Minister Nguyen Hong Dien and Minister Le Minh Hoan chaired the meeting.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan informed that in recent years, Vietnam has achieved many achievements in rice production and export, especially in 2023, it achieved positive results when exporting up to 8.1 million tons of rice, an increase of 36.6% over the same period and the highest level in the past 16 years. Rice production is relatively favorable and stable in 2023 and the first 7 months of 2024 (the output for the whole year of 2023 reached 43.5 million tons of paddy, an increase of 1.9% compared to 2022, the harvested rice output as of July 15, 2024 was about 25 million tons, an increase of 2% over the same period in 2023).

In 2024, rice production is estimated to reach about 43.4 million tons of paddy (down about 35 thousand tons), of which the total export volume is estimated to reach about 7.6 million tons; rice export continues to have high growth in the first 7 months of 2024 when the volume increased by 5.8% (reaching 5.18 million tons) and the value increased by 25.1% (reaching 3.27 billion USD), the average export price reached 632.2 USD/ton.

Along with the development of rice production and export, there have been efforts to build, improve and supplement legal frameworks and policies to promote rice production and trading by the Agriculture and Industry sectors over the past long period. Typically, the promulgation of Decree No. 107/2018/ND-CP dated August 15, 2018 of the Government on rice export business and the Strategies and Projects of the Government, and ministries and branches have also had many positive impacts.

However, according to Minister Le Minh Hoan, the current legal frameworks are revealing many issues that need to be considered, revised and supplemented as they have not created strong enough motivations and a favorable environment for producers and traders in rice export business; related information and data are not complete, authentic, timely and do not reflect reality, causing difficulties in operating and managing rice production and export at sensitive times.

The rice industry also has some limitations such as unplanned production leading to local surpluses affecting producers; low income of rice farmers, and difficult life for some groups.

Rice exports still depend on traditional markets, and have not diversified markets, affecting export efficiency. The rice industry faces many challenges such as climate change, rapidly changing domestic and international markets, and changing consumption trends.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Industry and Trade proposed to establish a National Rice Council.

According to Minister Le Minh Hoan, an effective coordination mechanism between ministries, sectors and localities is needed to coordinate common activities in the rice industry in addition to the specialized management of the ministries.

Faced with that situation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Industry and Trade had the idea and reached a high consensus on proposing the establishment of a National Rice Council.

“The Council will be responsible for researching and proposing to the Government and the Prime Minister policies, strategies, mechanisms and policies to create a transparent and effective legal environment, ensuring market stability and development; promoting comprehensive and effective development of the rice industry, contributing to ensuring social security and national food security; developing production and export towards sustainable goals through research and review to submit to the Government and the Prime Minister or proposing ministries and branches to issue supplements and amendments to legal documents, current mechanisms and policies; organizing surveys and research on domestic and foreign production and business systems in the rice industry,” Minister Le Minh Hoan emphasized.