Domestic Usage Report: Per Capita Rice Consumption Increases In 2014
The Numbers Are In
ARLINGTON, VA.
According to USA Rice’s annual U.S. Rice Domestic Usage Report, which tracks shipments and consumption of U.S. milled rice from August 2013 to July 2014, U.S. rice mills shipped 9.78 billion pounds of rice to domestic and export markets. American consumption of rice increased to 26 pounds per capita, a one-pound increase compared to last year, with growth contributed by increases in both imported and domestically grown rice.
While imports increased from the 2012-13 milling year, the report found that more than 81 percent of the rice consumed domestically was American grown. Imports from Thailand saw the largest increase and made up 58 percent of total imported rice, followed by India and Viet Nam. Fifty percent of rice milled within the U.S. was distributed domestically; and more than six billion pounds of rice were shipped domestically (63 percent went towards direct food use and 37 percent towards pet food, processed food, beer, and sake).
“We are pleased to release the completed report which identified several interesting trends in the domestic rice market,” said Ken Cox, Louisiana rice miller and chairman of the USA Rice Domestic Usage Report Subcommittee. “Domestic rice shipped within the retail grocery category saw a significant jump by 22 percent and military shipments were up 17 percent from the last report. Shifts in the market were also evident with increased consumption of rice types like parboiled, instant/pre-cooked, and rice flour.”
USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward said, “This report is extremely useful to us because it not only identifies positive trends we can help the industry capitalize on, but negative ones as well that we need to focus resources against – such as apparent rising imports of rice.”
Ward concluded, “We continue to strongly urge rice industry members to label their rice as “Grown in the U.S.A.” since we know American consumers want to buy local and support American farmers.”
The full report can be purchased for $500.00 per company. For more information and to purchase the report, contact Peter Bachmann. ∆