October WASDE Projects U.S. Rice Production Down 24% in 2026
Southern Ag Today’s October 28, 2026 rice market update reports that USDA’s October WASDE projected U.S. all-rice production at 157.7 million hundredweight, 24% below the prior year.
AI-generated source brief by USFarms.ag
The update reports that U.S. rice harvested acres fell to roughly 2 million, down 25% from 2.74 million in the 2025/26 marketing year; Arkansas acreage declined from 1.25 million to 886,000, a 29% year-over-year decrease. USDA projected the all-rice season-average price at $15.20 per hundredweight, compared with $12.40 the prior year. The authors also forecast that U.S. long-grain export prices would average $675 per metric ton in 2026, compared with $569 per metric ton in 2025.
Key takeaways
2 things worth knowing
- 01
USDA’s October 2026 WASDE projected U.S. all-rice production at 157.7 million hundredweight, down 24% from the prior year.
- 02
U.S. rice harvested acres fell to roughly 2 million, down 25% from 2.74 million in the 2025/26 marketing year; Arkansas acres fell 29%, from 1.25 million to 886,000.
Why it matters for agriculture
The update describes a smaller projected U.S. rice crop and lower harvested acreage, along with USDA’s higher season-average price projection. It does not provide evidence about effects on farmland costs, returns, rents or values.
Reader context does not establish a local impact or state-level finding.
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Crops