Which 10 Countries Consume the Most Rice?

Rice sits on the daily table of billions of people, but the eating is far from even. Two giants take the biggest share, and a handful of Asian nations plus two outliers fill out the rest. So which countries consume the most rice, and why? Let’s break it down with the latest USDA reports and public rankings. We also point out where the sources disagree, because they do.

Quick Answer: Top 10 Rice-Consuming Countries

Here is the ranking by total yearly consumption, using 2023 totals from World Population Review:

1. China: about 185 million metric tons
2. India: about 145.4 million metric tons
3. Indonesia: about 52.3 million metric tons
4. Bangladesh: about 43 million metric tons
5. Philippines: about 23 million metric tons
6. Vietnam: about 22.1 million metric tons
7. Myanmar: about 14.7 million metric tons
8. Thailand: about 12.4 million metric tons
9. Brazil: about 7.8 million metric tons
10. Nigeria: about 7.6 million metric tons

These totals come from a public compilation, so treat them as close estimates. USDA counts rice a different way, and its figures run lower for several countries. The next section shows why.

How Rice Consumption Gets Measured

Rice data looks simple until you put two sources side by side. Here is why the numbers shift:

• Milled versus paddy. USDA reports milled rice, which is the grain after the husk and bran come off. Raw paddy weighs more, so paddy totals look bigger.
• Residual use. USDA’s consumption figure includes a residual component that covers post-harvest losses.
• Marketing years. USDA tracks marketing years, so a “2025/26” figure does not line up with a calendar year.

The gap is real. In its May 2025 outlook, USDA projected India’s consumption at a record 125.0 million tons and called India the second-largest rice consumer. World Population Review lists 145.4 million tons. Both put India second. USDA also ranks Bangladesh above Indonesia, with Indonesia at 35.3 million tons in its August 2025 forecast. Those two countries trade places depending on the source.

At the global level, USDA’s September 2026 outlook puts world consumption at 534.4 million metric tons for 2025/26. It forecasts 539.6 million for 2026/27.

Why These Countries Consume the Most Rice

Population explains volume. China and India hold the two largest populations on earth, so even modest daily portions add up to huge totals. Culture explains dependence. In Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Vietnam, rice anchors almost every meal, and per-person intake runs roughly double the levels in China or India. Climate helps too. Rice grows well in warm, wet conditions, and most countries on this list have plenty of both.

Rice Consumption by Country: The Full Top 10

1. China: The Largest Rice Eater by Volume

China consumes about 185 million metric tons a year, and USDA’s own ranking also puts it first. Each person eats roughly 130 kilograms annually, well below Southeast Asian levels. Population creates the volume, not appetite. China also grows a lot of rice. USDA estimates its 2025/26 crop at 146 million metric tons, which keeps it close behind India as a producer.

2. India: Record Demand and Record Stocks

India eats about 145.4 million metric tons by World Population Review’s count, or about 101 kilograms per person. USDA’s September 2026 outlook says India’s new-crop consumption will stay at a record, about 4 million tons above the previous record set in 2024/25. Two forces push that number up: government food programs and rice used as a feedstock for ethanol under India’s 20 percent blend mandate. India also leads the world in exports, with USDA projecting a record 25 million tons for 2025 and 2026.

3. Indonesia: Rice at Every Meal, With a Slow Shift

World Population Review lists Indonesia at 52.3 million metric tons and about 186 kilograms per person. USDA counts less, at 35.3 million tons in its August 2025 forecast. It trimmed that number because Indonesians are eating more flour-based foods. The shift shows up in the data, but rice still ranks as the staple.

4. Bangladesh: Among the Heaviest Per-Person Rice Eaters

Bangladesh consumes about 43 million metric tons, or roughly 251 kilograms per person. USDA’s attaché in Dhaka estimates consumption and residual use at 38.5 million tons for 2025/26. Supply stays tight at times. USDA lowered its 2026/27 production forecast to 36.9 million tons after fertilizer limits, flood damage, and fewer aus acres.

5. Philippines: High Appetite, Heavy Imports

Filipinos eat about 23 million metric tons a year, roughly 200 kilograms each. USDA projected record use of 17.7 million tons in its May 2025 outlook. USDA has also projected the Philippines to remain one of the largest rice importers, so global supply and price swings reach its dinner tables quickly.

6. Vietnam: A Big Eater That Also Exports

Vietnam consumes about 22.1 million metric tons by World Population Review’s count. USDA’s attaché estimates 22.6 million tons for 2025/26. Per-person intake sits near 220 kilograms. Vietnam also ships out about 8 million tons a year, so it ranks among the top exporters while it feeds a large home market.

7. Myanmar: The Highest Per-Person Intake on the List

Myanmar eats about 14.7 million metric tons, which works out to roughly 271 kilograms per person, the highest among the top 10. USDA tracks the country as Burma. In February 2026, it cut Burma’s 2025/26 consumption forecast by 0.3 million tons to 9.4 million, so USDA totals sit below public compilations here too.

8. Thailand: Home of Jasmine Rice

Thailand consumes about 12.4 million metric tons, or around 172 kilograms per person. Most people know Thailand for exports. USDA says U.S. long-grain imports will keep coming mostly from Asian aromatic varieties, led by jasmine from Thailand and basmati from India and Pakistan.

9. Brazil: The Lowest Per-Person Intake in the Top 10

Brazil uses about 7.8 million metric tons but only about 37 kilograms per person. It reaches the top 10 on population alone. Brazil is also the only Latin American country on the list, and rice paired with beans anchors many meals there.

10. Nigeria: A Growing Market in West Africa

Nigeria consumes about 7.6 million metric tons, or 33 kilograms per person. The trend matters more than the rank. In August 2025, USDA raised Nigeria’s 2025/26 consumption forecast to a record 8.4 million tons. India supplies the bulk of Nigeria’s rice imports, mostly parboiled rice, according to USDA’s May 2025 outlook.

Who Eats the Most Rice Per Person?

Total volume and per-person intake tell different stories. By World Population Review’s 2023 figures, Myanmar leads this top 10 at about 271 kilograms per person. Cambodia sits outside the top 10 by volume but reaches about 263 kilograms. Bangladesh follows at about 251, then Vietnam at 220 and the Philippines at 200. China and India, the volume leaders, land at 130 and 101.

Here is the takeaway: population sets total volume, while culture and income set what lands on each plate.

What Is Changing in Global Rice Demand

Demand keeps climbing, with a few twists. Here is what the latest USDA data shows:

• Records keep falling. USDA reports record 2025/26 consumption in Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and the United States.
• Weather matters. A weak monsoon led USDA to cut India’s 2026/27 crop forecast by 3 million tons to 147 million, the first year-over-year drop since 2015/16.
• Stocks cushion shocks. India holds a record 58.5 million tons of 2025/26 ending stocks, about 29 percent of the world total.
• Diets are shifting in places. Indonesia’s move toward flour-based foods shows that rice demand can soften even in a rice-first country.

Next steps for anyone tracking rice markets: watch USDA’s monthly Rice Outlook. The next release lands October 14, 2026.

What This Means for Rice Buyers

Consumption data shapes trade. Importers in West Africa, the Gulf, and Southeast Asia read these rankings to judge where demand will land. Srindhya Global, an Indian import-export company, supplies Indian rice, spices, pulses, and edible oils from verified manufacturers to buyers in the GCC, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Its article on the largest rice exporting and importing countries pairs well with this list, since it covers the trade side of the story.

Rice demand follows people, income, and tradition. Srindhya Global’s trade guides on its blog cover the export and import side for readers who want to go further.