Vietnam’s rice exports have expanded during the pandemic to surpass rival Thailand in price for the first time in three decades, leading experts to suggest the sector should consolidate its position.

Rice is a rare spotlight in Vietnam’s agro-product exports in the first half of this year. However, the good performance may not be maintained in the second half of the year.

In the first half of this year, rice export value jumped 18.6% year-on-year to US$1.71 billion.

Confronted with food security risks as Covid-19 spreads, the Prime Minister decided on March 25, 2020 to suspend rice export and then regulate it using quotas. 

Vietnam is enjoying strong growth in both rice export volume and value, and more export chances are still ahead as some FTAs have come into force and consumers around the globe are boosting purchase to ensure food security.

Vietnam may be one of the world’s top rice exporters, but its reputation as a low-quality producer and lack of an appealing national brand has ensured its exports do not fetch high prices.

Vietnam and Thailand are two major rice exporters to the Hong Kong market, but Vietnamese rice prices are 50% lower than those offered by its rival, leaving wide room for growth for Vietnamese rice exports to the former British territory.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The agroforestry-fisheries export turnover in July was estimated at US$2.64 billion, lifting the sector’s export value in the first seven months to reach $17.8 billion, up 5.1 per cent year-on-year.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam will have various advantages in exporting rice this year though it may have to compete with Thai rice in the global export market when Thailand sells rice at stock.

 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 - Both Jasmine and Japonica rice are being considered as Vietnam’s national rice brands but many experts disagree.

The Mekong Delta had experienced a hard process since the 19th century to turn a salt-marsh and wild region into the rice granary of Vietnam with over 3.8 million hectares of agricultural land and annual rice output exceeding 20 million tons now.

VietNamNet introduces the last part of the roundtable discussion “A quarter century of Vietnam’s rice exports”, with the participation of Prof. Dr. Vo Tong Xuan, Dr. Vu Trong Khai and Mr. Nguyen Minh Nhi.

VietNamNet introduces the third part of the roundtable discussion on “A quarter century of Vietnam’s rice exports”, with the participation of Prof. Dr. Vo Tong Xuan, Dr. Vu Trong Khai, and Mr. Nguyen Minh Nhi.

VietNamNet Bridge - The biggest risk for Vietnamese rice growers is not the weather or the market but policies, from exchange rate policy to tax policy to a range of other policies.

Hai Quan newspaper has quoted foreign sources who say that Thailand will sell both newly harvested and inventoried rice at low prices. This will create challenges for Vietnam, which competes with other rice exporters by offering low prices.

Reviewing the effectiveness of rice exports and solutions to improve the position and role of farmers is the subject in the recent research "Structure of the rice industry and the interests of small producers" by the Agricultural Alliance.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam hopes the rice price in the world market will increase as Thailand has asked its farmers to stop selling rice in anticipation of a price hike.

 VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnam government on November 27 gave its full backing to a proposed the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) technical assistance package,

 VietNamNet Bridge – Two years ago, Vietnamese rice exporters were warned that Cambodia would become their redoubtable rival in rice export. And they have been once again awakened to the danger.