Total rice shipments of 114 mm cwt shipped to the domestic U.S., U.S. territories, and export markets — a 16 percent increase over last year, with sharply higher exports and higher crop production driving the increase.

70 mm cwt shipped within the domestic U.S. Fifty-six percent of these shipments went to direct food use and 44 percent went into pet food, processed food, beer and sake.

Of rice shipments for direct food use, the largest market segments for rice were retail grocery and warehouse clubs; 35 percent, ethnic distributors and repackers; 22 percent; and mainline foodservice 17 percent.

The domestic market segments with the strongest growth include ethnic distributors up 20 percent; warehouse clubs up 16 percent; and mainline foodservice, up 12 percent.

Americans consume 25 pounds of rice per person annually. • The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported 17 mm cwt of rice imports — the highest figure on record — during the 2007-2008 milling year. That number is projected to decrease for the 2008-2009 marketing year.