At the workshop, the topic that was widely discussed was the role of traders in the sustainable development of the rice value chain. In particular, many experts emphasized that traders are an essential link in connecting the market. Notably, traders play a crucial role in distributing perishable goods and in areas with limited accessibility and infrastructure.
One of the strengths of this group is their ability to help producers sell their products, even when they have difficulty reaching buyers who are businesses; conversely, they assist businesses that want to purchase raw materials for production but cannot directly access farmers due to geographical distance, lack of collection vehicles, and insufficient manpower for procurement.
Traders should be considered partners with farmers
It is evident that in the rice industry chain, traders play a significant role after each harvest season. Traders enable food companies to purchase fresh rice directly from farmers in the fields, thereby solving the transportation issue for farmers and addressing the post-harvest drying and processing challenges.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, over the past year, Vietnam exported more than 8.1 million tons of rice, earning nearly 4.7 billion USD, an increase of over 14% in volume and over 35% in value compared to the same period in 2022. The role of traders in the procurement and connection between farmers and exporting businesses has been instrumental in achieving these results.
Dr. Tran Minh Hai, Vice President of the School of Public Policy and Rural Development (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development)
Dr. Tran Minh Hai, Vice President of the School of Public Policy and Rural Development, emphasized that traders are an indispensable part of agricultural production and trade in the Mekong Delta region. Traders should be considered as partners with producers and businesses. Traders need to be confident in their role and contribute more proactively and positively to the agricultural value chain.
“Traders should be viewed as partners with farmers, cooperatives, and businesses. Traders should be ‘certified’ and registered; at the same time, traders should be encouraged to form voluntary clubs to share experiences”, suggested Dr. Tran Minh Hai.
