Rice

Approximately 488 million tons of rice are grown annually around the world. Asia accounts for around 90% of global rice production, 85% of global demand and 75% of the world’s exportable surplus.

Most rice is consumed as white rice (husked and polished), however rice flour is becoming popular with bakers as a gluten-free starch alternative, and rice milling by-products include bran, oil and starch.

Thailand, India and Vietnam are the world’s top three rice exporters, followed by the US, Pakistan, Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil and Myanmar. Africa accounts for approximately one third of global demand.

We are committed to achieving deforestation- and conversion-free (DCF) supply chains across our global operations. We are progressing significantly toward this goal, with over 89% of our rice volumes already verified as DCF under LDC methodology as of end of 2024. Ongoing efforts include the use of remote sensing technology to support verification of product volumes and responsible sourcing decisions.

To support responsible sourcing in Asia – where we are a leading purchaser of rice, primarily sourcing in bulk from wholesalers and local traders – we have taken steps to better understand and address potential labor and human rights risks in our rice supply chains, engaging with stakeholders in key origins such as Thailand and Vietnam.

In Africa, we are working with partners to help smallholder rice farmers become more competitive and access domestic markets. In northern Côte d’Ivoire, for example, we established a project with the Louis Dreyfus Foundation to build a sustainable, inclusive and traceable supply chain linking more than 3,600 smallholder farmers in Boundiali to processors and local markets.