People tend to think of the Americas as a rice exporting region. The United States, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina and Guyana all ship rice abroad. But the region is also a big importer. Plenty of countries here can’t grow enough rice to feed themselves, and some that grow plenty still import specialty grades they can’t produce. Knowing the top rice importing countries in the Americas, and what each one buys, is useful whether you’re an importer, a distributor, or trying to work out where to sell.
We’re De Thai Products 1989 Company Limited, a rice miller and exporter in Thailand. We sell white, parboiled, jasmine, broken, glutinous, brown and medium grain rice by the container, and we ship to buyers across North, Central and South America and the Caribbean, as well as worldwide. This guide walks through the main importing countries, what they buy and why, and what we can supply to each.
Table of Contents
A Quick Note on Numbers
Import volumes change a lot from year to year. A bad harvest at home, a price spike abroad or a change in tariffs can move a country up or down the list in a single season. So instead of quoting exact tonnages that will be out of date by the time you read this, we’ve grouped the top rice importing countries in the Americas roughly by size and explained what drives each one. For exact current figures, check official trade statistics for the year you care about.
If you want general background on rice as a crop and a traded commodity, the rice article on Wikipedia is a decent starting point.
The Largest Importers
These five usually lead the list of top rice importing countries in the Americas, though the order changes.
United States
It surprises people, but the US is one of the top rice importing countries in the Americas even though it’s also a major exporter. The reason is simple: the US grows long grain and medium grain rice very well, but it doesn’t grow much Thai jasmine or Indian and Pakistani basmati. Americans love both. Most US rice imports are fragrant rice from Thailand, India and Pakistan, plus some specialty rice like sushi rice, glutinous rice, brown jasmine and broken rice for food manufacturing.
What sells: Thai Hom Mali and jasmine, basmati, glutinous rice, brown jasmine, broken jasmine for restaurants and food factories. See our posts on jasmine rice demand in the USA, wholesale jasmine rice suppliers USA and glutinous rice suppliers for US Asian markets.
Brazil
Brazil is a huge rice producer and consumer, and also one of the bigger importers in some years. Most of its imports come from its Mercosur neighbours, mainly Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina, which enter duty-free. Brazil imports more when the domestic crop in Rio Grande do Sul is hurt by weather. Asian rice plays a smaller role there because of the regional trade advantage, but fragrant rice has a niche in big-city supermarkets.
Mexico
Mexico grows only a small share of the rice it eats, so it’s a steady importer and firmly among the top rice importing countries in the Americas. Most of its rice comes from the United States, often as paddy or brown rice that’s milled in Mexico, plus some from South America. Mexicans mostly eat long grain white rice, cooked as arroz rojo, arroz blanco or arroz a la mexicana. Asian rice competes mainly on price and in fragrant grades.
Haiti
Haiti imports most of the rice it eats, and per person it’s one of the biggest rice importers anywhere in the region. Most of its imports have historically come from the United States, with Asian rice gaining share on price. Broken rice, white rice and parboiled rice all sell. Haiti is very price-sensitive. More in broken rice imports to Haiti.
Canada
Canada grows almost no rice, so everything it eats is imported. It’s a steady market for long grain rice from the US and for fragrant rice from Asia. Canada’s large South Asian and East Asian communities push up demand for basmati and jasmine in particular, and sticky rice and sushi rice sell well too. See jasmine rice imports to Canada and aged basmati rice for the Canadian market.
The Next Tier
These countries round out the top rice importing countries in the Americas.
Cuba
Cuba’s own rice production has fallen, and imports fill much of the gap. Cuba buys a lot from Vietnam, along with other Asian and Latin American origins. Payment and shipping are complicated by US sanctions. Broken rice and white rice are the main grades. See 100% broken rice suppliers for Cuba.
Peru
Peru grows a lot of rice but still imports, mostly from South American neighbours such as Uruguay and Brazil. Peruvians eat a lot of rice, often alongside potatoes in the same meal. Long grain white is the norm.
Colombia
Colombia produces most of its own rice and protects farmers with tariffs, but it imports when the local crop falls short, mainly from the US and neighbouring countries. Imports go up and down with the harvest.
Central America
Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador and Panama all import rice, some of them a large share of what they eat. The US has been a major supplier to the region, often as paddy for local mills, with South American and Asian rice competing too. Long grain white is the staple. Together, these countries form one of the more important groups among the top rice importing countries in the Americas. See long grain rice exporters to Central America.
Chile
Chile grows some rice but imports a large share of what it eats, much of it from South American neighbours. Long grain white dominates.
The Caribbean Islands
Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas, Barbados and the smaller islands each import steady volumes. Guyana and Suriname supply much of it within the region, with the US and Asia making up the rest. See rice import market in the Caribbean for the detail.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is a US territory and buys mostly US-grown rice, especially medium grain. See medium grain rice in Puerto Rico.
