US state hopes to gain in rice market

China's recent announcement that it would open its market to US rice exports made the governor of Arkansas happy.

"It's such an incredible benefit to our state. It will help Arkansas and our agriculture industry become more well known in China," Governor Asa Hutchinson said in his office on Friday.

According to research by the University of Arkansas, people in China consume about 180 pounds of rice a year on average, while those in the United States eat less than 33 pounds a year. China is the largest rice importer, and the US ranks third in rice exports.