Vietnam ships 638,000 tonnes of rice abroad in Jan-Feb

Vietnam ships 638,000 tonnes of rice abroad in Jan-Feb. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam exported 638,000 tonnes of rice worth 352 million USD in the first two months of 2021, down 31.4 percent in volume and 18.3 percent in value year-on-year.

The average export price of rice in the period was 551.7 USD per tonne, up 13.5 percent compared to the same period last year.

The Philippines remains the largest importer of Vietnamese rice, with a 47.6 percent market share. Rice exports to this market reached nearly 170,000 tonnes valuing at 91.4 million USD in the period, increasing by 25.6 percent in volume and 48.9 percent in value.

Vietnam also witnessed significant export growths in others markets, including Ghana (up 3.13 times), China (up 2.8 times), and Australia (up 2.6 times).

The country exported 6.15 million tonnes of rice for 3.07 billion USD last year.

Amid the difficulties posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, rice exporters quickly made appropriate adjustments and actively sought new markets while fully tapping into the advantages brought about by free trade agreements (FTA) that Vietnam joined.

FTAs had created a major opportunity for Vietnamese rice to make inroads into choosy markets in the world./.