China will import US rice for the first time
foto: Reuters
The world's largest rice producer is hungry for more and looking to the U.S. for supplies.
China will import American rice for the first time after a new trade deal was agreed Thursday.
"The agreement with China has been in the works for more than a decade and I'm pleased to see it finally come to fruition, especially knowing how greatly it will benefit our growers and industry," said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue in a statement.
China produces 20 times more rice than the U.S., but it's also the world's biggest consumer. Recently it has been buying more rice abroad, spending way over $1 billion in some years, to feed its population.
Last year, China imported about 5 million tons, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The U.S. alone couldn't satisfy that demand. America exports between 3 million and 4 million tons a year, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
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