EU exports to the countries covered were €2.3 million in 2025.
What this market covers
Whole grain rice with only the husk removed. Households, food makers and food service buyers choose it for its fibre.
Typical segments
- Long grain brown rice
- Medium and short grain brown rice
- Parboiled brown rice
- Organic brown rice
Top importing countries
Customs import value under HS 100620 in each country's latest reported year (in brackets), USD million.
GCC and Africa
Import value by country group, latest reported year per country, USD million.
Source: UN Comtrade
Why this market is moving now
- Import value for the 10 countries reporting every year fell 38% from 2020 to 2025.
- EU exports of the matching CN code to the region rose 57% from 2020 to 2025.
- Demand is concentrated: one country took a large share of the region's reported imports.
About the data
Figures are customs import values (CIF, US dollars) that 19 countries reported to UN Comtrade for HS code 100620 (Husked or brown rice). Each country's latest reported year is used: Algeria 2024, Bahrain 2024, Cote d'Ivoire 2025, Egypt 2025, Ethiopia 2023, Ghana 2025, Israel 2025, Jordan 2024, Kenya 2025, Kuwait 2025, Morocco 2025, Nigeria 2025, Oman 2025, Qatar 2024, Saudi Arabia 2025, South Africa 2025, Tanzania 2025, Tunisia 2024, United Arab Emirates 2023.
South Africa reports import values FOB (free on board) rather than CIF.
EU export figures are Eurostat Comext values in euros for CN code 100620 (Husked or brown rice), the code used on the EU page for this market. Shares, changes and per-kilogram values are calculated from these figures. No figure on this page is a forecast.
Key figures
Each figure names the source it came from. Open the source list below to read the quoted line.
| Figure | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customs data from 19 Middle East and Africa countries shows imports of $83.8 million under HS code 100620 (Husked or brown rice) in their latest year with data (2025 for 12 countries, 2024 for 5 and 2023 for 2). | 83.8 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| Imports under HS 100620 by the 10 countries that reported every year from 2020 to 2025 were down 38% in 2025 compared with 2020, from $86.5 million to $53.9 million, calculated from UN Comtrade values. | -38 % since 2020 | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| Saudi Arabia was the largest importer among the countries covered, with $30.2 million in 2025, or 36% of the total. | 30.2 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| Nigeria followed with $19.8 million in 2025. | 19.8 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The six GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries accounted for $40.7 million, or 49% of the total, in their latest reported years. | 40.7 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The 11 African countries with data accounted for $40.2 million, or 48% of the total. | 40.2 USD million | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| The average import value under HS 100620 was $0.92 per kilogram across the 17 countries that reported net weight, calculated from UN Comtrade value and weight. | 0.92 USD per kg | 2025 | UN Comtrade |
| EU exports of CN 100620 (Husked or brown rice) to the 14 Middle East and Africa countries covered were worth €2.3 million in 2025. | 2.3 EUR million | 2025 | Eurostat |
| EU exports of CN 100620 to these countries were up 57% in 2025 compared with 2020, when they were €1.5 million, calculated from Eurostat values. | +57 % since 2020 | 2025 | Eurostat |
| Israel was the largest of these destinations for EU exports of CN 100620 in 2025, at €668 thousand. | 668 EUR thousand | 2025 | Eurostat |
Sources and method
The figures on this page come from the public sources listed below. Read how we work.
- UN Comtrade: UN Comtrade database, annual imports by HS code (public preview API) (2026-11-06)
Quoted lines
- Figure 1
cmdCode=100620 flowCode=M partnerCode=0 primaryValue: ARE2023=8361531; BHR2024=146928; CIV2025=272581; DZA2024=326629; EGY2025=57353; ETH2023=62905; GHA2025=34031; ISR2025=2912000; JOR2024=23510; KEN2025=15509; KWT2025=756510; MAR2025=17471182; NGA2025=19781505; OMN2025=166585; QAT2024=1050847; SAU2025=30200356; TUN2024=161476; TZA2025=22099; ZAF2025=2005818; sum=83829353
- Figure 2
cmdCode 100620, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for CIV EGY ISR KEN KWT MAR OMN SAU TZA ZAF: 2020 = 86540889; 2025 = 53879991; change -38%
- Figure 3
reporterCode 682, period 2025, cmdCode 100620, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, primaryValue 30200356; share of 83829353 = 36%
- Figure 4
reporterCode 566, period 2025, cmdCode 100620, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, primaryValue 19781505 (shown as 19.8 USD million)
- Figure 5
cmdCode 100620, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for ARE BHR KWT OMN QAT SAU = 40682756; share 49% (shown as 40.7 USD million)
- Figure 6
cmdCode 100620, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue for CIV DZA EGY ETH GHA KEN MAR NGA TUN TZA ZAF = 40211087; share 48%
- Figure 7
cmdCode 100620, flowCode M, partnerCode 0, sum of primaryValue 75433791 / sum of netWgt 82035891 kg = 0.92 USD per kg
- Figure 1
- Eurostat: EU trade since 1988 by HS2-4-6 and CN8 (DS-045409) (2026-11-06)
Quoted lines
- Figure 8
DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 100620, flow export, VALUE_IN_EUROS, 2025: AE=258863; BH=12073; CI=4811; EG=28111; GH=412310; IL=668224; JO=7063; KW=65865; MA=365205; NG=2396; QA=314902; SA=144163; TN=6999; ZA=6848; sum 2297833
- Figure 9
DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 100620, flow export, VALUE_IN_EUROS, sum over the same partners: 2020 = 1464198; 2025 = 2297833; change +57%
- Figure 10
DS-045409, reporter EU27_2020, product 100620, partner IL, flow export, 2025, VALUE_IN_EUROS 668224
- Figure 8
Buyers and suppliers
Who buys
- Supermarkets
- Food manufacturers
- Food service operators
EU exports to the largest destinations in the region, 2025
Eurostat Comext, CN 100620, EUR million.
What the full report covers
- 01Executive summary
The answer in one page: size, direction and what moves it - 02Market definition and scope
What is in and out of the Middle East and Africa market - 03Market size, 2021 to 2025
Historical series and growth rates - 04Outlook to 2031
Base, low and high scenarios with stated assumptions - 05Rules, policy and deadlines
Regulation and programmes that change demand - 06Drivers and barriers
What accelerates or slows adoption, by customer segment - 07Prices, costs and margins
Unit economics where public data allows - 08Competitive landscape
8 to 12 company profiles with recent moves - 09Opportunities and risks
For new entrants, suppliers and investors - 10Method and sources
Every assumption and source, listed
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- Method note and assumptions
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Frequently asked questions
How big is the Middle East and Africa brown rice market?
There is no single official market total. Customs data reported to UN Comtrade shows imports of $83.8 million under HS code 100620 by 19 countries in the region, using the latest year each one reported.
Which Middle East and Africa countries import the most brown rice?
Saudi Arabia was the largest importer, followed by Nigeria and Morocco.
How do GCC and African imports of brown rice compare?
The GCC countries with data took $40.7 million, or 49% of the total, and the African countries with data took $40.2 million, or 48%, each in its latest reported year.
How much brown rice does the EU export to the Middle East and Africa?
Eurostat shows EU exports of CN 100620 to the countries covered of €2.3 million in 2025. Israel was the largest destination.
What is the average import price of brown rice in the Middle East and Africa?
Dividing UN Comtrade import value by net weight gives about $0.92 per kilogram for HS 100620, across the countries that reported weight.
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