Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien speaks at the press conference. (Photo: VNA) Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien said the ministry proposedthe Prime Minister issue a directive on enhancing rice exports in the presentcontext, which should identify tasks of ministries, agencies, localities andbusinesses.
After the issuance, ministries, agencies and localitieswill focus on removing obstacles to traders and farmers in order to optimisethe opportunities to boost exports, he added.
The ministry reported that Vietnam shipped abroad 4.84million tonnes of rice valued at 2.58 billion USD in the first seven months ofthis year, up 29.6% from the corresponding time last year.
The national rice output is expected to reach from43.2-43.4 million tonnes this year, up 1.8-2% from 2022, the ministry said,noting that with the current production situation, the country is likely to meetdomestic consumption and export from 7-7.5 million tonnes.
As of mid-July, localities had harvested over 24.1 milliontonnes, up 0.4% year-on-year, with rice prices in the Mekong Delta - the country’srice bowl - increasing in the month.
Nguyen Nhu Cuong, Director of the MARD’s Department ofCrop Production, said given the hiking rice prices, the department has workedto raise the rice farming area for the autumn-winter crop in the Mekong Deltafrom 650,000 hectares to 700,000 hectares.
To reach the rice output target of 43 million tonnes,the department is coordinating with MARD's relevant agencies and localities in settingout cultivation plans and rolling out technical solutions, he said.
Cuong also noted that El Nino could hit rice production,especially the winter-spring crop in the Mekong Delta, saying although itsimpacts in Vietnam might be less severe than in other countries, vigilanceshould be maintained.
Regarding India’s ban on de-oiled rice bran export, DeputyDirector of the MARD’s Department of Livestock Production Pham Kim Dang, toldthe press that Vietnam’s demand for de-oiled rice bran is not big as thecountry needs about 4.7 million tonnes of de-oiled rice bran each year, ofwhich only 0.7 million tonnes is imported.
Rice bran can be replaced with wheat bran, he said, stressingthat the ban is not a concern for the domestic husbandry sector.
Under the MARD’s rice export proposal to the PM, theministry said it will supervise production in localities, instruct plant quarantineagencies to facilitate rice production and keep a close watch on marketdevelopments in order to achieve the target.
The ministry also suggested what should be done byother relevant ministries and agencies like the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the People’s Committees of centrally-runcities and provinces./.
VNA
