Hanoi (VNA) – Contraryto pessimistic forecasts earlier in 2017, after a drop in 2016, the country’srice exports had a successful year in 2017, with some higher-than-expectedfigures.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the level of rice exports inDecember was estimated at around 400,000 to 450,000 tonnes, bringing the totalexport volume for the entire year to 5.9 to 6 million tonnes, over 1 milliontonnes higher than last year’s figure.

A recent update from the General Department of Customs showed that as of 15thDecember, the level of rice exports reached 5.66 million tonnes, worth around 2.6billion USD.

This figure represents a rise of 20.9 percent in volume and 23.8 percent invalue over the same period last year. In 2016, the level of rice exports wasonly 4.9 million tonnes, worth 2.2 billion USD.

After disappointing results in 2016, the sector has set a modest target toexport 5 million tonnes of rice in 2017, due to an anticipated decline indemand and changes to the rice import policies of destination markets.

However, the demand for rice in many markets, such as China, Malaysia, thePhilippines and the Republic of Korea, increased significantly in 2017, which,together with the efforts to penetrate new markets, such as Bangladesh andIraq, have helped to improve the country’s level of rice exports, experts havesaid.

Rice import companies also saw a successful year.
Nguyen Van Don, director of Viet Hung Company Limited, stated that theincrease in rice exports was largely due to China, the largest market forVietnam. Don added that rice exports to China are expected to help boosthis company’s value of exports by 20 per cent, compared to 2016.

Rice exports to other markets, such as the Philippines, Malaysia, Iraq, theRepublic of Korea and Saudi Arabia, also saw a significant increase.

Dang Thi Lien, director of the Long An Foodstuff Limited Company,forecasted a positive outlook for rice exports, as there are many orders fromthe Philippines and China.

According to Nguyen Thanh Long, director of the Gao Viet Limited Company, thelevel of rice exports will continue to improve in the first quarter of 2018, ifsupply is ensured.

Many forecasts highlight an improved global rice market in 2018.

According to a report by the United States (US) Department of Agriculture,global rice trade is projected to grow by 1 percent in 2018, to reach 42.3million tonnes. Vietnam’s rice exports could increase by 400,000 tonnes in2018, due to higher demand from Southeast Asian markets.

Vietnamese rice is now exported to over 130 markets. However, experts are stillcalling for quality to be improved, to enhance competitiveness.

In October, the Ministry of Industry and Trade announced its rice exportstrategy for the 2017 to 2020 period, which aims to decrease export volume butincrease value.

Accordingly, the country’s average rice export volume was set at 4.5 to 5million tonnes per year to 2020, at an average value of 2.2 to 2.3 billion USD.

Between 2021 and 2030, Vietnam plans to export 4 million tonnes per year onaverage, worth around 2.3 USD to 2.5 billion USD.-VNA