The Viet Nam Customs under the Ministry of Finance yesterday reported that there was a surge in rice exports to new markets such as China and Africa.

According to the Viet Nam Customs, rice exports have decreased considerably since the Philippines temporarily suspended rice imports starting September 1, 2025. In September, the volume of exported rice was 467,000 tons, nearly half the amount exported in August.

In the first half of this October, rice exports reached 201,000 tons, a sharp decrease compared to the 379,000 tons recorded in the first half of October 2024.

Chairman Do Ha Nam of the Viet Nam Food Association (VFA) emphasized that, despite the temporary suspension of imports by the Philippines, Viet Nam’s monthly rice exports remain at nearly 500,000 tons. This demonstrates the effort of local enterprises to boost exports to other markets, particularly China this year.

Since the beginning of the year, the volume of rice exported to China has increased manifold compared to the same period in 2024. Specifically, in the first nine months of the year, rice exports to China reached 600,000 tons while it was 241,000 tons in the same period last year, with a price approaching US$500 per ton (previously around $400 per ton). The African market is also increasing its procurement of Vietnamese rice.

In previous years, Africa typically only purchased Vietnamese rice during the second and third quarters. This year, however, African buyers began purchasing Vietnamese rice quite early and have continued to do so into the fourth quarter. This indicates a growing preference for Vietnamese rice among African importers and consumers.

According to the VFA, as of the end of October, Viet Nam has exported over 7 million tons of rice, with the full-year forecast expected to reach around 8 million tons. This figure would surpass Thailand, making Viet Nam the world's second-largest rice exporter, after India.

Source: Sai Gon Giai Phong