Tan Dong Tien Company in southern Long An Province (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA/VNS) - An Giang Import Export Company (Angimex), one of thelarge rice export companies in Vietnam, plans to focus on improving its ricequality and better controlling plant-protection residues to promote riceexports, especially to the US and EU markets.
Vo Truong Giang, director of Angimex’s raw material development centre, saidthat Angimex exported about 120,000 tonnes of rice last year to many markets,including Asia, Australia, Japan and the US.
Exports fell by 20 percent over 2015 due to drastic competition with Thai riceand an increase in rice production in Vietnam’s traditional rice-importingcountries, he said.
“It will be hard to compete with Thailand in exporting white rice. Therefore,our orientation for this year is to focus on controlling residues and expandproduction of specialty fragrant rice to boost export to the US and EU.”
“The US has a huge demand for fragrant rice. But to export to the market, ourrice must meet hygiene and food safety standards.”
The company has decided to rent 100ha of land to cultivate rice for export tothe US, he said.
Giang said the company has more than 3,000ha of rice material zones in which ithas developed close linkages with farmers and cooperatives in An Giang, KienGiang and Dong Thap to grow Japonica (a Japanese rice variety) and Jasminefragrant rice, he said.
“Asian countries, especially China, have high demand for Japonica rice,” hesaid.
With a forecast that rice export would continue to face difficulties this year,not only Angimex but also other rice exporters and producers have mapped outmeasures to boost consumption of their products this year.
Duong Van Hung, director of Tan Cuong Agricultural Services Cooperative in DongThap province, which has more than 1,200ha under rice cultivation, mainlyfragrant rice, said the co-operative would focus on improving quality to ensurethat its rice meets hygiene and food safety standards set by importingcountries.
“Currently, we have 200ha for growing organic rice and 100ha for safe rice,” hesaid. “We collaborated with a rice export company to market our organic rice inthe US market and to be accepted by the market.”
Rice productivity following organic cultivation is in general 20-30 percentlower than traditionally planted rice, but selling pricesare 30-40 percent higher than traditionally planted rice, he said.
“We will expand the area to cultivate safe rice in the coming time. I think ifour products meet hygiene and food safety standards, there will be nothing toworry about in terms of consumption,” he said.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnamexported an estimated 4.88 million tonnes of rice last year, earning 2.2billion USD, a year-on-year decrease of 25.8 percent in volume and 21.2 percentin value.
Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam said free trade agreements would open opportunitiesfor Vietnam to enter markets like the US, the EU and Japan, but it would bringchallenges due to lack of competitiveness, especially in terms of quality andbranding positioning, compared to competitors.
Nam saidthat rice exports last year did not meet expectations, especially because ofmarket difficulties.
“But I think it was a lesson for enterprises. Previously, we mainly focused onquantity. This should be changed now. Enterprises must establish their ownmaterial zones and focus on improving quality of their rice to internationalstandards,” he said.
Pham Thai Binh, director of Can Tho-based Trung An Hi-Tech Farming JSC, a largerice exporter, said consumers both at home and abroad are becoming more and more aware of what they eat and are willingto pay more for safe products.
To improve the competitiveness of Vietnamese rice, farmers and businesses mustjoin hands to create large-scale rice fields, apply modern farming techniquesand mechanise production, he said.
“Businesses must play a main role in the connection chain, providingfarmers with input materials and strictly supervise the production process offarmers as well as ensure outlets for their products,” he said.
The company has established a close link with farmers to grow fragrant Jasminerice, Japonica and other rice following GlobalGap and organic standards, hesaid.
Its rice products are available in many countries, including the US, the EU andSoutheast Asia, with exports accounting for 65 percent of its total productionoutput, he said.
According to experts, the variety of rice is an important factor to improverice quality.
Huynh The Nang, chairman of the Vietnam Food Association, said there arehundreds of rice varieties but many have similar quality.
Researches to create new high-quality rice varieties that are fragrant, softand different from other varieties should be encouraged, he said, adding thatthis would improve Vietnam’s rice quality and competitiveness.
