From Japanese Agri Minster’s Visit For Rice Exports To New Identity For Vietnamese Rice. Here Are The Top Rice News

By Megha Bajaj

Japanese Agri Minister Visits Paris to boost Rice Exports

Rice is Japan’s significant staple food, being a core part of daily meals and celebrations, which symbolises blessings, prosperity and Japan’s national soul. In 2025, Japan remodified its agriculture policy to target a sharp increase in rice exports over the next five years. Officials hoped that this move will give farmers an incentive to plant more of the grain, which would also help ease supply shortages at home. Following this, a latest development has emerged in the mainstream media stating that Japanese agriculture minister Norikazu Suzuki has visited Paris to expand rice exports. In his visit, he has inspected onigiri rice balls and Japanese food shops, as well as local supermarkets, in Paris, hoping to increase the rice exports. While checking, the minister said that various stores in the French capital sell sushi and Onigiri as a matter of course. Furthermore, he added that we will make a strong sales effort and work hard so that rice produced in Japan will be used as much as possible. During the check, Suzuki exchanged opinions with a leader of French retail giant Carrefour’s Foreign food department and other people. 

Agriculture Ministry Prefers Drones to Boost Rice Production

Modernised Farming Practices are in trend these days since it makes the field work bit easier for farmers and help in enhancing the efficiency of agricultural process. Keeping this in mind, the Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways in Fiji has taken a major step by initiating the testing of agricultural drone technology to improve efficiency, safety and output in substantial rice farming. For this purpose, trials are going on at the Koronivia Research Station, where a multi-purpose drone is being used to spray pesticides on rice fields for seed production. It indicates a shift towards modern farming practices, with drone technology expected to eliminate labour costs, scale up the field operations, while reducing farmers’ direct exposure to chemicals. According to officials, drone spraying provides a safer alternative to manual pesticide application, lowering health risks for farmers while improving accuracy and coverage. Not only pesticide spraying, but drones are also capable of seed broadcasting, fence-line spraying, field surveys and crop monitoring, supporting broader efforts to boost rice production and food security nationwide.

New identity for Vietnamese rice

Rice is one of the integrated parts of Vietnam’s Agriculture and rural economy as the Mekong Delta cultivates more than half of the country’s rice output and most of the exports. Undoubtedly, Vietnam has been one of the world’s leading rice exporters while contributing substantially to national food security, farmer livelihoods and global supply chains.Amid this,the country’s rice industry is gaining a new green identity as Vietnamese farmers in the Mekong Delta adopt sustainable, low-emission cultivation under the Project on one million hectares of high‑quality, low-emission rice tied to green growth. After one year, producers have cut costs, improved soil health, and boosted yields while lowering greenhouse gas emissions. These are the achievements that have helped introduce the Vietnamese Green Low‑Emission Ricetrademark and begin rice exports to markets like Japan. Furthermore, authorities and industry groups plan to expand these practices beyond the Mekong Delta, boost linkages among farmers and enterprises, and focus on market expansion to secure higher value for Vietnamese rice globally.