The rice warehouse of the Duong Vu Co. Ltd in Thủ Thừa district, Long An province. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – As many as 161 merchants had been granted certificates of eligibility for exporting rice as of January 22, decreasing from mid-2023, reported the Agency of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).

HCM City has the largest number, 36, one fewer than the list released last October. It is followed by Cần Thơ city with 34, Long An province 22, Đồng Tháp province 15, and An Giang 14.

Some provinces have only one certified merchant, including Hà Nam, Hậu Giang, Khánh Hòa, Lạng Sơn, and Thanh Hóa.

The number of traders eligible for rice export in the latest list decreased considerably compared to the August 2023 list that comprised 210, which later fell to 170 in October last year, statistics show.

The Foreign Trade Agency said that in 2023, the MoIT played a good advisory role in the governance of rice export, helping gain positive export results, ensure high prices for farmers, and guarantee food security.

Last year, Việt Nam shipped more than 8.1 million tonnes of the grain worth nearly US$4.7 billion abroad amid complex developments in global rice trading, including many countries’ restrictions of rice export.

Experts forecast export prices will continue rising in 2024 due to smaller supply as a result of India’s ongoing export restrictions and growing import demand of many countries like Indonesia and the Philippines.

For 2024, Việt Nam looks to maintain the cultivation area at 7.1 million ha, produce over 43 million tonnes of unhusked and export more than 8 million tonnes of husked rice. — VNS