The rice market is experiencing a surge in demand as traders seek an alternative to wheat, which is becoming increasingly expensive due to conflicts in Russia and Ukraine, as well as transportation issues in the Black Sea region. As a result, the prices of US, Vietnamese, and Thai rice are all on the rise. Meanwhile, global rice production is expected to hit a record high of 509.9 million tons according to the USDA, with significant increases in production forecasted for several Asian countries. However, US rice production is projected to decrease by 16%, which may lead to a shift in US customers towards imports.