What recommendations do local authorities, ministries, and businesses have?

“The rice industry has been incredibly successful in recent years. Since 2016, the government has no longer had to instruct localities to purchase rice for temporary storage, and has successfully produced and exported to increasingly diverse markets. There have been times when we didn't have enough rice to sell. Rice exports have also changed, with reduced production but increasingly improved quality,” Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Nam pointed out.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Nam speaks at the meeting.

However, the demand for rice in the market has changed significantly following the Covid-19 pandemic. Many countries have altered their import policies to ensure national food security. This will impact Vietnam's rice exports. Therefore, the Chairman of the VFA believes that establishing a National Rice Council is necessary for the sustainable development of rice production and export.

In parallel with the issue of developing policies for rice production and export, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Nam also proposed that the National Rice Council pay attention to rice imports.

Also expressing agreement with the establishment of the National Rice Council, Mr. Nguyen Tien Cuong - Head of the Economic Committee of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Farmers' Association - said that the Farmers' Association highly agrees with the contents in the draft for the establishment of the National Rice Council.

Representatives from ministries, sectors, and businesses gave their opinions on the establishment of the National Rice Council.

From the perspective of a rice export business, Mr. Tran Son Ha - General Director of the Northern Food Corporation (Vinafood 1) - agrees with the opinion of the Chairman of the Vietnam Food Association; and strongly supports the proposal to establish a National Rice Council to address inter-sectoral macroeconomic issues. At the same time, businesses suggest that the Council should also consider adding the issue of managing domestic rice consumption.

On the part of the localities, Mr. Pham Thien Nghia – Chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Thap province – shared that Dong Thap highly welcomes the idea of ​​the two Ministers and especially appreciates the fact that the two Ministers discussed and gathered opinions on the proposal to establish a National Rice Council.

"We hope the Ministers will expedite the establishment of this council to better address difficulties for regions and industries, thereby leveraging the advantages and strengths of important national industries in the future," said Mr. Pham Thien Nghia.

Mr. Nguyen Si Lam, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of An Giang province, shared that An Giang is a key agricultural production area in the Mekong Delta region. The province has approximately 630,000 hectares of rice paddies with a production of 4 million tons. The province is also expanding the area of ​​high-quality rice cultivation to about 152,000 hectares, produced according to green standards with low emissions. Therefore, the establishment of the National Rice Council is considered necessary by the local authorities, creating enthusiasm and reassurance for farmers.

A closely coordinated policy is needed.

Speaking at the meeting, representatives from the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs all raised the issue of the need for close coordination among the council's members. Accordingly, Ms. Pham Thi Thanh – representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – expressed her agreement with the necessity of establishing a National Rice Council.

"However, currently, we have many different councils, so we need to determine how to delegate responsibilities among the units within these councils to achieve the best results," shared Ms. Pham Thi Thanh.

Dr. Tran Cong Thang, Director of the Institute for Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development (IPSARD), stated that the rice industry has played a crucial role in stabilizing the economy and society, and has also helped elevate the status of Vietnamese agricultural products through exports. Therefore, a comprehensive, interdisciplinary institution is needed to address these issues. This institution would be responsible for advising on and resolving major problems in the rice industry, and providing guidance for the sustainable development of the entire sector. The National Rice Council is a suitable institution.

In this system, the State does not deeply intervene in the market but ensures a guiding and regulating role for industry associations, mobilizing public-private partnerships to create additional resources from international cooperation and socialized resources. The system involves close participation and coordination of ministries and agencies, representatives of businesses, and localities, and must include the voice of rice farmers.

Concluding the meeting, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan stated that currently, there are many issues that require the National Rice Council's advice on policies and solutions to emerging problems in Vietnam's rice industry.

"Assuming India reopens its rice exports, what would Vietnam's policy response be? We must act immediately. With today's mindset, no single sector is capable of resolving an issue; it requires inter-sectoral action. The National Rice Council acts as a planning and advisory body for major policies, providing advice on emerging issues, diplomatic matters, and the image of the rice industry to the Government and the Prime Minister for the sustainable development of the rice sector," said Minister Le Minh Hoan.

Concurring with this view, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien stated that, in order to move towards a multi-value, diversified rice industry with diverse products, markets, and supply sources, and to enhance value for rice farmers, a National Rice Council is essential. This council would establish effective coordination mechanisms among ministries, sectors, localities, associations, and industries in coordinating activities related to national rice production, business, and export. The two ministries will soon incorporate feedback from other ministries, sectors, and localities to finalize and submit the proposal to the Government for consideration and establishment of the National Rice Council.