Vietnam exports record rice volume in 8 months

ABO/NDO- Vietnam exported a record volume of nearly 6 million tonnes of rice in the first eight months of this year, up 20% year on year, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

The department reported that the largest importers of Vietnamese rice in the January-August period included the Philippines, China, Indonesia and Ghana, with an over 15-fold increase in some markets.

In the rest of the year, Vietnam is forecast to enjoy a rise in rice export thanks to a large number of orders from many new markets. However, exporters are worried about a shortage of input materials due to this surge in global demand.

Rice harvesting in Can Tho (Photo: VNA).

According to economists, the upturn will be seen in both domestic and world rice prices. Although Vietnam is one of the leading rice exporters, the country should pay attention to addressing current and long-term challenges, including those in food security and promoting the rice sector's advantages, advised experts.

According to the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Trung, Vietnam maintains 7.1 million hectares of rice farm each year with an output of 43-43.5 million tonnes. The area will expand as conditions are good for prices in the market, he said.

The official stressed the need to foster linkage between businesses and farmers to form production chains and build material regions, thus ensuring harmony between production and selling.

(Source: NDO)