The 'father' of ST25 rice received a Certificate of Merit from the Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee

Photo caption — Vice Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee Tran Chi Hung presents a Certificate of Merit to Labor Hero, Engineer Ho Quang Cua. Photo: Thanh Liem/VNA

This is a worthy recognition for Mr. Ho Quang Cua's contributions to the agriculture of the Mekong Delta in particular and the Vietnamese rice industry in general. In particular, this honor comes right after ST25 rice achieved the feat of being crowned the highest position in the international arena for the third time, continuing to affirm the leading position of Vietnamese rice on the world food map.

Previously, within the framework of the 17th Global Rice Trade Conference organized by The Rice Trader in Phnom Penh (Cambodia) from November 7-9, 2025, engineer Ho Quang Cua's ST25 rice excelled over dozens of strong competitors to win the first prize in the " World's Best Rice" contest in 2025 (shared the prize with Phka Romdoul rice from the host country Cambodia).

This is the third time ST25 rice has been named in the top position, after victories in 2019 and 2023. With its continuous achievements in the group of the world's best rice varieties and 3 championships, "Mr. Cua ST25 Rice" has not only become a national pride but also a golden guarantee for the quality of Vietnamese agricultural products in the demanding international market.

What makes the 2025 victory of ST25 rice more special and convincing is the origin of the rice sample. Instead of choosing Winter-Spring rice - the rice crop that usually has the best and most stable quality like in 2019 and 2023, this time, Mr. Ho Quang Cua chose ST25 rice grown in the Summer-Autumn crop to enter the competition.

The appropriate use of biological products has positively impacted the field ecosystem, helping the rice plants grow naturally healthy and minimizing pests and diseases without the need for chemical abuse. This is the key for engineer Ho Quang Cua to overcome the disadvantages of the Summer-Autumn weather, creating rice grains that meet international standards.

The success of ST25 rice lies not only in the superior rice variety but also in the sustainable farming process, aiming towards circular agriculture, that engineer Ho Quang Cua has worked hard to build.

In this model, the harvested straw is not burned but is retained for natural decomposition or assisted decomposition by beneficial fungi and microorganisms. This process turns the straw into a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer, improves the bottom and reduces toxic gases in the water environment. In particular, this decomposition creates a natural food source such as earthworms, small snails... which are excellent sources of nutrition for shrimp in the combined rice-shrimp model.

Engineer Ho Quang Cua shared that spraying additional microorganisms right from the beginning of the crop helps to treat residual straw, preventing water damage - the main cause of shrimp disease or slow growth. Instead of using chemical pesticides, he takes advantage of an "army" of natural enemies such as parasitic wasps, green fungi, and white fungi to destroy pests, establishing a solid natural defense ecosystem.

"Rice plants grow thanks to microorganisms and waste from shrimp. Straw is returned to the soil to nourish the rice plants and feed the shrimp. That is the circle of benefits of circular agriculture," Mr. Cua concluded. This process has now been replicated on an area of more than 2,000 hectares, stretching from communes of Can Tho city to Ca Mau and An Giang.

After 5 years of steadfastness in the path of safe rice production, engineer Ho Quang Cua's raw material area has attracted nearly 2,000 households to participate, supplying the market with over 10,000 tons of clean rice each year. Statistics show that the yield of safe ST25 rice is stable at 6 tons/ha, but the value it brings is outstanding when the selling price is always 2,000 - 3,000 VND/kg higher than normal rice.

Currently, the brand "Ong Cua ST25 Rice" has been protected in major markets such as the UK, EU, China, Australia, the US... Supply is often not enough to meet demand, especially the demand from the Chinese market and developed countries.

Engineer Ho Quang Cua (born in 1953) graduated from the Faculty of Agronomy, Can Tho University in 1978. He has held many leadership positions in the agricultural sector of Soc Trang province (old), from the Department of Agriculture of My Xuyen district to Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the province. No matter what position he holds, the aspiration to improve the quality of his hometown rice always burns within him.

With outstanding contributions, Mr. Cua and his research team were awarded 10 Labor Medals by the State, of which he personally was honored to receive 5 Medals (1 Third Class, 2 Second Class, 2 First Class) and the title of Labor Hero in 2013.

The pinnacle of engineer Ho Quang Cua's research career is the Ho Chi Minh Prize for Science and Technology in 2021 for his research on selecting and creating ST fragrant rice varieties. Even after retirement, he still diligently researched, creating ST24 and ST25 - two "super products" that continuously make Vietnamese rice famous in the international arena. In 7 times attending the Global Rice Conference, ST24 and ST25 rice were always in the Top 3, with 3 championships (2019, 2023, 2025) and 2 second prizes (2020, 2022).

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