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European Brown Rice Imports Surge to Record High

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European Brown Rice Imports Surge to Record High

IndexBox has just published a new report: ‘EU – Rice – Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights’. Here is a summary of the report’s key findings.

In 2020, European imports of husked brown rice jumped nearly by +6% y-o-y to 1.1M tonnes, reaching the highest level over the past decade. Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Poland were the largest brown rice importers, constituting more than two-thirds of total imports in the EU. Poland, Belgium and the Netherlands featured the highest growth rates regarding brown rice purchases among the key importers. Last year, total rice imports in the EU grew by +10% y-o-y to 3.5M tonnes. 

European Imports of Husked Brown Rice

In 2020, brown rice imports in the EU rose markedly to 1.1M tonnes, growing by +5.9% on the previous year’s figure. In value terms, brown rice imports jumped by +9.9% y-o-y $764M.

The purchases of the seven major importers of husked brown rice, namely Belgium (243K tonnes), the Netherlands (179K tonnes), Portugal (135K tonnes), Spain (100K tonnes), France (100K tonnes), Italy (86K tonnes) and Poland (78K tonnes), represented more than two-thirds of total imports. It was distantly followed by Germany (68K tonnes), comprising a 6.3% share of total imports.

In 2020, Poland (+29.0% y-o-y) saw the most notable growth rate of purchases amongst the key importing countries. Belgium (+11.0% y-o-y), the Netherlands (+10.5% y-o-y), Portugal (+9.3% y-o-y), Spain (+6.1% y-o-y) and Germany (+3.8% y-o-y) were following Poland.

In value terms, Belgium ($175M), the Netherlands ($127M) and France ($82M) constituted the countries with the highest levels of imports in 2020, with a combined 50% share of total imports. Italy, Portugal, Germany, Spain and Poland lagged somewhat behind, comprising a further 41%.

In 2020, the brown rice import price in the EU amounted to $708 per tonne, picking up by +3.8% against the previous year. Prices varied noticeably by the country of destination; the country with the highest price was Germany ($940 per tonne), while Portugal ($499 per tonne) was amongst the lowest. In 2020, the most notable growth rate of prices was attained by Germany, while the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

Total European Rice Imports

In 2020, the amount of rice imported in the EU amounted to 3.5M tonnes, increasing +10.2% compared with the year before. In value terms, rice imports spiked by +12.8% y-o-y to $2.9B in 2020.

France (627K tonnes), Belgium (611K tonnes), Germany (462K tonnes) and the Netherlands (399K tonnes) represented roughly 60% of total imports of rice in 2020. It was distantly followed by Portugal (218K tonnes), Italy (217K tonnes), Spain (210K tonnes) and Poland (205K tonnes), together making up a 24% share of total imports.

In value terms, France ($589M), Germany ($462M) and Belgium ($390M) appeared to be the countries with the highest levels of imports in 2020, together comprising 50% of total imports.

Source: IndexBox Platform

rice exports

Crowding Competitors Out with Lower Prices, Indian Exports Dominate the Global Rice Market

IndexBox has just published a new report: ‘World – Rice – Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights’. Here is a summary of the report’s key findings.

Over 2020-2021 period, the global rice market displayed robust production indicators. Despite a pronounced shortage of shipping containers threatening to disrupt supplies to Africa, the global rice export market continues to expand. India maintains its status as the largest exporter, boasting the most competitive rice export prices.

Key Trends and Insights

Over 2020, rice production worldwide increased by 2.0 million tonnes against previous year figures, surging to a record 503.2 million tonnes (according to USDA data).

Africa, a key rice importer, may encounter a shortage in rice supplies, following a global lack of shipping containers in 2021. Despite the fact that rice production in Africa has increased by 10% over the past 5-year period, the continent continues to rely heavily on imports.

Over the 2019-2020 period, India exported a record 14.5K tonnes of rice, maintaining its dominant export position worldwide. The bumper crop yield seen over the past two years has enabled India to maintain competitively low prices, thereby displacing Pakistan’s and Myanmar’s exports from the African market. In 2021, it is projected that increased supplies to Bangladesh will further boost Indian exports. China is now redirecting its national rice stores for domestic consumption and has reduced the volume of rice exports to Africa.

Over the 2020-2021 period, India boasted the most competitively low prices ($370 per ton of nonparboiled white rice), while prices for Vietnamese rice surged, following a stocks shortage until the beginning of the rice crop yield ($515 per ton of 5-percent broken kernel long-grain milled rice), becoming comparable with Thai rice prices. The price for rice from the USA, Uruguay and Argentina now exceeds $600 per ton.

India to Feature Increasing Consumption and Export Volumes

The global rice market reached $363.8B in 2019, flattening at the previous year. The figures in this article relate to all types of rice (paddy, milled, etc.) in total.

The countries with the highest volumes of rice consumption in 2019 were China (211M tonnes), India (168M tonnes) and Indonesia (57M tonnes), together comprising 57% of global consumption. These countries were followed by Bangladesh, Viet Nam, Myanmar, Thailand and the Philippines, which together accounted for a further 21% (IndexBox estimates).

From 2012 to 2019, the biggest increases were in the Philippines, while rice consumption for the other global leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

In value terms, China ($114.7B) led the market, alone. The second position in the ranking was occupied by Bangladesh ($57.1B). It was followed by the Philippines.

The countries with the highest levels of rice per capita consumption in 2019 were Myanmar (472 kg per person), Viet Nam (390 kg per person) and Bangladesh (330 kg per person).

From 2012 to 2019, the biggest increases were in India, while rice per capita consumption for the other global leaders experienced mixed trends in the per capita consumption figures.

After two years of growth, overseas shipments of rice decreased by -9.8% to 39M tonnes in 2019. The total export volume increased at an average annual rate of +1.5% over the period from 2012 to 2019.

In value terms, rice exports dropped to $23.1B (IndexBox estimates) in 2019. In general, exports, however, continue to indicate a relatively flat trend pattern.

In 2019, India (9.8M tonnes), distantly followed by Thailand (5.8M tonnes), Viet Nam (5.5M tonnes), Pakistan (4.6M tonnes), the U.S. (3.6M tonnes) and China (2.1M tonnes) represented the largest exporters of rice, together creating 80% of total exports. Brazil (1,063K tonnes), Paraguay (738K tonnes), Myanmar (733K tonnes) and Italy (679K tonnes) followed a long way behind the leaders.

From 2012 to 2019, the most notable rate of growth in terms of shipments, amongst the main exporting countries, was attained by China, while exports for the other global leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

In value terms, the largest rice supplying countries worldwide were India ($6.8B), Thailand ($4.2B) and Viet Nam ($2.4B), together comprising 58% of global exports. Pakistan, the U.S., China, Italy, Brazil, Myanmar and Paraguay lagged somewhat behind, together comprising a further 28%.

The average rice export price stood at $584 per tonne in 2019, increasing by 5.3% against the previous year. In general, the export price, however, recorded a relatively flat trend pattern. Over the period under review, average export prices attained the maximum at $621 per tonne in 2012; however, from 2013 to 2019, export prices remained at a lower figure.

Source: IndexBox AI Platform