A national development plan has been approved to cement Vietnamese rice as a high-quality trademark respected around the world by 2030.

Initially, the project will advance three grain specialities in the Mekong Delta region to become regional and national brands.

By 2020, it is targeted that Vietnamese rice will be promoted across at least 20 potential export markets, with some 20 percent of exported rice labelled with the national trademark, which will be copyrighted and certificated in Vietnam and 50 other countries. Half of rice exports will be labelled with this trademark by 2030.

In a bid to realise these ambitious targets, a national criteria will be established guiding local production, while preferential initiatives will be devised to support businesses in building plantations with quality-control systems and applying advanced technology.

In 2014, Vietnam exported 6.32 million tonnes of rice, earning 2.8 million USD, to become the third largest rice exporter in the world, after Thailand and India.

Under plans drawn up for 2015 by the Vietnam Food Association (VFA), rice exports for the whole year will reach 7 million tonnes.

VNA