According to preliminary statistics figures of the General Department of Customs, Vietnam’s rice exports in the first month of 2020 was estimated at 410,855 tons, earning 196.46 million USD (down by 17.8 per cent in volume and 13.8 per cent in turnover compared to December of 2019) and also decreased by 6.1 per cent in volume but increased by 0.6 per cent in turnover compared to the first month of 2019. The rice export price in the first month of 2020 averaged 478.2 USD per ton, up by 4.8 per cent compared to December of 2019 and by 7.1 per cent compared to January of 2019.

The country’s exports of rice to the Philippines - the leading market of Vietnam's rice consumption in the first month of this year dropped sharply by 39.3 per cent in volume and 32.7 per cent in turnover compared to January of 2019 to 135,233 tons, earning 61.38 million USD, accounting for 32.9 per cent of the country's total rice exports and accounting for 31.2 per cent of the total export turnover. However, rice export price to the Philippines increased by 10.9 per cent to an average of 453.9 USD per ton.

In January 2020, rice exports to Malaysia increased sharply by 101 per cent in volume and by 63 per cent in turnover to 26,978 tons, equivalent to 12.43 million USD, accounting for over 6 per cent of the total volume and total rice export turnover of the country, however, the export price decreased by 18.9 per cent, reaching 460.9 USD per ton.

Rice exports to China also increased sharply by 121.3 per cent in volume and by 176.8 per cent in turnover, reaching 18,359 tons, equivalent to 10.78 million USD, the export price increased by 25.1 per cent, reaching 587 USD per ton.

The notable export markets in the first month of this year were that although the export volume was not high but increased sharply compared to the same period in 2019 such as: Russia increased by 646.3 per cent in volume and 566.9 per cent in turnover , reaching 500 tons, equivalent to 0.25 million USD; France - increased by 219.4 per cent in volume and 280.2 per cent in turnover, reaching 313 tons, equivalent to 0.2 million USD; Angola - increased by 102.6 per cent in volume and 157 per cent in turnover, reaching 699 tons, equivalent to 0.35 million USD.

In contrast, the exports to the markets of Hong Kong, Ukraine, Ivory Coast, Senegal dropped sharply from 62 – 84 per cent in both volume and turnover compared to the first month of 2019.