The shift in rice export from low- to mid- and high-quality helped the rice export industry fare better in 2020. Yet much has to be done to maintain achievements.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Import and Export Department has released a list of 205 local traders nationwide who were certified as eligible to export rice as of January 18.

Vietnam’s rice processing and trading have overcome the difficulties caused by the ongoing pandemic to acquire the export turnover of over $3 billion in 2020, a record in the past nine years, with exporters remaining bullish over future prospects.

Vietnamese companies have been stepping up investment to boost rice exports to Europe – however, it remains a challenging task penetrate the market efficiently.

It will be difficult for Vietnamese businesses to keep stable rice exports to the Philippines in large quantities as currently seen, experts said.

Vietnam is likely to reach its rice export target of 6.7 million tonnes this year thanks to favourable market conditions and high global demand, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Vietnam’s rice export turnover in the first five months increased by 13 percent compared with the same period last year with the average export price of $485 per ton, a report said.

Since May this year, Vietnam’s rice export activities have returned to normal, with the month recording the highest rice export price seen in recent years and paving the way for the country to outpace Thailand in global rice exports in 2020.

After a year letting the private sector import rice on a “tax-based mechanism” instead of a quota-based mechanism in line with the G2G regime, the Philippine side is considering a comeback to the previous regime to import 300,000 tons of rice. 

The Vietnam Food Association has petitioned authorities to prioritise customs clearance of consignments of rice exports stuck at ports.

South Korea has opened up its market to Vietnamese rice, setting the annual import quota of Vietnamese rice at 55,112 tons, according to the Import-Export Department at the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

 The Ministry of Industry and Trade has granted 47 certificates of eligibility to rice export businesses over the past year, lifting the number of rice exporters to 182 traders.

Products which claim to feature the ST25 rice strain which was crowned the World's Best Rice at a recent contest have flooded in the Vietnamese market.

Vietnam’s ST24 rice variety was recognised as the World's Best Rice this year.

Thailand has passed a plan to allocate its budget of 21.5 billion baht to help stabilize rice prices for Thai farmers. This subsidy program may affect rice exporters including Vietnam, according to local rice operators.

Domestic rice exporters are grappling with low demand in traditional importing markets and lower prices on global markets.

 Indonesia plans to import one million tonnes of rice from Vietnam to meet the country’s high demand, according to Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam Mayerfas.

 Vietnamese and Japanese researchers have completed an international project to develop a new rice variety that is disease- and insect-resistant with a high-yield, short-growth duration.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Although the Mekong Delta is Vietnam’s largest granary, which accounts for 50% of the country agricultural output, the rate of poverty and illiteracy in the region is the highest in the country.