Vietnam has a long history of rice cultivation that dates back thousands of years. Rice plays a major role in Vietnam’s economy and culture. It is used as a staple food in everyday Vietnamese cuisine and is one of the leading export commodities of the agriculture sector in the country. In 2023, Vietnam was the
, behind India and Thailand.
Rice production and trade in Vietnam
In 2023, around 7.12 million hectares of land were dedicated to rice farming across Vietnam. Despite the declining planted areas of rice paddies in the country in recent years, the
productivity of each hectare used for rice cultivation has been improving. Although rice terraces across the northern mountains are among the most iconic images associated with Vietnam, the largest rice-producing hub is located in the Mekong Delta in the southern part of the country. Thanks to the Mekong River, the surrounding areas are known for their rich soil and biological diversity, making them particularly suitable for cultivating rice and other agricultural products. In the farming season of 2023/24, the Mekong Delta was forecasted to produce around 24.5 million metric tons of rice, equaling more than half of
the total rice production volume of the whole country. In terms of international trade, 2023 was a remarkable milestone for Vietnam’s rice industry, as
the value of rice exports in the country reached its peak in the past five years. As of October 2023, the Philippines, Indonesia, and China were
Vietnam’s leading rice export partners.Climate change and its impact on rice farming in Vietnam
In addition to climate change, El Nino was forecasted to have a significant impact on precipitation patterns across many Asian countries, with a high probability of severe droughts or floods affecting agriculture production at the end of 2023 and early 2024. With a long coastline, Vietnam has been experiencing the consequences of rising sea levels, especially in the southern part of the country. In particular, the Mekong Delta is among the regions hardest hit by climate change. Due to drought and salinity intrusion,
the rice production volume in this region has been fluctuating in recent farming seasons. Rice farmers in the Mekong Delta have adopted crop diversification and even
seafood farming as they face increasing challenges in cultivating rice. For instance, the dual system of rice-shrimp farming has been introduced and encouraged by the government to address the increased saline water level and to create more economic value for farmers. Overall, finding sustainable solutions for climate change is the key to the future of the Mekong Delta as well as Vietnam’s agriculture.
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