Sales of fragrant rice increased strongly last year, reaching 584,000 tonnes, the VFA has reported, with Hong Kong , China and Western Africa being key markets for Vietnamese fragrant rice.
With its competitive prices and good quality, the country's fragrant rice sold more than its Thai rivals in these markets, all of which are top markets for fragrant rice. Vietnamese fragrant rice accounted for 40 percent of the Hong Kong market, as well as in the Western Africa market.
However, fragrant rice revenues have remained below the country's potential because many farmers are reluctant to plant fragrant rice.
Although Vietnam produces rice in three crops each year, only rice harvested from the winter-spring and autumn-winter crops has good quality.
The summer-autumn crop usually yields rice with a lower quality and weaker aroma.
To ensure that the country has a sufficient volume of fragrant rice to meet the target, the VFA has asked the agricultural sector to encourage farmers in the Mekong River Delta to expand cultivation of fragrant rice during the winter-spring crop.
In addition, the agricultural sector should develop a specific zoning plan for fragrant-rice production and provide farmers with production techniques, according to VFA chairman Truong Thanh Phong.
The industry should also work to ensure a sufficient supply of good quality seedlings for farmers, he said.
Vietnam's rice export in the first 10 days of this year reached 49,296 tonnes, worth more than FOB 23 million USD, VFA reported. The association expects to export 1.4 million tonnes of rice in the first quarter./.VNA
