The market still contains unfavorable factors
According to information from the Vietnam Food Association, in the first 5 months of 2025, Vietnam exported more than 4 million tons of rice. Currently, the export price of 5% broken rice from Vietnam is at 397 USD/tonne; 25% broken rice is at 368 USD/tonne; 100% broken rice stood at 325 USD/tonne. This price has remained quite stable over the past month.
Previously, according to preliminary statistics from the Customs Department (Ministry of Finance), in the first 4 months of 2025, the country's rice exports reached nearly 3.43 million tons, equivalent to nearly 1.77 billion USD, with an average price of 515 USD/tonne, up 8.1% in volume, but down 13.4% in turnover and down 19.9% in price compared to the first 4 months of 2024.
The rice market contains many unfavorable factors when recently Indonesia - one of the countries importing Vietnamese rice - announced its plan to stop importing rice this year. The reason given is that Indonesia's national rice reserve has just broken a record with a stockpile of more than 4 million tonnes of rice, in addition, Indonesia's national rice output in the first 5 months of 2025 is estimated at 16.55 million tonnes.
The question is, will this affect the Vietnamese rice industry when we may lose a large rice export market? Talking to a reporter from Cong Thuong Newspaper about this, Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh - Director of Phuoc Thanh IV Production - Trading Company Limited (Vinh Long province) - said that the above move will not have much impact because Indonesia mainly imports low-grade rice from Vietnam. This source of rice from Vietnam is not in surplus. The rice segment sold in the Indonesian market is the low-priced segment, Vietnamese rice competes with India in this segment.
“Currently, Vietnamese rice has many markets, of which, exports to the African market are quite good, along with the Middle East, the United States, etc. Therefore, Indonesia's plan to stop importing rice this year is not a concern for Vietnamese rice,” Mr. Thanh shared.
Choosing a demanding market for the long haul
In fact, exporting one thousand tons of rice to the Japanese, EU, etc. markets is as effective as tens of thousands of tons to other markets. Therefore, despite having to meet many strict criteria, exporting enterprises are choosing to follow this direction.
Speaking to reporters of Cong Thuong Newspaper, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tra My - Vice President and General Director of PAN Group - said that the orientation of PAN Group in general and Vinaseed (a subsidiary of PAN Farm under PAN Group) in particular is to put quality first and focus on demanding markets. "The demand for rice consumption in the Japanese market is good, the Board of Directors of Vinaseed has discussed and sought ways to export rice to Japan. We are confident in the quality and traceability from the seed to the table," said Ms. Nguyen Thi Tra My. As an enterprise exporting to demanding markets, including the Japanese market, Mr. Truong Sy Ba - Chairman of Tan Long Group - said that this year, the amount of rice exported to the Japanese market is expected to increase 6 times compared to last year. Exporting rice to Japan is very difficult because there are many strict criteria, but the economic efficiency is high. To export rice to the Japanese market, in addition to quality, brand value and suitability to consumer tastes are two important conditions.
Along with Japan, the EU is also the choice of Vietnamese rice enterprises. Talking to reporters of the Industry and Trade Newspaper, Mr. Pham Thai Binh - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Trung An High-Tech Agriculture Joint Stock Company pointed out that the rice export market share of enterprises and the EU market accounts for a relatively large proportion. In the recent past, although the export rice market has fluctuated a lot, because enterprises choose the high-quality rice segment, the export price and volume are quite stable.
In 2024, Indonesia will be the second largest market, accounting for 13.2% of Vietnam's total rice export turnover. However, as of the end of May 2025, Indonesia has not imported rice from Vietnam. Experts say that Indonesia's suspension of rice imports in 2025 could cause a decline in demand in the international market and will also have a certain impact on the Vietnamese rice industry. Therefore, Vietnamese rice exporting enterprises being flexible in their market access strategies, improving product quality, and finding new markets to maintain and expand market share will be a way for this industry to minimize the impact of complicated developments in the global rice trade situation.

Source: Vitic/ congthuong.vn