Source: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 2000.

The world's top three rice exporters are Thailand, India, and Vietnam, respectively. Thailand held on to the world's highest rice export market share from the year 1995-1998. Although at the end of the year 1998, Thailand's export market share has declined 4.2% from its original level in 1995, Thailand is projected to hold on to the largest market share, at approximately 26-28% of the world's rice production. India and Vietnam traded places in the year 1998, as India's export market share dropped to the third place, while Vietnam's increased to the second place. India's export production declined from 3.6 million metric tons in the year 1996 to 2.0 million metric tons in the year 1997. The global rice trade is projected to increase in the year 2000.