A 500-Ton Shipment: Vietnam’s Historic First as a Global Pioneer

The Vietnam Rice Industry Association (VIETRISA) has organized the first export ceremony of the “Low-Emission Green Vietnamese Rice” brand to Japan.

The official introduction of the “Low-Emission Green Vietnamese Rice” brand into the export market marks the initial successes of the Project “Sustainable Development of One Million Hectares of High-Quality and Low-Emission Rice in the Mekong Delta towards Green Growth by 2030” (the One Million Hectares Project).

The brand has been developed in close collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and reputable international organizations, including the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the Dutch Development Organization SNV (within the framework of the Rice Value Chain Transformation Project – TRVC), and the World Bank.

VIETRISA has granted the certificate of trademark usage rights for the “Low-Emission Green Vietnamese Rice” brand to 7 enterprises with a total rice volume of 19,200 tons. The enterprise with the largest area is Chon Chinh with a scale of 1,514 hectares and a rice output of 5,165 tons. The seventh enterprise in this trademark certificate granting ceremony has an area of 181 hectares and a yield of 620 tons.

Among them, Trung An High-Tech Agriculture Company, in cooperation with the Japanese MURASE Group, is the first enterprise to export a 500-ton batch of rice with the brand name “Low-Emission Green Vietnamese Rice” to the Japanese market.

Since 2020, Trung An Company has cooperated with the MURASE Group to implement a model of growing high-quality rice that meets Japanese standards in the Mekong Delta region.

Many rice varieties have been directly imported from Japan and cultivated in a closed process, strictly controlled from the field to the dining table. This batch meets stringent international standards in its entire production process, from raw material reception to export packaging.

Commenting on this event, Mr. Le Minh Hoan, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly, affirmed that this is an important milestone in the implementation of the One Million Hectares Project for high-quality and low-emission rice development.

The Vice Chairman of the National Assembly emphasized that the event not only opens up a new direction in production thinking but also demonstrates a strong shift in the approach to considering each grain of rice as carrying not only economic value but also responsibility for the land, water, climate, and future generations.

“This is an opportunity for Vietnam’s rice industry with the active participation of the State, international organizations, local governments, especially farmers and cooperatives, to position Vietnamese rice in the world,” shared Mr. Pham Thai Binh, Director General of Trung An High-Tech Agriculture Company.

Vietnam is also the first country in the world to introduce low-emission rice to the market, including exports. The export price at the enterprise’s warehouse is 820 USD/ton.

The Prime Minister approved the Project for Sustainable Development of One Million Hectares of High-Quality and Low-Emission Rice in the Mekong Delta towards Green Growth by 2030 at the end of 2023.

The project aims to promote the sustainable development of Vietnam’s rice industry, increase farmers’ incomes, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thereby contributing to international commitments on climate change.

Up to now, the program has implemented 7 pilot models in 5 provinces, including Kien Giang, Soc Trang, Tra Vinh, Dong Thap, and Can Tho. Initial results show that these models help reduce rice production costs by 8.2 – 24.2% by saving 30-50% of seed volume, reducing 30 – 70 kg of fertilizer/ha, reducing the use of plant protection drugs by 1 – 4 times, and saving 30 – 40% of irrigation water.

Currently, the Mekong Delta region produces about 24 – 25 million tons of rice annually, accounting for more than 50% of the country’s total rice output and contributing over 90% of Vietnam’s rice exports.