EXHIBIT 24

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

       KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned officer and/or
director of Riviana Foods Inc. (the "Company") hereby constitutes and appoints
Elizabeth B. Woodard as Attorney-in-Fact in his name, place and stead to execute
the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 27,
1999, together with any and all subsequent amendments thereof, in his capacity
as Director and hereby ratifies all that said Attorney-in-Fact may do by virtue
thereof.

September 20, 1999                 /S/ FRANK A. GODCHAUX III
                                   ----------------------------------------
                                       Frank A. Godchaux III,
                                       Chairman of the Board of Directors
<PAGE>
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned officer and/or
director of Riviana Foods Inc. (the "Company") hereby constitutes and appoints
Elizabeth B. Woodard as Attorney-in-Fact in his name, place and stead to execute
the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 27,
1999, together with any and all subsequent amendments thereof, in his capacity
as Director and hereby ratifies all that said Attorney-in-Fact may do by virtue
thereof.




September 20, 1999                 /S/ CHARLES R. GODCHAUX
                                   ----------------------------------------
                                       Charles R. Godchaux,
                                       Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors
<PAGE>
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned officer and/or
director of Riviana Foods Inc. (the "Company") hereby constitutes and appoints
Elizabeth B. Woodard as Attorney-in-Fact in her name, place and stead to execute
the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 27,
1999, together with any and all subsequent amendments thereof, in her capacity
as Director and hereby ratifies all that said Attorney-in-Fact may do by virtue
thereof.




September 20, 1999                 /S/ THERESA G. PAYNE
                                   ---------------------------------------
                                       Theresa G. Payne, Director
<PAGE>
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned officer and/or
director of Riviana Foods Inc. (the "Company") hereby constitutes and appoints
Elizabeth B. Woodard as Attorney-in-Fact in his name, place and stead to execute
the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 27,
1999, together with any and all subsequent amendments thereof, in his capacity
as Director and hereby ratifies all that said Attorney-in-Fact may do by virtue
thereof.

September 20, 1999                  /S/ W. ELTON KENNEDY
                                    ---------------------------------------
                                        W. Elton Kennedy, Director
<PAGE>
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned officer and/or
director of Riviana Foods Inc. (the "Company") hereby constitutes and appoints
Elizabeth B. Woodard as Attorney-in-Fact in his name, place and stead to execute
the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 27,
1999, together with any and all subsequent amendments thereof, in his capacity
as Director and hereby ratifies all that said Attorney-in-Fact may do by virtue
thereof.

September 20, 1999                 /S/ PATRICK W. ROSE
                                   ----------------------------------------
                                       Patrick W. Rose, Director

<PAGE>
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned officer and/or
director of Riviana Foods Inc. (the "Company") hereby constitutes and appoints
Elizabeth B. Woodard as Attorney-in-Fact in his name, place and stead to execute
the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 27,
1999, together with any and all subsequent amendments thereof, in his capacity
as Director and hereby ratifies all that said Attorney-in-Fact may do by virtue
thereof.




September 20, 1999                 /S/ E. JAMES LOWREY
                                   ----------------------------------------
                                       E. James Lowrey, Director
<PAGE>
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned officer and/or
director of Riviana Foods Inc. (the "Company") hereby constitutes and appoints
Elizabeth B. Woodard as Attorney-in-Fact in his name, place and stead to execute
the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 27,
1999, together with any and all subsequent amendments thereof, in his capacity
as Director and hereby ratifies all that said Attorney-in-Fact may do by virtue
thereof.

September 20, 1999                 /S/ THOMAS B. WALKER, JR.
                                   ----------------------------------------
                                       Thomas B. Walker, Jr., Director

<PAGE>
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned officer and/or
director of Riviana Foods Inc. (the "Company") hereby constitutes and appoints
Elizabeth B. Woodard as Attorney-in-Fact in her name, place and stead to execute
the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 27,
1999, together with any and all subsequent amendments thereof, in her capacity
as Director and hereby ratifies all that said Attorney-in-Fact may do by virtue
thereof.




September 20, 1999                 /S/ MARY G. WIECK
                                   ----------------------------------------
                                       Mary G. Wieck, Director