Market research

Rice market in Nepal

Release date: Mar 28, 2026

Submission: 15 minutes after payment

Research period: 2017-2025

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Earlier Report Observations

Nepal's rice market volume fluctuated between 6.2 and 6.7 million tons from 2018 to 2023. The government's push for a privatization model in 2018 broadened private sector participation in production and distribution, a structural shift that assigned market profits to private actors while losses were borne by the public sector. This change affected state-owned entities like National Trading Limited and increased the private role in rice exports.

The market reached a peak of 6.67 million tons in 2020, driven by a 48% surge in imports to over 1 million tons. This expansion coincided with Nepal Rastra Bank forming an open market operations committee to manage liquidity through short-term government bond transactions, a policy that eased financial conditions for agricultural trade. In the following years, imports fell sharply while domestic production steadily recovered, leading to a gradual market contraction to 6.29 million tons by 2023.

Table of content

1. Disclaimer
2. Terms of use of the report
3. Product codes in the statistical classifications used in the report
4. Key Market Indicators and Trends
1. 4.1. Key Market Indicators
  1. 4.1.1. In kind
    1. 4.1.1.1. Production, 2018-2023
    2. 4.1.1.2. Imports, 2018-2024
    3. 4.1.1.3. Exports, 2018-2024
    4. 4.1.1.4. Market size, 2018-2023
2. 4.2. Market Trends and Factors
5. Production
1. 5.1. Production in Nepal
  1. 5.1.1. Annual dynamics of production in Nepal in kind, 2018-2023, K t
  2. 5.1.2. Annual dynamics of production in Nepal in value, 2018-2023, $ US
2. 5.2. Global production by Country, 2018-2023
  1. 5.2.1. Annual dynamics of production by macroregions in kind, 2018-2023, K t
  2. 5.2.2. Dynamics of production structure by macroregions in kind, 2018-2023
  3. 5.2.3. Annual dynamics of production by country in kind, 2018-2023, K t
  4. 5.2.4. Structure of production by countries in kind, 2018-2023
  5. 5.2.5. Dynamics of peoduction structure by countries in kind, 2018-2023
6. Exports
1. 6.1. Exports (Direct Data*)
  1. 6.1.1. Exports - Total information
  2. 6.1.2. Exports in kind, K t
    1. 6.1.2.1. Annual dynamics of product's exports from Nepal in kind, 2018-2024, K t
    2. 6.1.2.2. Dynamics of product's exports in kind from Nepal by countries, 2018-2024, K t
    3. 6.1.2.3. Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2018-2024
  3. 6.1.3. Exports in value, M $ US
    1. 6.1.3.1. Annual dynamics of product's exports from Nepal in value, 2018-2024, M $ US
    2. 6.1.3.2. Dynamics of product's exports in value from Nepal by countries, 2018-2024, M $ US
    3. 6.1.3.3. Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2018-2024
  4. 6.1.4. Average price of product's exports, $ US/t
    1. 6.1.4.1. Annual dynamics of average price of product's exports from Nepal, 2018-2024, $ US/t
    2. 6.1.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's exports from Nepal by countries, 2018-2024, $ US/t
2. 6.2. Exports (Mirror Data)
  1. 6.2.1. Exports - Total information
  2. 6.2.2. Exports in kind, K t
    1. 6.2.2.1. Annual dynamics of product's exports from Nepal in kind, 2018-2024, K t
    2. 6.2.2.2. Dynamics of product's exports in kind from Nepal by countries, 2018-2024, K t
    3. 6.2.2.3. Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2018-2024
  3. 6.2.3. Exports in value, M $ US
    1. 6.2.3.1. Annual dynamics of product's exports from Nepal in value, 2018-2024, M $ US
    2. 6.2.3.2. Dynamics of product's exports in value from Nepal by countries, 2018-2024, M $ US
    3. 6.2.3.3. Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2018-2024
  4. 6.2.4. Average price of product's exports, $ US/t
    1. 6.2.4.1. Annual dynamics of average price of product's exports from Nepal, 2018-2024, $ US/t
    2. 6.2.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's exports from Nepal by countries, 2018-2024, $ US/t
7. Imports
1. 7.1. Imports (Direct Data*)
  1. 7.1.1. Imports - Total information
  2. 7.1.2. Imports in kind, K t
    1. 7.1.2.1. Annual dynamics of product's imports to Nepal in kind, 2018-2024, K t
    2. 7.1.2.2. Dynamics of product's imports in kind to Nepal by countries, 2018-2024, K t
    3. 7.1.2.3. Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2018-2024
  3. 7.1.3. Imports in value, M $ US
    1. 7.1.3.1. Annual dynamics of product's imports to Nepal in value, 2018-2024, M $ US
    2. 7.1.3.2. Dynamics of product's imports in value to Nepal by countries, 2018-2024, M $ US
    3. 7.1.3.3. Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2018-2024
  4. 7.1.4. Average price of product's imports, $ US/t
    1. 7.1.4.1. Annual dynamics of average price of product's imports to Nepal, 2018-2024, $ US/t
    2. 7.1.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's imports to Nepal by countries, 2018-2024, $ US/t
2. 7.2. Imports (Mirror Data)
  1. 7.2.1. Imports - Total information
  2. 7.2.2. Imports in kind, K t
    1. 7.2.2.1. Annual dynamics of product's imports to Nepal in kind, 2018-2024, K t
    2. 7.2.2.2. Dynamics of product's imports in kind to Nepal by countries, 2018-2024, K t
    3. 7.2.2.3. Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2018-2024
  3. 7.2.3. Imports in value, M $ US
    1. 7.2.3.1. Annual dynamics of product's imports to Nepal in value, 2018-2024, M $ US
    2. 7.2.3.2. Dynamics of product's imports in value to Nepal by countries, 2018-2024, M $ US
    3. 7.2.3.3. Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2018-2024
  4. 7.2.4. Average price of product's imports, $ US/t
    1. 7.2.4.1. Annual dynamics of average price of product's imports to Nepal, 2018-2024, $ US/t
    2. 7.2.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's imports to Nepal by countries, 2018-2024, $ US/t
8. Trade balance
1. 8.1. Trade balance (Direct Data)
  1. 8.1.1. In kind, K t
  2. 8.1.2. In value, M $ US
2. 8.2. Trade balance (Mirror Data)
  1. 8.2.1. In kind, K t
  2. 8.2.2. In value, M $ US
9. Top buying and selling countries, 2018-2024
1. 9.1. Direct Data
  1. 9.1.1. Import in Value by Countries-buyers
  2. 9.1.2. Export in Value by Countries-suppliers
2. 9.2. Mirror Data
  1. 9.2.1. Import in Value by Countries-buyers
  2. 9.2.2. Export in Value by Countries-suppliers

