Delegates at a press conference to introduce Việt Nam’s first international rice festival in HCM City on December 1. — VNS Photo

HCM CITY — The first ever international rice festival will be held in the Mekong Delta province of Hậu Giang from December 11 to 14.

Speaking at a press conference held in HCM City to introduce the festival on December 1, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoàng Trung said the festival with the theme “Green Rice for Life” seeks to promote the development of high-quality rice production and improve the value chain towards green growth, ensuring food security and safety and climate change adaption in the delta.

It is an opportunity for Việt Nam to showcase its potential, production strengths and quality of rice, and send a message to the world about a responsible country, he said.

The festival will feature an exhibition showcasing various kinds of rice, products made under the One Commune One Product Programme, delicacies made from rice, and machinery and drones that serve rice production.

There will also be a rice-themed road set up along Xà No Canal in the province, depicting the country’s journey from being an importer of the grain to becoming the second largest exporter.

There will also be seminars, contests, and many other activities.

The event will enable organisations, localities, businesses, and farmers to access new production knowledge and scientific and technical advances in digital transformation, Trung added.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính is expected to announce the approval of a project for developing one million hectares of high-quality, low-carbon rice production associated with green growth in the delta by 2030.

The project will fundamentally change the rice value chain in the Mekong Delta in particular and Việt Nam in general, Trung said.

Đồng Văn Thanh, chairman of the Hậu Giang Province People’s Committee, said around 200 international guests from 39 countries and territories and 14 foreign media agencies have registered to attend the festival.  

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Việt Nam exported 7.75 million tonnes of rice in the first 11 months of the year earning US$4.4 billion, up 36.3 per cent year-on-year.

Việt Nam rice wins again

At the press conference, Nguyễn Như Cường, director of the ministry’s department of crop production, said Việt Nam was the winner of the World's Best Rice Contest at the World Rice Conference Summit in the Philippines late last month.

The organiser did not give an award for any specific variety this year, and instead awarded countries as a whole, and Cambodia was second and India was third, he said.

This year's competition saw 30 rice varieties from more than 10 countries competing for honours.

Việt Nam had three businesses participating in the competition with six rice varieties: Hồ Quang Trí Private Enterprise with ST24 and ST25, Lộc Trời Group with LT28 and Nàng Hoa 9 and Thái Bình Seeds with TBR39 and TBR39-1.

In 2019, Việt Nam’s ST25 was named the world’s best rice variety. — VNS