Overview
Vietnam is the world's fifth-largest rice producer and the world's third-largest rice exporter. Annual output reaches about 43 million tonnes, of which about 6 to 7 million tonnes are exported. Rice is the crop at the foundation of Vietnamese agriculture, and rice cultivation is carried out on about 7.4 million hectares of the country. In recent years, the development of high-quality aromatic rice such as ST25 has won international acclaim.
Growing regions and areas
Vietnam's largest rice producing area is the Mekong Delta region, accounting for about 55% of national output. In particular, An Giang Province、Kien Giang Province、Long An Province、Soc Trang Province are the main producing areas. The fertile alluvial soil of the Mekong River and abundant water resources make large-scale rice cultivation possible. The Red River Delta is also an important rice producing area.
Cultivation methods and harvest season
In the Mekong Delta, three crops a year are possible, and harvesting is carried out almost year-round. The winter-spring crop (December to March) has the highest yield, followed by the summer-autumn crop (May to August) and the autumn-winter crop (September to November). In recent years, the shift to high-quality varieties has advanced, and planting of aromatic rice such as ST25 (winner of the World's Best Rice Award in 2019) and Jasmine 85 is expanding. Mechanization is also advancing, with the combine-harvester adoption rate exceeding 90% in the Mekong Delta.
Exports and market trends
The main export destinations for Vietnamese rice are the Philippines, China, African countries, and Indonesia. Rice export volume in 2023 was about 8 million tonnes, and export value reached a record high of about US$4.7 billion. The unit price of high-quality rice exports is rising, with the average export price rising to more than US$600 per tonne.
Connections with Japan
Japan imports a limited volume of Vietnamese rice, but imports a certain amount as rice for processing and commercial use. Japanese agricultural technology cooperation also contributes to improving the quality of rice cultivation, and trial cultivation of Japanese varieties is carried out. Agricultural technology support projects by JICA and others are also being implemented continuously.
