Rice packaging at a milling facility in Tiền Giang Province.— VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) is forecasting that Việt Nam will have over 7.5 million tonnes of commercial rice available for export in 2025. This supply will primarily come from the Mekong Delta provinces, while other regions will mainly serve domestic consumption.

According to MARD’s supply and demand balance report for rice exports in 2025, the Mekong Delta is expected to produce over 3.7 million hectares of rice, with an average yield of 6.34 tonnes per hectare, resulting in a total output of 23.9 million tonnes.

Of this, around 8.9 million tonnes will be used for domestic consumption, seed and animal feed, while 15.1 million tonnes of paddy rice, equivalent to 7.5 million tonnes of processed rice will be available for export.

Breaking this down, high-quality and fragrant rice is expected to account for 5.6 million tonnes (75 per cent), glutinous rice 754,000 tonnes (10 per cent), and medium-quality rice 1.1 million tonnes (15 per cent).

For the year’s rice export schedule, 4.53 million tonnes are expected to be shipped in the first half of 2025, with over 3 million tonnes allocated for the latter half of the year.

Given this supply, MARD has proposed that the Ministry of Industry and Trade prioritise exporting rice during peak harvest months, particularly in February, March, April, July, August, and September, to align with market fluctuations.

Additionally, MARD has urged the Ministry of Industry and Trade to step up trade promotion efforts to expand export markets, ensuring that all available rice is exported, while balancing the interests of both farmers and exporters.

The ministry has also suggested a more structured approach to rice trading by encouraging professionalisation of intermediary traders. This includes requiring traders to register their businesses and formalise contracts with farmers, ensuring quality consistency while securing support policies similar to those available for exporting enterprises.

For 2025, Việt Nam’s total rice cultivation area is expected to reach 7 million hectares, down by 132,000 hectares compared to the previous year. The average yield is projected to be 6.16 tonnes per hectare, an increase of 0.07 tonnes per hectare year-on-year, while total production is expected to be 43.1 million tonnes, a decrease of 323,000 tonnes from 2024. — VNS