Asia’s benchmark rice price dropped to the lowest level in almost eight years, signaling potentially lower food bills ahead for consumers of the staple grain.
Prices for Thai 5% broken white rice fell to $390 a ton on Wednesday, the lowest since September 2017, according to the Thai Rice Exporters Association. Global supplies have improved amid favorable weather in major growers, prompting prices to decline more than 40% from their peak in January last year.
The grain is vital to the diets of billions and contributes 50% of the total calorie intake for people in parts of Southeast Asia. Prices, which surged to a 15-year high in 2024 on strong demand and supply concerns, have been gradually falling as production improves. Global rice production in the 2025-26 season is expected to hit a record, boosting stockpiles, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization.
Above-average monsoon rains in India, the world’s top exporter, are also brightening prospects for the coming harvest. That could further boost the global surplus and may increase shipments from the nation, which has scrapped export restrictions to prevent a glut at home.
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