limited – US$4.55 million (1.86%)

8. China Agri Trading HK Limited – US$4.43 million (1.81%)

9. Guangdong Lianghuicheng International Trade Co., Ltd. – US$3.82 million (1.56%)

10. Quan Yi Limited – US$3.72 million (1.52%)