HCMC – Vietnam has shipped the first 500 tons of low-emission rice to Japan, opening a new export focus for the country’s rice sector, reported the Vietnam News Agency.
The Vietnam Rice Industry Association (VIETRISA) and Trung An Hi-Tech Farming JSC held the export ceremony on June 5. This shipment marks the first overseas delivery of rice produced under the project to grow one million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice in the Mekong Delta region until 2030.
Pham Thai Binh, chairman of Trung An Hi-Tech Farming JSC, said the certified Japonica rice was priced at US$820 per ton.
Speaking at the ceremony, Tran Thanh Nam, deputy minister of Agriculture and Environment, commended the collaborative efforts of farmers, cooperatives, businesses, and local agricultural authorities in implementing the project’s standards.
Nam acknowledged future challenges but expressed confidence in the project’s potential to enhance sustainable rice production and value. He said the export underscores Vietnam’s commitment to both quality and environmental standards in rice.
The project has seen successful pilot models throughout 2024 and is set for expansion in 2025. The rollout of the “low-carbon green vietnamese rice” label is part of broader efforts to build a national low-carbon rice brand under the project’s framework.
Trung An’s shipment to Japan is the first under the new label. Certification requires compliance with the project’s farming standards and verification of production origins by local authorities or international organizations.
Following the initial 500-ton shipment, Trung An anticipates exporting around 200 tons of certified low-emission ST25 rice to Australia at nearly US$1,200 per ton. The company projects exporting about 400,000 tons of certified low-emission rice, primarily to Japan, in 2025.
