Cumulative rice exports reached 7.02 million tonnes, valued at nearly 3.59 billion USD, down 4.4% in volume and 21.9% in value from the same period last year, VFA data showed.
The Vietnam Food Association said that export rice prices are stable, with 5% broken fragrant rice currently offered for sale at around 440 - 465 USD per tonne, and Jasmine rice prices ranging from 496 - 500 USD a tonne.
Vietnam’s average export price for rice currently stands at 514 USD per tonne. Although this is lower than in recent years, it remains higher than that of other suppliers, he said, noting that the global rice market is experiencing oversupply.
For the first seven months of 2025, Vietnam exported about 5.5 million tonnes of rice, generating 2.81 billion USD — a 3.1% increase in volume but a significant 15.9% decline in value compared to the same period in 2024.
Vietnam aims to improve the quality and value of export rice by reducing the proportion of low and medium-grade white rice while increasing the share of aromatic, Japonica, and specialty rice varieties.
V. Subramanian, co-founder of SSricenews, noted a growing rice demand from Malaysia, China, and Africa, where buyers are increasing their purchases. This trend signals a potential trade boom in the coming months.
Rice exports set new records in both volume and value in 2024 but the commodity is expected to face a difficult year ahead as India lifted its ban on non-basmati white rice exports in September, which will push up global rice supplies next year.
With positive results recorded so far, Vietnam can exceed its target of 7.6 million tonnes in rice export volume set for 2024, Nguyen Ngoc Nam, Chairman of the Vietnam Food Association, said at a conference in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on April 26.
Vietnam’s rice export has been shifting significantly toward high-quality and speciality products rather than quantity, with an annual stable turnover from 6.2 to 6.3 million tonnes in 2019-23, chairman of Vietnam Food Association Nguyen Ngoc Nam said at the Rice News Convention in the central city on March 6.
The recent falls in rice prices are only short-term and the upward trend will continue in 2024 on limited supply, providing significant opportunities for Vietnam’s rice export, analysts have said.
The agriculture sector and traders have expressed their high optimism about rice exports this year given high prices and stable markets, helping the grain remain a big foreign currency earner.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) is close monitoring rice production and the world rice market with a view to promptly tackling arising problems and facilitating rice production, business and export.
Greater demand in the international market has resulted in higher rice prices in the domestic market in recent months, according to Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan.
Despite a bright outlook predicted for rice exports in the second half of 2023, the rice sector still needs more support to shift from quantity to quality to seize global market opportunities.