China-US rice deal plants the seeds of change

Trade talks held in Washington earlier this month provided an open goal for headline writers. "China to import American rice", or some variant thereof, was how many of the US media outlets greeted the positive outcome of a wide-ranging bilateral economic dialogue.

The concept of China, birthplace of rice cultivation and now its largest producer and consumer, shipping in supplies from the United States was newsworthy from the novelty aspect alone. In fact, China has been importing rice from other countries and regions for some time to meet the demands of a growing population and an increasingly industrialized economy. Purchases, principally from Asian neighbors, have already turned it into the world's biggest rice importer.

The Washington rice deal is the culmination of a decade of negotiations. Shipments will go ahead once Chinese officials have inspected production facilities in the US. The agreement is important as much for its symbolic value as for the sums involved. Overall, the US exports 3 million to 4 million metric tons of rice a year, while China produces about 206 million tons.