Which Are the Top Rice Importing Countries in 2026?

Key Takeaways

• Tanzania, the Philippines and Vietnam topped rice importing countries from January to July 2026, receiving US$7.10 billion, US$4.15 billion and US$609.72 million of tracked rice shipments respectively, according to yTrade HS 1006 import data.
• The Philippines recorded the largest shipment count at 13,210 consignments, or 12.61% of tracked volume, edging Ghana at 12,883, which points to frequent, smaller cargoes rather than bulk buying.
• Semi-milled and wholly milled rice under HS 100630 anchored the trade at US$13.76 billion, or 91.52% of tracked weight, far ahead of any other rice product line.

yTrade records each rice shipment at the bill-of-lading level, so the destination, product and supplier figures below reflect actual customs-logged cargo. Access the yTrade platform to reveal the underlying records.

Which Are the Top Rice Importing Countries in 2026?

The top rice importing countries by destination value from January to July 2026 were Tanzania at US$7.10 billion (47.24%), the Philippines at US$4.15 billion (27.60%) and Vietnam at US$609.72 million, based on yTrade HS 1006 import records. Two destinations, Tanzania and the Philippines, accounted for nearly three-quarters of tracked value over the period.

• Tanzania: US$7.10 billion (47.24% of value) — the largest destination by value, with a high value-per-shipment reading across only 821 consignments
• Philippines: US$4.15 billion (27.60% of value) — the second-largest destination and the highest shipment count at 13,210, reflecting record 2026 import demand
• Vietnam: US$609.72 million (4.06% of value) — a rising importer despite its export strength, drawing heavily on Cambodian supply
• Pakistan: US$398.70 million (2.65% of value) — a net exporter that still imports specific grades, shown here as a destination
• India: US$390.33 million (2.60% of value) — the world's largest rice exporter, appearing as a destination for select imported rice types

#	Country	Value (US$)	No. of Buyers	Shipments
1	Tanzania	7,100,984,215.78	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data
2	Philippines	4,149,488,880.98	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data
3	Vietnam	609,721,780.10	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data
4	Pakistan	398,701,553.14	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data
5	India	390,334,727.42	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data
6	Mexico	382,567,913.45	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data
7	Kenya	310,880,952.31	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data
8	Bangladesh	259,940,268.36	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data
9	Ghana	199,831,123.19	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data
10	United Arab Emirates	152,626,516.05	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data

Source: yTrade Global Trade Data Platform - HS 1006 - January–July 2026.

Top #1 Rice Importing Country: Tanzania — US$7.1 Billion

Tanzania stands out among rice importing countries because domestic demand has outpaced local supply, even as the country works to lift its own harvests. Improved rice seed varieties are being introduced to boost yields and cut risk for Tanzanian farmers, according to a national census simulation reported by Bioengineer, which signals a longer-term push toward domestic production.

African demand is the wider force behind Tanzania's position. The USDA projects global rice trade to reach a record 63.1 million tonnes in 2026/27, supported by strong demand across Asia and Africa, which places East African buyers such as Tanzania at the centre of new import flows.

• Global rice trade is forecast at a record 63.1 million tonnes in 2026/27: its third consecutive annual increase, on Asian and African demand.
• Improved seed varieties target higher Tanzanian yields: a national census simulation shows new seeds raising farm output and cutting risk.
• African import demand anchors new trade flows: strong consumption across the continent underpins Tanzania's position among leading destinations.

Top #2 Rice Importing Country: Philippines — US$4.1 Billion

The Philippines ranks second by rice imports by country value and holds the largest shipment count in the dataset, consistent with its standing as the largest rice importer worldwide in 2026. The country posted record rice imports in the first half of 2026 as domestic output lagged demand, according to Vietnam Plus.

Which country imports the most rice comes down to the Philippines, and its product preference is changing at the same time. The Philippines plans to import a higher percentage of broken rice amid a global uptick, according to the Philippine Star, which alters the grade profile flowing through Manila and reshapes what suppliers ship into the country.

• The Philippines posted record rice imports in the first half of 2026: as domestic production trailed consumption.
• Broken rice takes a larger share of Philippine imports: the country plans to raise its broken-rice intake amid a global uptick,.
• The Philippines is the biggest rice importer in the world: as the largest rice importer, its population and food demand keep it atop global import projections.

Top #3 Rice Importing Country: Vietnam — US$610 Million

Vietnam appears among rice importing countries despite ranking as one of the world's leading exporters, because it buys lower-cost grades to free up its own premium rice for export. Vietnam spent US$800 million on rice imports in the first seven months of 2026, according to Vietnamnet, a figure that surprised many observers given the country's export reputation.

Cambodian supply accounts for most of this trade. USDA data shows Vietnamese imports hitting record levels in 2026/27, primarily through rice trade with Cambodia, according to Bao Nghe An, as Vietnamese buyers source cheaper paddy and broken rice for processing and animal feed while exporting higher-value milled rice.

• Vietnam spent US$800 million on rice imports in seven months of 2026: an unexpected total for a leading exporter.
• Vietnamese imports are forecast at record levels in 2026/27: driven primarily by cross-border trade with Cambodia.
• Import buying frees premium rice for export: Vietnam sources cheaper grades to process while shipping higher-value milled rice abroad.

Top #4 Rice Importing Country: Pakistan — US$399 Million

Pakistan ranks fourth by destination value in this dataset even though it stands among the world's largest rice exporters, which signals re-export and processing flows rather than consumption. The country exports over 4.5 million tonnes of rice a year, led by basmati and IRRI-6, so inbound shipments point to trading and milling activity.

In fact, the country sources rice through land borders such as Afghanistan and moves broken and husked grades for processing, from the US Department of Agriculture, which places lower-value grades inside its tracked import total alongside its far larger export trade.

