Vietnam finds way to overcome challenges in rice export

The Government has been studying measures for the rice export industry to overcome challenges and support businesses to increase market share, said deputy minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai yesterday.

Workers transport rice bags to a milling plant in the Mekong Delta (Photo: SGGP)

Speaking at an international conference attended by experts and rice import firms from 30 countries, Mr. Hai said that the world’s situation has posted some challenges to rice industry.

Many countries are in the tendency of self-supply of rice and limit import. Some have applied science and technology in production to improve productivity. Hence rice export has faced severe competition.

Representatives of An Giang province Department of Industry and Trade said that China, the largest import market of Vietnam, has announced strict conditions on rice grain size.

Lot of consignments have been returned after being exported to China for failing to meet standards. Some Middle East nations like long grain rice while Vietnam does not have that variety.

The Government has issued Decree 107 to replace Decree 109 on rice export and trading. The new decree taking effect from October 1 creates more transparent environment to boost investment in rice production and trading, abolishes many critical regulations on rice export and gives small firms chances to export rice if they are able to find partners and meet standards of import countries.

Rice industry restructuring project, rice brand name development scheme and rice export market strategy are expected to boost connectivity between production and market in value chains.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade will boost trade promotion, develop brand names and advertise Vietnamese rice images in traditional and potential markets.

According to the ministry's reports, since 2016 Vietnam has kept increasing in both rice export output and value, ranked  third in the world after Thailand and India.

Deputy head of Export Import Department under the ministry Tran Thanh Hai said that Vietnam accounts for 15 percent of the world’s rice export volume. Main export markets have been China, Singapore, Malaysia and some African nations.

Last year,  export volume reached 5.4 million tons with the average value of over US$439 a ton. In the first nine months this year, it  touched 4.9 million tons, up 6.7 percent compared to the same period last year.