Reasons why ST25 rice won the world's best rice award for the third time.

Engineer Ho Quang Cua believes that the stability of the variety and the safe farming practices are the factors that have helped ST25 receive continuous international accolades.

For the third time, Ong Cua ST25 rice has been honored as " the world's best rice" in Phnom Penh (Cambodia), following two previous wins in 2019 and 2023. The competition is held annually by The Rice Trader (USA). Winning rice must be fragrant, sticky, and soft; the grain quality should be consistent both dry and after cooking. The competition does not prohibit the winning rice from participating in subsequent competitions.

Mr. Ho Quang Cua in the ST25 rice field. Photo: Chuc Ly

Engineer Ho Quang Cua stated that he decided to continue submitting ST25 rice to the competition, despite having previously won first prize, in order to demonstrate the variety's stable quality over multiple seasons, affirm the position of Vietnamese rice in the international market, and expand export opportunities. Unlike the previous two times when it was grown in the winter-spring season, this year's rice batch was produced in the summer-autumn season – a time usually unfavorable for fragrant rice – showing the variety's adaptability and ability to maintain its quality.

"This achievement comes from over 20 years of genetic selection to create the rice variety that competed in this year's competition, with long, slender, translucent white grains, sticky rice with a fragrant pandan leaf aroma – like young rice grains – and that remains soft even when cooled," Mr. Cua said.

His farming process is based on biological principles and experience accumulated from Professor Nguyen Tho. He uses microbial preparations to decompose rice straw, improve soil, reduce pests and diseases, and help rice grains retain their natural whiteness and aroma. Even before applying organic fertilizer, earthworms appear throughout the fields – a sign of a healthy soil ecosystem, according to him.

Thanks to these cultivation conditions, the ST25 rice crop in the summer-autumn season still meets the standards of being white, sticky, and fragrant, without losing its aroma when left overnight. Despite a longer growing period of 5-7 days, the summer-autumn crop achieving 75% of the winter-spring crop's yield is considered very high. His model is currently being applied by nearly 2,000 households on over 3,000 hectares in Ca Mau, An Giang , and Can Tho provinces, yielding 6-8 tons/ha, with rice prices ranging from 9,000-13,000 VND/kg.

The increased reputation has led to the proliferation of counterfeit rice. Mr. Cua believes this is an inevitable consequence of a famous product, but the important thing is for businesses to maintain production standards to protect their reputation. Consumers accustomed to authentic rice can still recognize it through its distinctive aroma, texture, and sweetness. To protect his brand, he developed a recognizable logo and registered it for protection in the US, UK, EU, China, Australia, and Vietnam.

According to Mr. Cua, both seed selection and brand building require time. The fact that ST25 rice has won international awards three times not only affirms the quality of Vietnamese rice but also shows that with the proliferation of counterfeit products, consumers are increasingly inclined to seek out authentic products.

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/li-do-st25-lan-thu-3-thang-giai-gao-ngon-nhat-the-gioi-post300739.html