Rice · importers
Italy is ranked 9th of 96 markets for cereal imports, at $5.0B in 2024. It is one of only a few European entries in the top ten, which is worth understanding before you pitch.
| Market | HS 10 imports |
|---|---|
| China | $14.8B |
| Mexico | $8.0B |
| Egypt | $6.8B |
| Indonesia | $6.8B |
| Japan | $6.7B |
Figures are for the whole of HS chapter 10 (cereals); rice is only part of it. Source: UN Comtrade, as reported by national authorities; latest available year per market.
Italy declared $5.0B of chapter 10 imports for 2024, or 3.4% of the ranked world total. Saudi Arabia sits just above at $5.1B and Spain just below at $4.9B, so the whole stretch from seventh to eleventh is separated by only a few hundred million dollars. A shift of a single reporting year could reorder it.
Against a $621.6B import bill, cereals are 0.8% and rank 26th among import chapters. Fuels at $78.4B, vehicles at $59.5B, machinery and pharmaceuticals lead. Cereals are a small line in Italy’s trade, so the buying tends to be concentrated with millers, packers and traders who specialise in grain rather than being spread across the economy.
Italy’s largest all-goods sources are Germany at $90.1B, China, France, the Netherlands and Spain. That list is about every product, so it should not be read as cereal supply. Still, it shows how strongly intra-European trade shapes the market, and an importer in Europe may buy through other member countries’ ports, which affects how origin and consignment country appear in the data.
For an outside seller, this means the country recorded as source may not be the country of production, and the importer may be receiving goods that entered the region elsewhere. Ask where the cargo will clear customs.
The value is for the whole of chapter 10, so it includes grains other than rice. Rankings are reporter-declared for the latest year available, and re-exports or reporting gaps can distort positions. Read the total as an indicator of an active cereal channel, not a rice volume.
Before quoting, confirm the current import requirements for the product form with the customs authority, including plant-health documents, labelling rules for retail packs, and any origin declarations. Agree the Incoterm, currency, payment terms and the entry port.
Customs shipment records show the named consignee, HS code, quantity and declared value. Filter to the rice heading and look for repeat consignees. The free marketplace on this site can add packers and distributors who list their needs.
Italy is 9th of 96 markets with $5.0B of chapter 10 imports in 2024, between Saudi Arabia at $5.1B and Spain at $4.9B. The chapter covers all cereals, not only rice.
They are 0.8% of $621.6B in total imports and rank 26th among import chapters, far behind fuels, vehicles and machinery.
European trade often passes through other member-state ports, and re-exports occur. The country of consignment in customs data may therefore differ from the country of production, so check documents.
Filter customs shipment records to the rice heading and read consignee names, quantities and declared values. Repeat consignees are your best leads. Confirm current import rules with customs before quoting.
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