Experts: Improving rice quality becomes urgent task

Illustrative image (Source: internet)

Ho Chi Minh City (VNA) – Improving the quality of rice products has become the most urgent task given consecutive reductions in rice exports in recent years, experts said at a conference in Ho Chi Minh City on November 11.

Chairman of the Vietnam Food Association (VFA) Huynh The Nang told participants that, in the first ten months of 2016, the country shipped abroad a total of 4.2 million tonnes of rice worth 1.9 billion USD, dropping by 21.2 percent in volume and 16.9 percent in value compared to the figures of the same period last year.

Between January and September, Vietnam’s rice shipments saw drops in a number of major markets. The Philippines topped the list with a 66.4 percent fall, followed by Malaysia and China, recording decreases of 54.8 percent and 21.6 percent, respectively.

Nang said high-quality products and food safety are demanded in both domestic and international markets, while the Mekong Delta region, the largest rice granary of the country, has been severely affected by saltwater intrusion.

The VFA chairman pointed to the fact that many exported rice batches have been returned for excessive pesticide residues.

Therefore, he suggested that the focus should be placed on rice quality and the annual rice output for export should be reduced from the current 7-8 million tonnes to 3 million tonnes of high-quality rice.

Experts noted a national rice trademark is impossible without rice quality meeting international standards, adding that the application of advanced technologies in the sector is a must.

Le Van Banh, Director of the Department for Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Product Processing and Salt Production, said the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is prioritizing the building of large-scale paddy fields to serve export. It has also taken solutions to improve the quality of rice varieties and develop post-harvest processing and preserving technologies.-VNA