The Chinese rice market is projected to register a CAGR of 1.9% during the forecast period (2020-2025). China produced about 214 million metric ton of rice in 2018 with area harvested being 30.4 million hectare (FAO). The country has dominated production over the ages and continues to do so. All rice cultivation is highly labour intensive. Rice is generally grown as a wetland crop in fields flooded to supply water during the growing season, China s climate is highly favourable for paddy cultivation, hence, the widespread production. Rice farms are mainly located in Central China (in the provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei, and Sichuan along the Yangtze River Valley), and it accounts for about 49 % of total Chinese rice production (National Bureau of Statistics of China).

Key Market Trends
China Dominates Rice Production Worldwide
China is the world s largest producer of rice. It is the most important cereal crop in China, with about 65 % of Chinese people relying on rice as their staple food. Nearly 95% of the rice grown in China is produced under traditional puddled transplanted conditions in China with prolonged periods of flooding, which requires intense labor. It accounts for 30% of total world production and consumption of rice. China has implemented a series of programs to promote rice productivity and brought about trade restrictions and policies aimed at increasing farmers? income while managing domestic food demand. Various research studies are being undertaken in China to increase yield in an environment-friendly manner via international organizations, such as IRRI. The high production in the country is likely to drive the market steadily during the forecast period.

Export of Chinese Rice is Increasing
China is a major exporter of rice. In spite of the huge domestic demand, the country has been able to increase its export volumes over the years. According to FAO, 484 thousand metric ton export in 2016 as compared to the export quantity of rice rose to 2.8 million metric ton in 2019. People in China eat sticky rice which has a rich taste when it is fresh, the flavor of which is not the same in the old stock of rice, and thus there is always a demand for fresh rice in China. As fresh rice floods the market, the government releases its old stock at very low rates to Middle Eastern and African countries. Major importers of Chinese rice are Ivory Coast, Egypt, Turkey, Korea, Philippines, and Japan. The continuous high production of rice in the region is likely to increase export quantity further during the forecast period.