What These Countries Buy
Looking across the top rice importing countries in the Americas, a few patterns stand out.
| Market | Main rice type | Main sources | Where Thai rice fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Fragrant, specialty | Thailand, India, Pakistan | Jasmine, Hom Mali, glutinous, brown jasmine, broken jasmine |
| Canada | Long grain, fragrant | US, Thailand, India, Pakistan | Jasmine, glutinous, brown, sushi |
| Mexico | Long grain white | US, South America | Price-driven white, fragrant niche |
| Brazil | Long grain white | Mercosur neighbours | Fragrant niche |
| Haiti | White, broken, parboiled | US, Asia | Broken and 25% broken white |
| Cuba | White, broken | Vietnam, others | Broken and white |
| Central America | Long grain white | US, South America | White, price-driven |
| Caribbean islands | White, parboiled | Guyana, Suriname, US, Asia | Parboiled, white, broken |
The short version: in North America, Thai rice competes on quality and variety, mainly fragrant and specialty rice. In Latin America and the Caribbean, it competes mainly on price and sorting quality in white, parboiled and broken grades.
Why Some Countries Import More Than Others
A few things decide where a country sits on the list.
Climate and land. Rice needs water and warm weather. Countries like Canada, Chile and many Caribbean islands simply can’t grow much.
Taste. Even big producers import what they can’t grow. The US imports jasmine and basmati for that reason.
Trade agreements. Mercosur, CARICOM, CAFTA-DR and USMCA all shape where rice comes from. Duty-free rice from a neighbour usually beats tariffed rice from Asia on price.
Population and income. Bigger, richer markets import more specialty rice. Poorer markets import more broken and low-cost rice.
Domestic policy. Some countries protect their farmers with tariffs and quotas, which keeps imports down until a bad harvest forces them open.
Exporters and Importers Side by Side
It helps to see the other side too. The main rice exporters in the Americas are the United States, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina and Guyana, with Suriname smaller. Several of these, including the US and Brazil, also show up among the top rice importing countries in the Americas. That’s not a contradiction. They export the rice they grow well and import what they don’t, or buy from neighbours when their own crop falls short.
For an Asian exporter like us, that means the Americas aren’t one market. Where local rice is cheap and close, we compete on specialty grades. Where local supply is thin, we compete on price and quality across the whole range.
How Buyers in These Countries Usually Buy
The way rice is bought differs a lot across the top rice importing countries in the Americas.
Trading houses and big importers. Common in the US, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. They buy containers or bulk vessels and sell to wholesalers and retailers.
Mills buying paddy or brown rice. In Mexico and Central America, many local mills import paddy or brown rice and mill it themselves. That’s a different trade from milled rice in bags.
Government tenders. Some countries buy through state agencies or tenders, especially when local supply is short or for social programmes.
Supermarket groups. Large chains increasingly import directly under their own label, especially for fragrant rice.
Ethnic food importers. In the US and Canada, Asian, South Asian, Caribbean and Latin food importers bring in rice their communities want.
We sell to most of these, though our business is mainly milled rice in bags rather than paddy.
Trends Across the Region
A few things we’ve seen across the top rice importing countries in the Americas in recent years.
Fragrant rice keeps growing. Jasmine and basmati sales have risen in the US and Canada for years, and they’re slowly spreading into supermarkets in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.
Diaspora demand. Asian, South Asian and Caribbean communities across North America drive demand for jasmine, basmati, glutinous and parboiled rice.
Brown and specialty rice. Whole grain and specialty rice are growing in North America. See brown rice demand in North America and brown rice wholesale supplier USA.
Restaurant demand. Sushi, poke and Asian restaurants keep expanding. See sushi rice demand in US restaurants.
Price sensitivity. After the price spike of 2023 and 2024, many buyers in lower-income markets moved to cheaper grades and are still careful.
Private label. More retailers want their own brand on the bag, from Canadian supermarkets to Caribbean wholesalers.
Fragrant Importers vs Staple Importers
One simple way to split the top rice importing countries in the Americas is by why they import.
Fragrant importers buy rice they can’t grow. The US and Canada are the clearest examples. They import jasmine, basmati, glutinous and specialty rice. Price matters, but quality, origin and brand matter more.
Staple importers buy rice because they can’t grow enough of the everyday kind. Haiti, Cuba, Mexico, Central America, Chile and the Caribbean islands fit here. They import long grain white, parboiled and broken rice, and price matters most.
Some countries are both. Canada imports long grain staple rice from the US and fragrant rice from Asia. Mexico imports staple long grain and a growing amount of fragrant rice for supermarkets.
Knowing which kind of market you’re in tells you what to stock and how to price it.
Opportunities for Importers
If you’re thinking about starting or growing a rice import business in the Americas, a few gaps we see:
- Private label jasmine for supermarkets in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, where fragrant rice is still underrepresented.
- Glutinous and sushi rice for growing Asian food scenes outside the big US and Canadian cities.
- Brown and brown jasmine rice for health-focused retail in Canada and the US.
- Cleaner, well-sorted broken rice for price-driven markets that have had trouble with dusty, wet lots.
Each of these exists in at least some of the top rice importing countries in the Americas right now.
