From a food importer, Vietnam can now ensure food security in any circumstances, affirmed Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien.

Indonesia became the largest importer of Vietnam’s rice in September. Just within one month, the country spent $101.4 million to buy 166,000 tons of rice, 53 times higher than the same period last year.

"The Vietnamese Government always pays great attention to ensuring national security and it is considered an essential task in the industrialisation and modernisation of the country," spokesperson Hang said.

There are signs showing that the rice is the next commodity to see price fever. Vietnam, with the rice output of 28 million tons, can ensure its food security and grasp the opportunity to boost exports.

Agriculture has always been a pioneer in the Doi Moi (renovation) process, contributing significantly to achievements in poverty reduction and food security in Vietnam.

Vietnam hopes to become a food innovation hub in the region, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc said in his message sent to the United Nations (UN) Food Systems Summit held in New York on September 23 (local time).

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) is prompting preparations for the possibility of an invasion by desert locusts in the time ahead.

As a market economy, Vietnam has to open its markets to foreign invested enterprises (FIEs) but the opening may lend a hand to FIEs to control the home market.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on April 28 agreed with the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s proposal to resume rice export from May 1, in accordance with Decree 107/2018/ND-CP on rice export business.

The total amount of rice that Vietnamese exporters have to deliver to partners under contracts from now to the end of May is 1.385 million tons.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has approved the resumption of rice export provided that food security must be guaranteed amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, drought and saltwater intrusion.

After Vietnam halted rice exports, Thailand pushed its export prices up, but now Vietnamese exporters are preparing to return to the world market.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has asked the Government to resume rice exports. However, the export volume would be limited at 800,000 tonnes for April and May.

National food reserves are enough to cater for emergency situations, the General Department of State Reserves (GDSR) said on March 26.

A leading official of the General Department of Vietnam Customs just signed an urgent document sent to the provincial and municipal Departments of Customs, asking them to suspend the export of rice from the country starting from 0:00am of March 24.

Vietnam was among the top rice exporters in the world but still ranked at an average level of food security, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on March 18 ordered authorities and localities nationwide to ensure food security “under any circumstance”, stressing this is not only an immediate but also long-term issue.

Vietnam is enjoying strong growth in both rice export volume and value, and more export chances are still ahead as some FTAs have come into force and consumers around the globe are boosting purchase to ensure food security.

Vietnam was ranked fourth in Southeast Asia and 54th in the world on the Economist Intelligence Unit food security index.