South Korean rice exports have generally been on the rise. Total rice exports in 2021 were 52,429 tons, including rice for aid, a 5% decrease from 2020. The value of exports was USD22.5 million, a 17.6% decrease from 2020. Export destinations included the United States, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Canada, and Japan. Aid exports were not included. In 2019, rice exports were valued at USD4.63 million for 1,823 tons. In 2020, 2,587 tons and USD6.47 million were recorded, and in 2021, 1,610 tons and USD5.13 million. In terms of export volume by major destination, the United States ranked first in the three years 2019-2021, with a value of USD1.24 million for 495 tons in 2019. In 2020, the value was USD2.185 million for 869 tons, and in 2021, USD1.66 million for 514 tons. In second place was Australia with USD1.25 million for 468 tons in 2019, USD1.13 million for 517 tons in 2020 and USD1.16 million for 345 tons in 2021.
Regarding domestic consumption, annual per capita rice consumption reached a peak of 135.6 kg in 1979. It then declined to 122.2 kg in 1988, 119.6 kg in 1990, 62.9 kg in 2015, 61.8 kg in 2017, 59.2 kg in 2019, 56.9 kg in 2021, and 56.7 kg in 2022. This is half of the 112.9 kg in 1992. Per capita daily rice consumption continues to decline to 169.3 g in 2017, 162.1 g in 2019, 155.8 g in 2021, and 155 g in 2022. On the other hand, consumption by the commercial sector is increasing. Actual consumption by the commercial sector increased from 651,130 tons in 2020 to 681,157 tons in 2021 and 691,422 tons in 2022. This is an increase of nearly 144% from the 2015 total of 482,000 tons. The absolute share of food manufacturing is 436,683 tons (67.2%) in 2020, 474,746 tons (69.8%) in 2021, and 515,894 tons (74.6%) in 2022. By industry, rice cake manufacturing has the largest share of 159,179 tons (24.5%) in 2020, 176,690 tons in 2021, and 185,079 tons (26.8%) in 2022.
In 2015, South Korea's total rice production was 4.33 million tons. It decreased to 4.19 million tons in 2016, 3.97 million tons in 2017, 3.88 million tons in 2018, and 3.57 million tons in 2020, with a temporary increase to 3.88 million tons in 2021 due to an increase in cultivation area, and then decreased again to 3.76 million tons in 2022 due to a decrease in cultivation area. Yields per 10 hectares also continued to decline from 539 kg in 2016 to 483 kg in 2020, with a temporary increase to 530 kg in 2021 before declining again to 518 kg in 2022. The area planted was 726,000 hectares in 2020, a decrease of 0.7% from 730,000 ha in 2019. After jumping up to 732,000 ha in 2021, it plummeted by 2.3% to 727,000 ha in 2022. On the other hand, the unit yield is on the rise.