• Pakistan exports over 4.5 million tonnes of rice a year: mainly basmati and IRRI-6, which frames inbound flows as trading rather than consumption, from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics
• Non-basmati makes up over 85% of Pakistan's rice volume: the bulk commodity segment that moves through its ports and borders, from Pakistan Rice export statistics
• Land-border and broken-grade flows add to imports: cross-border movement with neighbours channels lower-value rice into Pakistan for processing, from USDA data

Top #5 Rice Importing Country: India — US$390 Million

India ranks fifth by destination value despite being the world's largest rice exporter, which marks these flows as re-export, seed and specialty movement rather than food demand. India holds over 30% of global rice trade and exported US$5.62 billion of rice in 2025/26, so inbound tonnage runs far below what it ships out.

India removed the floor price on basmati and relaxed curbs on other varieties, reshaping premium-grade trade across the region, which moves specialty and processing-grade rice through Indian ports in both directions.

• India holds over 30% of global rice exports: at US$5.62 billion in 2025/26, so its import total reflects trade flows rather than food demand.
• India overtook Burma as China's top broken-rice supplier in 2026: on larger exportable supplies, which underlines its export dominance.
• Policy changes drive India's grain movement: the removal of basmati floor prices and eased curbs reshaped premium-grade flows.

Reveal rice trade flows into any destination and study buyer demand with yTrade's trade activity intelligence *across 5B+ shipment records today!*

What Are Major Rice Importing Types in 2026?

Semi-milled and wholly milled rice under HS 100630 led rice import trade at US$13.76 billion, or 91.52% of tracked weight, from January to July 2026, according to yTrade global trade data. Rice in the husk under HS 100610 followed at US$1.00 billion, while broken rice under HS 100640 added US$266.49 million. Below are top rice imported types globally in the first 7 months

• HS 100630, semi-milled or wholly milled rice: US$13.76 billion (91.52% of weight) — the dominant traded grade, ready for retail and foodservice
• HS 100610, rice in the husk (paddy): US$1.00 billion (6.65% of weight) — unprocessed paddy for milling at destination
• HS 100640, broken rice: US$266.49 million (1.77% of weight) — lower-cost grade for processing, feed and price-sensitive markets
• HS 100620, husked (brown) rice: US$7.64 million (0.05% of weight) — partially processed brown rice for health and specialty channels

#	HS Code	Product	Value (US$)
1	100630	Rice, semi-milled or wholly milled	13,758,504,210.82
2	100610	Rice in the husk (paddy or rough)	1,000,066,609.96
3	100640	Broken rice	266,491,820.73
4	100620	Husked (brown) rice	7,641,409.99

Source: yTrade Global Trade Data Platform - HS 1006 - January–July 2026.

Who Are the Top Rice Suppliers Globally in 2026?

The leading verified rice suppliers on yTrade shipping to these destinations include Eng Cheng Import Export and Choeut Heam Import Export of Cambodia, alongside Tastic Rice Corporation of South Africa, according to yTrade supplier records, these are verified counterparties on the yTrade platform

#	Top Suppliers	Country of Origin	Shipments
1	Eng Cheng Import Export Co., Ltd	Cambodia	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data
2	Choeut Heam Import Export Co., Ltd	Cambodia	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data
3	Nairobi Market	Kenya	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data
4	Tastic Rice Corporation	South Africa	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data
5	MPRS Shipping and Logistics Pvt Ltd	India	🔒 Unlock yTrade Data

Source: yTrade Global Trade Data Platform - HS 1006 - January–July 2026.

Cambodian firms top the list on a fast-growing export route, as Cambodia expands shipments on large inventories to meet Vietnamese demand, while origin diversity widens with new supply from Nigeria, Vietnam and Indonesia offsetting a decline in Indian exports.

The wider market is expanding fast, with global rice trade forecast at a record 63.1 million tonnes for 2026/27, driven by Asian and African demand. The Philippines, Indonesia and Nigeria import by structural necessity, while China, Vietnam and Iraq buy to fill specific quality or price needs, which splits suppliers between steady contracts and spot deals.

Africa is the growth region to watch, with Sub-Saharan imports forecast at a record 19.3 million tonnes in 2026/27, led by Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Senegal. Prices are falling even as tonnage sets records, so suppliers ship more rice for less revenue, which is why value-based and volume-based rankings of importing countries diverge.\

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Conclusion

Rice importing countries in 2026 were led by Tanzania at US$7.10 billion, the Philippines at US$4.15 billion and Vietnam at US$609.72 million, with milled rice under HS 100630 carrying more than 91% of tracked weight. Which country imports the most rice depends on the measure, since African and Southeast Asian demand explains this value ranking, most visibly in the Philippines' record import pace and Vietnam's unexpected US$800 million import bill.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the biggest importer of rice in the world?

The Philippines is the biggest rice importer in the world, according to USDA forecasts cited by Bao Nghe An, driven by a growing population and rising food demand. In the yTrade HS 1006 dataset, the Philippines ranks second by destination value at US$4.15 billion but first by shipment count at 13,210 consignments.

Which countries import the most rice?

The Philippines, Nigeria, China, Saudi Arabia and Iran rank among the largest rice importers globally, according to USDA and market data. In yTrade's HS 1006 destination records for 2026, Tanzania, the Philippines and Vietnam ranked highest by value, reflecting strong African and Southeast Asian demand across the tracked shipments.

Which countries export the most rice?

India is the world's largest rice exporter at about 25 million tonnes, or 40% of global trade, followed by Thailand, Vietnam and Pakistan, according to USDA data cited by Bao Nghe An. These leading exporters supply most of the rice reaching the top rice importing countries across Asia and Africa.