Production rice in Nepal

In kind, 2017-2020, K t

From 2017 to 2020, Nepal ranked 15th globally in rice production volume.

Top producers of rice, 2017-2020

Source: SHEV.io

World map of production of rice, 2017-2020

Source: SHEV.io

In 2020, Nepal produced 5 622 K t of rice, a 1.3% increase from the previous year. Between 2017 and 2020, production grew by 9.1%, averaging 3.0% annually. The largest decline occurred in 2019 at 1.1%, while the biggest increase was in 2018 at 8.9%.

Annual dynamics of production in Nepal in kind, 2017-2020, K t

Parameter		2018	2019	2020	CAGR
1	Change from last year	8.9%	(1.1%)	1.3%	3.0%

Source: SHEV.io

Exports rice from Nepal

Exports in kind, K t

Rice exports from Nepal rose for the second consecutive year. In 2019, exports reached 0.0 K t, a sharp 190.4% increase from 2018. From 2017 to 2019, exports surged by 1 972.5%, averaging 174.7% per year.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Nepal in kind, 2017-2020, K t

Parameter		2018	2019	2020	CAGR
1	Change from last year	613.7%	190.4%	n/a	-

Source: SHEV.io

From 2017 to 2020, India was the central partner for Nepal's rice exports in volume, accounting for 83.0% of total flows, with other markets playing a smaller role.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

Source: SHEV.io

World map of product's exports from Nepal in kind, 2017-2020

Source: SHEV.io

Exports in value, M $ US

Nepal's rice export value increased for the second year in a row. In 2019, exports totaled 0.1 M $ US, up 94.5% from 2018. Between 2017 and 2019, export value grew by 1 204.2%, with an average annual rate of 135.4%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Nepal in value, 2017-2020, M $ US

Parameter		2018	2019	2020	CAGR
1	Change from last year	570.5%	94.5%	n/a	-

Source: SHEV.io

From 2017 to 2020, India was the main destination for Nepal's rice exports in value, making up 85.6% of total flows, while other markets contributed less significantly.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2017-2020

Source: SHEV.io

World map of product's exports from Nepal in value, 2017-2020

Source: SHEV.io

Imports rice to Nepal

Imports in kind, K t

In 2020, Nepal imported 1 048 K t of rice, a 47.8% rise from 2019. Over the 2017-2020 period, imports increased by 64.5%, with an average annual growth of 18.0%. The largest decline was in 2019 at 13.8%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Nepal in kind, 2017-2020, K t

Parameter		2018	2019	2020	CAGR
1	Change from last year	29.2%	(13.8%)	47.8%	18.0%

Source: SHEV.io

From 2017 to 2020, India was the primary source of rice imports to Nepal, accounting for 99.4% of total volume.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

Source: SHEV.io

World map of product's imports to Nepal in kind, 2017-2020

Source: SHEV.io

Imports in value, M $ US

In 2020, Nepal's rice import value reached 354.3 M $ US, a 31.9% increase from the previous year. Between 2017 and 2020, import value grew by 43.7%, averaging 12.8% per year. The largest drop occurred in 2019 at 11.8%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Nepal in value, 2017-2020, M $ US