What We Sell to the Americas
We supply most of the grades the top rice importing countries in the Americas buy:
Fragrant
White and parboiled
- White rice 5% broken
- White rice 25% broken
- Thai parboiled rice 5% broken
- Thai white rice 100% broken
Specialty
The full range is on our products page.
Specifications for Our Main Export Grades
These are the grades we ship most often to the top rice importing countries in the Americas.
| Item | White Rice 5% Broken | Parboiled Rice 5% Broken | Thai Jasmine Rice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grain | Long grain | Long grain, parboiled | Long grain, fragrant |
| Broken grains | 5% max | 5% max | 5% max |
| Moisture | 14% max | 14% max | 14% max |
| Foreign matter | 0.1% to 0.2% max | Sortex cleaned | 0.1% max |
| Purity | Within standard | Within standard | 92% min jasmine |
| Color | Natural white | Light golden | White |
| Crop | Current season | Current season | Current season |
| Packing | 1 to 50 kg | 1 to 50 kg | 1 to 50 kg |
A certificate of analysis goes with every shipment. The rice standard page explains Thai grading.
Selling Into These Markets
Each of the top rice importing countries in the Americas rewards a slightly different approach. Here’s what we’ve found works.
Know your local competition. In Mexico and Central America you’re up against US rice with short freight. In Brazil, it’s Mercosur rice with no duty. Thai rice wins where quality, sorting or variety matter, or where the price gap is wide enough.
Pick the right grade. Don’t try to sell premium jasmine into a market that buys on price, or 25% broken into a market that expects whole grain.
Mind the labels. Each country has its own language and labeling rules. Spanish in most of Latin America, Portuguese in Brazil, French and English in Canada.
Plan for freight. Routes from Asia to the west coast of the Americas are shorter than to the Caribbean or the east coast of South America. Freight can change which grades make sense.
Shipping to the Americas
Transit time varies a lot across the top rice importing countries in the Americas. We load at Bangkok and Laem Chabang. Rough transit times:
- US and Canada West Coast: three to four weeks
- Mexico Pacific ports: four to five weeks
- Central America and the west coast of South America: five to seven weeks
- Caribbean, US East Coast and the east coast of South America: six to eight weeks, often with transshipment
We quote FOB Thailand or CIF your port. See FOB vs CIF rice price to compare offers.
Documents
Paperwork rules differ across the top rice importing countries in the Americas. We send the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate, fumigation certificate, certificate of analysis, and a surveyor’s quality and weight certificate if you want one. Some countries need extra documents or legalization. Tell us early. See our rice export documents checklist.
Price
Price is the first question buyers in the top rice importing countries in the Americas ask. We don’t publish fixed prices. Thai rice prices move with the harvest, the baht, freight and global supply. When India restricted exports in 2023 and 2024, prices jumped everywhere, and every one of the top rice importing countries in the Americas felt it. Send us the grade, packing, quantity and port, and we’ll send a dated offer.
Minimum Order and Payment
Terms are the same for all the top rice importing countries in the Americas. Our minimum is one 20-foot container, which can be split between two grades on a first order. See Thai rice minimum order quantity. We usually work on a deposit with balance against copy documents, or an irrevocable letter of credit at sight.
Quality Control
This is what we check on every lot we ship to the top rice importing countries in the Americas.
- Color sorting on every lot
- Moisture checks on the bagging line
- Purity and aroma checks on fragrant rice
- Fumigation before loading, with certificate
- Retained sealed sample from every lot
- Independent survey at loading on request
More on our quality control page.
Why Buy Thai Rice in the Americas
Thailand is one of the world’s biggest rice exporters, and Thai mills ship to almost every one of the top rice importing countries in the Americas. What Thai rice brings is range and consistency: genuine Hom Mali and jasmine, clean color-sorted white and parboiled rice, glutinous rice, and broken grades that are actually sorted rather than swept up. Buying from the mill gives you one point of contact, one set of documents and someone who can tell you exactly how your rice was milled.
If you’re weighing origins, read Thai rice vs Vietnamese rice and how to import rice from Thailand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top rice importing countries in the Americas?
The biggest are usually the United States, Brazil, Mexico, Haiti and Canada, followed by Cuba, Peru, Colombia, Central America, Chile and the Caribbean islands. The order changes from year to year.
Why does the US import rice if it exports rice too?
Because it doesn’t grow much jasmine or basmati, and Americans buy a lot of both.
Which countries buy Thai rice in the Americas?
Mainly the US and Canada for fragrant and specialty rice, and Haiti, Cuba, the Caribbean and parts of Latin America for white, parboiled and broken rice.
Do you ship to South America?
Yes. We ship to all the top rice importing countries in the Americas, with ports across South America, Central America, North America and the Caribbean.
Can you pack in Spanish or Portuguese?
Yes. We print private label bags in the language your market needs.
Get a Quote
If you import into any of the top rice importing countries in the Americas, send us the grade, packing, quantity and port. We’ll send samples and a dated offer with the full spec written in.
De Thai Products 1989 Company Limited. Email info@dethairice.com, WhatsApp +66 81 034 6390, or use our contact page. You can also read about us or our guide to Thailand rice exports 2026.
