ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, U.S. —  U.S. rice mills shipped nearly 12 billion pounds of rice to domestic and international markets from August 2010 to July 2011 — an 8% increase over the 2009-10 figure, according to the annual USA Rice Federation U.S. Rice Domestic Usage Report, which tracks shipments and consumption of U.S. milled rice. 

Additionally, rice imports declined for a third consecutive year, down 4% to 1.3 billion pounds in 2010-11 compared with 2009-10.  Exports increased 2% while domestic shipments increased 12%.

Additional highlights from the report include:   

Sixty-one percent of total shipments went to the domestic market and 39% were exported.

Of rice shipments to U.S. segments, 61% went to direct food use and 39% went to food processors.

Twenty-eight percent of direct food use went to retail grocery, 25% went to ethnic distributors, 18% to repackers, and 17% for foodservice.

Eighty-six percent of the rice consumed in the U.S. is domestically grown, and 14% is imported.  

A full copy of the report is available at usarice.com/reports.