HCMC – More than 180 rice varieties developed by the Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute have been introduced into production, with several now cultivated in countries across Southeast Asia, South Asia, Latin America and Africa.
The institute released the information at the Farmers’ Rice Cultivation Festival 2026 held on March 6 in Can Tho City.
The varieties were developed to suit different ecological conditions and market demand. They include high-yield rice, aromatic and specialty rice, high-quality rice, glutinous and japonica rice, and nutrient-rich colored rice.
Rice varieties developed by the institute account for 60–70% of the cultivation area in the Mekong Delta, including major varieties such as OM5451, OM18, OM6976, OM4900, and OM6162.
Tran Ngoc Thach, director of the institute, said that the most widely grown rice varieties in the Mekong Delta are OM5451 and OM18, both developed by the institute, and Dai Thom 8, a proprietary variety researched and commercialized by Vinarice Company Limited.
Data from the Vietnam Rice Industry Association showed OM18 accounted for about 30% of the region’s rice cultivation area in 2025, while OM5451 made up 15% and Dai Thom 8 21%. The Mekong Delta’s total rice cultivation area reached 3.875 million hectares that year.
Other varieties include DS1 (Japanese rice) with about 4% of the area, IR50404 with 3%, ST24 with 3%, and ST25 with 2%, with the remainder spread across other varieties.
The institute also reported developing rice varieties tolerant to salinity levels of 2–4‰, including OM2517, OM6976, OM8959, OM11735, OM9582, OM9577, OM429, OM380, OM18, and OM3.
From 2019 to 2026, 11 rice varieties developed by the institute were approved for circulation by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. These include OM19, OM29, OM3, OM74, OM8, OM18, OM468, OM5451, OM429, OM344, and glutinous rice OM406.
Another six varieties—OM6, OM17, OM66, OM15, OM12, and OM52—have completed field trials and are awaiting approval, while five varieties—OM36, OM82, OM68, OM54, and OM45—remain under testing.
According to the institute, all of its rice varieties have been registered and granted plant variety protection certificates.
At the festival, organizers evaluated 22 rice varieties. Variety OM29 ranked first for grain appearance, while OM19 received the top ranking for rice and cooked rice quality.
