Rising to the world's second position in export volume
According to the latest updated data from Vietnam Food Association,export price of 5% broken rice from Vietnam is currently at 395 USD/tonne (up 4 USD/tonne) compared to the previous week. Notably, export price of the same type of rice from Thailand, India, and Pakistan is lower than that of Vietnam, decreasing by 1-6 USD/tonne.
Specifically, 5% broken rice from Thailand is at 362 USD/tonne (down 6 USD/tonne compared to the previous week); Indian rice is at 379 USD/ton (down 1 USD/tonne compared to the previous week) and 5% broken rice from Pakistan is at 365 USD/tonne (down 4 USD/ton compared to the previous week). Increase in export price of rice is believed to be due to buyers in the Philippines stockpiling before the import suspension deadline in September.
Since the beginning of the year, due to abundant supply, the world rice market has been affected a lot. Notably, after lifting restrictions on rice exports, India is boosting rice exports, especially when India's 2024-2025 crop year reaches a record rice output of 149 million tonnes, far exceeding domestic market demand. India's rice exports this year are expected to increase by nearly 25% to a record 22.5 million tonnes.
Regarding Vietnamese rice, according to data from Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in the first 7 months of the year, Vietnam's rice exports reached 5.5 million tonnes, with a turnover of 2.8 billion USD. In context of many rice exporting countries declining, Vietnam still increased its output by 3.1% despite a 19% price drop. It is expected that in 2025, Vietnam will reach about 8.8 million tonnes, maintaining its position as the second largest rice exporting country in the world, an achievement that Thailand especially admires when this country reduced its export output by nearly 30%.
Statistics from Thai Rice Exporters Association show that in the first half of 2025, India exported 11.68 million tonnes of rice, up 36.5% over the same period last year. Vietnam followed with 4.72 million tonnes, up 3.5%. Thailand ranked third with an export volume of 3.73 million tons, down 27.3%. Thus, Vietnam has surpassed Thailand to become the second largest rice exporter in the world in the first 6 months of 2025.
Mr. Do Ha Nam, Chairman of the Vietnam Food Association (VFA), commented that although Vietnam's rice exports only increased slightly in the past 7 months, this is a very positive signal when Thailand's rice exports have decreased sharply. Many Thai traders have expressed their admiration for the Vietnamese food industry because Vietnam's rice exports have increased while many countries have decreased.
According to experts, Vietnam's rice exports maintain growth momentum thanks to building a separate market with typical rice varieties such as OM, DT8, ST... These are exclusive products of Vietnam, favored by many countries around the world. Not only that, the demand for Vietnamese rice in other markets, especially Africa, is also increasing sharply.
Creating sustainable raw material areas, raising international brands
Rice is a traditional and important production industry of Vietnam, creating livelihoods for tens of millions of farmers across the country. If before 1986, Vietnam had to import rice because domestic production could not meet domestic consumption demand, then the turning point in trade and the journey to reach the world of Vietnamese rice must mention the historical milestone on August 23, 1989, when the first shipment of up to 10,000 tons, 35% broken rice at a price of 235 USD/ton was exported to India.
By 2011, Vietnamese rice set a record in output when it reached 7.1 million tonnes, turnover of 3.65 billion USD, average export price of 495 USD/tonne. From this point on, it was also the beginning of improving the quality of rice and building the Vietnamese rice brand in the international market. By 2024, Vietnam had reached a record output of 9 million tons of rice, export value of 5.7 billion USD. The average export price of rice reached the highest level, with 627.9 USD/tonne, an increase of 10.6% compared to 2023.
Vietnam has surpassed Thailand to become the world's second largest rice exporter in the first 6 months of 2025. This achievement is increasingly reflecting the shift from "exporting a lot" to "exporting with value", creating a clear competitive advantage.
However, Vietnamese rice industry still needs to remove some bottlenecks, facing significant risks: the impact of saline intrusion, drought and climate change, causing potential fluctuations in output; export management policies and technical barriers from demanding markets such as the EU and Japan are still major challenges.
In the context of weakening global demand or competitors lowering prices sharply, Vietnam's price competitiveness will narrow. This requires a long-term strategy, shifting the focus from increasing output to improving product value. In the long term, the sustainable direction must be to shift to exporting high-quality rice, organic rice, traceability and building a national brand. Otherwise, current second position may just be a short-lived "wave peak" between the cycle of oversupply and global climate fluctuations.
Regarding Vietnam's rice exports, on August 18, 2025, Government Office issued Document No. 7697/VPCP-NN conveying direction of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh assigning Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to study the above information; preside over and coordinate with relevant agencies to have a specific plan to handle immediately according to their authority; seize opportunities and more "speedily" implement rice exports, especially high-quality rice and organic rice, associated with traceability system and building a national rice brand to increase added value in rice exports. Accelerate implementation of the Project on sustainable development of 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta by 2030.
Chairman of Vietnam Rice Industry Association (VIETRISA), Mr. Bui Ba Bong, emphasized that when it comes to export, the core is still production and foundation is the raw material area. Vietnam has a great advantage with a leading rice production platform in Southeast Asia, approaching the world level and has made many great strides.
To access the export market, raw material area must ensure high quality and low production costs to bring profits to businesses and people. The Project on 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice in Mekong Delta is being effectively implemented and can be expanded to other regions, both maintaining national food security and improving export capacity.
However, it is difficult for businesses to build raw material areas themselves; This task requires the participation of farmers linked through cooperatives, local authorities and local agricultural extension systems. This is the key to forming a sustainable raw material area.
Vietnamese rice has now built its own brand, is favored by many markets, and supply cannot meet demand. Average export price reached 514 USD/tonne, showing positive progress. Mr. Do Ha Nam also suggested that Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and relevant agencies pay attention and support to make good use of this opportunity, while expanding the market to Japan, Korea and Africa. In the long term, it is necessary to develop high-quality rice varieties and build specialized growing areas. In particular, ST25 rice is highly appreciated by overseas Vietnamese around the world, showing "love goes through the stomach" and contributing to enhancing the national image.

Source: Vitic/ congthuong.vn