LeVan Banh, head of the ministry’s Department of Processing and Trade forAgro-Forestry-Fisheries Products and Salt Production, said that developing brands for rice productswas important to help raise the competitiveness of Vietnamese rice at home andabroad.-VNA
Vo Truong Giang, director of Angimex’s raw material development centre, saidthat Angimex exported about 120,000 tonnes of rice last year to many markets,including Asia, Australia, Japan and the US.
Exports fell by 20 percent over 2015 due to drastic competition with Thai riceand an increase in rice production in Vietnam’s traditional rice-importingcountries, he said.
“It will be hard to compete with Thailand in exporting white rice. Therefore,our orientation for this year is to focus on controlling residues and expandproduction of specialty fragrant rice to boost export to the US and EU.”
“The US has a huge demand for fragrant rice. But to export to the market, ourrice must meet hygiene and food safety standards.”
The company has decided to rent 100ha of land to cultivate rice for export tothe US, he said.
Giang said the company has more than 3,000ha of rice material zones in which ithas developed close linkages with farmers and cooperatives in An Giang, KienGiang and Dong Thap to grow Japonica (a Japanese rice variety) and Jasminefragrant rice, he said.
“Asian countries, especially China, have high demand for Japonica rice,” hesaid.
With a forecast that rice export would continue to face difficulties this year,not only Angimex but also other rice exporters and producers have mapped outmeasures to boost consumption of their products this year.
Duong Van Hung, director of Tan Cuong Agricultural Services Cooperative in DongThap province, which has more than 1,200ha under rice cultivation, mainlyfragrant rice, said the co-operative would focus on improving quality to ensurethat its rice meets hygiene and food safety standards set by importingcountries.
“Currently, we have 200ha for growing organic rice and 100ha for safe rice,” hesaid. “We collaborated with a rice export company to market our organic rice inthe US market and to be accepted by the market.”
Rice productivity following organic cultivation is in general 20-30 percentlower than traditionally planted rice, but selling pricesare 30-40 percent higher than traditionally planted rice, he said.
“We will expand the area to cultivate safe rice in the coming time. I think ifour products meet hygiene and food safety standards, there will be nothing toworry about in terms of consumption,” he said.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnamexported an estimated 4.88 million tonnes of rice last year, earning 2.2billion USD, a year-on-year decrease of 25.8 percent in volume and 21.2 percentin value.
Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam said free trade agreements would open opportunitiesfor Vietnam to enter markets like the US, the EU and Japan, but it would bringchallenges due to lack of competitiveness, especially in terms of quality andbranding positioning, compared to competitors.
Nam saidthat rice exports last year did not meet expectations, especially because ofmarket difficulties.
“But I think it was a lesson for enterprises. Previously, we mainly focused onquantity. This should be changed now. Enterprises must establish their ownmaterial zones and focus on improving quality of their rice to internationalstandards,” he said.
Pham Thai Binh, director of Can Tho-based Trung An Hi-Tech Farming JSC, a largerice exporter, said consumers both at home and abroad are becoming more and more aware of what they eat and are willingto pay more for safe products.
To improve the competitiveness of Vietnamese rice, farmers and businesses mustjoin hands to create large-scale rice fields, apply modern farming techniquesand mechanise production, he said.
“Businesses must play a main role in the connection chain, providingfarmers with input materials and strictly supervise the production process offarmers as well as ensure outlets for their products,” he said.
The company has established a close link with farmers to grow fragrant Jasminerice, Japonica and other rice following GlobalGap and organic standards, hesaid.
Its rice products are available in many countries, including the US, the EU andSoutheast Asia, with exports accounting for 65 percent of its total productionoutput, he said.
According to experts, the variety of rice is an important factor to improverice quality.
Huynh The Nang, chairman of the Vietnam Food Association, said there arehundreds of rice varieties but many have similar quality.
Researches to create new high-quality rice varieties that are fragrant, softand different from other varieties should be encouraged, he said, adding thatthis would improve Vietnam’s rice quality and competitiveness.
LeVan Banh, head of the ministry’s Department of Processing and Trade forAgro-Forestry-Fisheries Products and Salt Production, said that developing brands for rice productswas important to help raise the competitiveness of Vietnamese rice at home andabroad.-VNA
VN
