A long-term strategy is needed for the sustainable development of the rice industry.

In the early months of 2026, low export rice prices led to a sharp decline in paddy prices, preventing rice farmers from achieving their desired profits. For the rice industry to develop sustainably, the key issues are improving rice quality, expanding export markets, and increasing the income of rice farmers.

Farmers harvested a high-yield winter-spring rice crop in 2025-2026, but the selling price was low, and profits did not meet expectations. (In the photo: Harvesting and transporting rice in Vi Tan ward, Can Tho city.)

There are still many concerns.

In 2025, Vietnam exported approximately 8.06 million tons of rice, becoming the world's second-largest rice exporter, surpassing Thailand. This is not only an achievement in terms of production volume, but also affirms the position of Vietnamese rice in the international market. In particular, Vietnam has gradually developed fragrant rice varieties with unique characteristics such as ST, OM, and Dai Thom, which are recognized and favored by the international market.

From competing primarily on quantity and low prices, Vietnamese rice has gradually shifted to competing on quality, brand, and added value. However, a major paradox of the Vietnamese rice industry is that, despite being the world's second-largest rice exporter, rice farmers remain among the lowest-income groups compared to many other agricultural sectors. This is a cause for concern, because if rice farmers cannot make a decent living from rice, the success of the rice industry cannot be considered sustainable.

In the first four months of 2026, Vietnam exported approximately 3.33 million tons of rice, earning about US$1.5 billion. The Philippines alone accounted for about 1.5 million tons. However, the average export price was only about US$468 per ton, a decrease of about 10% compared to the 2025 average of approximately US$508 per ton. This is also the lowest price in the last five years. During the 2025-2026 winter-spring rice crop, the price of fresh paddy rice at the field sometimes dropped to just over 5,000 VND/kg; the export price of rice at times was only around 10,000 VND/kg. This directly impacts the production efficiency and income of farmers.

Mr. Huynh Van Thien, residing in Vi Tan ward, Can Tho city, harvested 1.2 hectares of RVT winter-spring rice in early May and sold it to traders for 6,400 VND/kg. With a yield of over 1 ton per hectare (large plot), after deducting expenses, the profit was approximately 2.5 million VND per hectare. However, with this profit, Mr. Thien worries that he will not have enough capital to reinvest in the next crop.

According to the Vietnam Food Association, the low price of rice is partly due to market psychology. As soon as news of reduced imports from the Philippines emerges, many businesses immediately sell off their stock in large quantities to maintain market share and clear inventory. When the market experiences heavy selling pressure in a short period, prices plummet. As a result, rice exporting businesses face difficulties, farmers suffer the most, and the added value in the chain largely goes to the middlemen.

This reality shows that the biggest weakness of the rice industry today is that farmers lack the ability to regulate the market and proactively manage the timing of their sales. Meanwhile, in some other agricultural sectors, farmers have a tendency to proactively store their products, waiting for more favorable market conditions before selling them. This is a crucial issue that needs to be addressed in the long-term development strategy of the rice industry.

Expand the market, increase value.

According to the Vietnam Food Association, the first solution needed is to enhance the proactive role of farmers in the rice value chain. This includes promoting mechanisms that allow farmers to store their rice through partnerships with cooperatives or directly in the warehouses of export businesses. Cooperatives/export businesses can coordinate with banks to develop appropriate capital advance mechanisms for farmers after harvest. Only when farmers have the ability to store their rice and proactively choose when to sell it will they truly reap the rewards of their labor. When farmers earn better profits, they will reinvest in seeds, quality, and clean production. Only then can the Vietnamese rice industry achieve sustainable development.

Another issue is the continued removal of obstacles in export markets and logistics. Vietnam's two largest rice export markets, China and the Philippines, are still managed through policy regulations. At the recent conference on promoting agricultural, forestry, and fisheries exports and ensuring export growth targets for 2026, the Vietnam Food Association proposed that the Government and relevant ministries and agencies strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China and the Philippines to create more favorable conditions for rice trade between the two sides. They also recommended continued support for expanding export markets, especially in Africa, which holds significant potential for Vietnamese rice in the future. Furthermore, ministries and agencies should continue to address difficulties in logistics and rice export transportation. They should also continue to promote investment and upgrade logistics infrastructure, particularly in the Mekong Delta; develop warehousing systems, waterway transport, and transshipment capacity to serve the rice industry.

Mr. Do Ha Nam, Chairman of the Vietnam Food Association, stated: Currently, Vietnam has many high-quality fragrant rice varieties recognized worldwide, but the brand of Vietnamese rice in the international market is still not commensurate with its actual quality. It's time for Vietnamese rice to be recognized by its own name and value in the international market. To achieve this, it is necessary to ensure the purity of the rice varieties, implement consistent quality control, build a traceability system, and develop brands for each specialty rice variety. Only by building strong brands can we gradually enhance the pricing power and value of Vietnamese rice in the global market…

Text and photos: HOAI THANH

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/can-chien-luoc-dai-han-de-nganh-lua-gao-phat-trien-ben-vung-a204570.html