Middle East Rice Market Size to Surpass USD 18,795.6 Million by 2034 | With a 3.19% CAGR

Middle East Rice Market Overview

Market Size in 2025: USD 14,165.8 Million

Market Size in 2034: USD 18,795.6 Million

Market Growth Rate 2026-2034: 3.19%

According to IMARC Group's latest research publication, "Middle East Rice Market: Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2026-2034", the Middle East rice market size reached USD 14,165.8 Million in 2025. Looking forward, IMARC Group expects the market to reach USD 18,795.6 Million by 2034, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 3.19% during 2026-2034.

How AI is Reshaping the Future of Middle East Rice Market:

● UAE companies like Gautam Rice use AI-equipped SORTEX systems to scan every grain for size, color, and faults. This allows for super-consistent quality and greater consumer confidence in an import-dependent market.

● Regional supply chains for imported rice have benefited from the application of artificial intelligence technologies in predictive analytics, data sharing and logistics optimization, and the stabilization of staples supply and demand across high rice-consuming nations such as Saudi Arabia.

● Government initiatives like the UAE's National Food Security Strategy, and partnerships with international bodies, utilize AI strategies to improve efficiency in agricultural resource allocation, indirectly stabilizing rice trade despite active water scarcity issues.

● In Saudi Arabia and the UAE, AI quality control and predictive analytics of food processing operations applied to rice handling and grading allow importers and distributors to respond to growing demand for premium rice while reducing waste.

● Regionally, projects such as Dubai's Food Tech Valley use AI in wider agrifood systems such as improving traceability and efficiencies in rice supply chains, thereby increasing food security for one of the most-consumed staple foods in the Gulf.

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Market Growth Factors

Growing popularity of high quality basmati rice in the Middle East reflects its importance in customary rice dishes, kabsa and biryani, of the GCC states, such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Cultural preference of fragrant long-grain rice varieties, and the dominant expatriate South Asian community in the region drive the demand for rice as a daily and celebratory food. Urbanization and increased number of middle-class households have also increased demand for quality aromatic rice with special texture, which has been imported from India and Pakistan. The public perception of rice has become lighter and more digestible due to a growing health consciousness. E-commerce marketplaces, modern trade, and the expanding food service sector (hotels and restaurants) compensate for climatic adversity by providing access to genuine ethnic food, thus driving demand for basmati despite adverse climatic conditions.

Population growth and urbanization in Middle Eastern countries, including major cities like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Riyadh, increase demand for rice as a convenient staple food for busy households. Tourism and the hotel and restaurant industry are growing, with a variety of regional and international cuisines offered in fine dining restaurants, cafes, and restaurants, increasing demand for guaranteed rice supplies. Rising numbers of expatriates from diverse nationalities and cultures have been exposing the local population to new culinary influences for fusion or home cooking, influencing the use of rice. In GCC countries, food security policies have impacted shipping diversity by consistently sourcing from three key Asian origins. To compensate for limited agricultural land, logistics like ports and cold chains help to minimize spoilage and maintain quality to feed the growing urban areas.

The Middle East rice market is witnessing healthy consumption trends and premiumizations. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have seen an increase in incidences of diabetes and obesity, which has led to an increase in the sales of organic, low GI, and parboiled rice. Consumers are demanding unpolished brown and certified aromatic rice over non-aromatic white rice due to the presence of fiber and slow energy release. Sustainability initiatives like Saudi Vision 2030 support the need for sustainable sourcing, traceability and meeting the wealthy consumer preference for pesticide-free food. Improved parboiling has extended shelf-life and nutrient retention for retail and e-commerce. Import diversification from stable suppliers reduces geopolitical supply risks, and improved hybrid breeding and water-saving techniques from abroad offset scarcity risks. Healthy rice profiles match urban consumers' daily consumption that prioritize quality over convenience and price.

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Market Segmentation

Product Type Insights:

● Regular
● Aromatic

Type Insights:

● Red Rice
● Arborio Rice
● Black Rice
● Grain Fragrance Rice
● Brown Rice
● Rosematta Rice
● Grain Parboiled Rice
● Sushi Rice
● Others

Grain Size Insights:

● Long Grain
● Medium Grain
● Short Grain

Distribution Channel Insights:

● Offline Stores
● Online Stores

Application Insights:

● Food
● Feed
● Others

Country Insights:

● Saudi Arabia
● Turkey
● Israel
● United Arab Emirates
● Iran
● Iraq
● Qatar
● Kuwait
● Oman
● Jordan
● Bahrain
● Others

Recent Development & News

● February 2026: climate-resilient, water-efficient rice varieties such as Giza series hybrids developed by the Agricultural Research Center of the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture use 5000 cubic meters of water per season instead of the 8500 cubic meters used by some other varieties, produce 4 tons per feddan with a shorter growing cycle of 115 to 120 days.

● January 2026: precision agriculture and modern milling equipment are common throughout the Middle East. AI-enabled optical sorters and automated huskers are utilized in grain storage and processing facilities to improve quality, lower post-harvest losses of over 15% in some areas, and increase competitiveness for high-value exports.

● 2026: According to the report, the Middle East's market for low glycemic index rice is projected to reach USD 0.4 billion by 2025 owing to increasing awareness on health consciousness and diabetes, innovation in flavored rice and ready to eat rice products, and growing penetration of organized modern retail formats and e-commerce.

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