Rice loaded at a company in the northern province of Thái Bình. Right from the beginning of 2024, many rice exporters have received orders. — VNA/VNS Photo Vũ Sinh

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam's export of agricultural products recorded impressive growth in the first month of 2024 and is expected to see a breakthrough in the whole year.

In January, the export turnover hit US$5.14 billion, up 79.2 per cent year-on-year, with increases reported in almost all commodity groups.

According to Deputy General Director of Vina T & T Co Ltd Nguyễn Đình Mười, 2024 could be a breakthrough year for the fruit sector now that various products have received good signals from major markets such as Japan, the US, Australia, China, and the EU.

It is noteworthy that the potential of most of these markets is very large, and their doors are wide open for Vietnamese fruits, he added.

Similarly, rice is also forecast to have a successful year. Right from the beginning of 2024, many rice exporters have received orders.

Chairman of the Board of Directors of Trung An High-Tech Agriculture Joint Stock Company Phạm Thái Bình said that the price of Việt Nam's 5 per cent broken rice is currently no less than $700 per tonne.

According to the Vietnam Food Association, the rice export prices are likely to be pushed up in the coming time, as many countries begin to increase imports and India continues to maintain its ban on exporting certain types of rice.

Meanwhile, information from the National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department reveals that the global rice production could near 520 million tonnes this year, while consumption is approaching 525 million tonnes, indicating a potential shortage. Therefore, rice processing and exporting enterprises need to closely monitor the market to efficiently execute existing and new contracts, considering both price and quality.

In 2024, the country's rice export volume may be at least the same as in 2023, but the value is certainly 15 to 20 per cent higher. Therefore, the export turnover may surpass $5 billion this year, higher than the $4.8 billion recorded last year, said Bình.

Nguyễn Việt Anh, General Director of the ORIENT Rice Co. Ltd, said he believes that given the market fluctuations, the adaptability index of enterprises is extremely important because each year brings new scenarios and there are no lessons learned from the previous year that can be effectively applied to the next.

Rice remains an essential commodity globally as well as in Việt Nam, so in the near future, there are significant opportunities for production and business in this field, Việt Anh added. He said it is essential for exporting enterprises to enhance their adaptability and flexibility to capitalise on the chances.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phùng Đức Tiến stated that the sector has set a target of earning $54-55 billion from agricultural exports this year.

To promote the export of agricultural products and maintain a strong and sustainable position in import markets, the ministry will work with businesses to well monitor and manage the production process, issue planting area codes, and take measures to meet requirements of major markets.

It will also analyse the market to have specific strategies for each period and each industry, and closely follow major import markets, such as China, the US, Japan, and the EU to promote exports and exploit new and potential markets like Islamic countries, the Middle East, and Africa, Tiến emphasised.

First batches of agricultural products exported

The Mekong Delta province of An Giang on Monday exported 13 tonnes of flat-seeded mango to the Republic of Korea (RoK).

This is the first batch under an export contract signed between the GAP Cù Lao Giêng Cooperative in Chợ Mới District and the Hoàng Phát Fruit Ltd. Co.

This is an important event marking the cooperation in production and sales between the cooperative and fruit exporting companies in An Giang and other localities, thus promoting the connection between production and consumption of mango products in a value chain.

The same day, the first container of pickled daikon in 2024 from the northern province of Hà Giang was exported to Japan within the cooperation of the Vietnam Misaki Co Ltd.

Secretary of the Xín Mần District Party Committee Hoàng Nhị Sơn said that the locality has focused on developing typical agricultural products along with the value chain of high-quality goods in order to help ethnic people there tap their agricultural economic potential while increasing incomes for the locals and bringing the province’s agricultural product brand to the world.

Hoàng Thị Lập, director of the Vietnam Misaki Co Ltd, revealed that in 2024, the company will continue to develop and expand raw material areas, invest in more modern machinery and equipment, and expand the production to meet the increasing quantity and quality requirements.

The company has provided farmers with high-quality seeds and fertiliser.

Under the co-operative programme, exports include pickled onion, daikon, ginger, and bamboo shoot. The Japanese side has also completed the preliminary processing facilities for daikon with a production scale of 1,000 tonnes per year. — VNS