Vietnamese export rice going to China. —VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s rice export prices have been rebounding since early April, according to the Việt Nam Food Association (VFA).

Compared with other leading rice-exporting countries, the current export price of Việt Nam’s standard 5 per cent broken white rice has reclaimed the top position, reaching US$397 per tonne.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s 5 per cent broken rice is priced at $395 per tonne, Pakistan’s at $387 and India’s at $376.

Many Vietnamese traders have exported 5 per cent broken rice at prices exceeding $400 per tonne.

Export prices of Việt Nam’s speciality rice varieties are also higher than those from Thailand and India.

The ST25 rice’s export rice has reached up to $1,200 per tonne (free-on-board price at HCM City Port). This is attributed to the limited harvest of ST25 rice in the recent winter-spring crop, coupled with strong domestic demand for this product.

The current export prices for Thailand’s most premium aromatic rice varieties are lower, with Thai Jasmine rice topping out at $1,050 and Hom Mali rice at $1,100. India’s Basmati rice is currently exported at around $900.

In the glutinous rice segment, which is primarily exported to the Chinese market, Việt Nam’s export price is currently ranging from $580 to $590 per tonne, a significant increase compared to the beginning of the first quarter.

Chairman of the VFA, Đỗ Hà Nam, said that the rice prices have surged because of the completion of the latest rice harvest, resulting in reduced supply. Meanwhile, traditional customers continue to demonstrate a high and stable demand for Vietnamese rice.

In the first quarter of this year, Việt Nam’s total rice export volume reached around 2.3 million tonnes, with a total export value of nearly $1.21 billion.

This represents a 5.82 per cent increase in volume, but a 15.53 per cent decrease in value compared to the same period in 2024. The average export price in Q1/2025 was $522 per tonne, down 20.18 per cent year-on-year.

In March 2025, the Philippines remained the largest importer of Vietnamese rice, receiving 438,805 tonnes worth $204.5 million. China followed with 159,021 tonnes worth $79.8 million, and Ghana ranked third with 62,908 tonnes worth over $37.3 million.

Nam added that although the price of Việt Nam’s standard 5 per cent broken rice remained under $400 per tonne in Q1, the country’s average rice export price still reached $522 per tonne. This was thanks to the growing share of aromatic and speciality rice in the export structure.

“Vietnamese rice is in the mid-high-end segment and is aiming for a higher segment with value and brand. Demand in this segment is currently very strong, especially in markets like Japan, the US and the EU,” he said. — BIZHUB/VNS