Top Rice News: Punjab, Mozambique push rice growth as Vietnam exports rise 5% early 2026
Top Rice News 1: Punjab Budget Proposes Incentives To Promote Direct Seeded Rice
In the Budget presented by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Sunday, the state government has furthered some schemes for water conservation by announcing that it will continue with a cash incentive for Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) and promote kharif maize in 6 districts. While presenting the budget, Finance Minister Cheema stated that to encourage water-efficient cultivation practices, financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per acre is being provided to farmers following the Direct Seeded Rice technique.
Notably, a provision of Rs 40 crore is proposed in Financial Year 2026-27 to further promote this alternative to conventional paddy transplantation, identifying its benefits in addressing labour shortages and conserving groundwater. In FY 2025-26, assistance amounting to Rs 35 crore was disbursed. In Aug 2025, the state agriculture department claimed that paddy in 2.90 lakh acres was transplanted under DSR, though the target was 5 lakh acres.
Top Rice News 2: Mozambique seeks Thailand’s expertise to boost rice cultivation
Mozambique is seeking Thailand in order to gain practical expertise as the country aims to dramatically increase domestic rice production and cut back on expensive annual food imports. On Friday, the drive for greater food sovereignty was the main focus of a meeting held in Maputo between a Thai business delegation and local leaders. According to Mozambique's AIM news agency, the Confederation of Economic Associations of Mozambique (known by the Portuguese initials CTA) used the occasion to consider deeper agricultural cooperation, with a sharp focus on revitalising rice cultivation. Amancio Gume, vice-president of the CTA, stated that the fundamentals for success are already present: Mozambique boasts some 36 million hectares of arable land, generous water supplies, and climatic conditions suitable for various harvests each year. However, he noted that only a small portion of this potential is currently being utilised. Interestingly, the country imports hundreds of thousands of tonnes of rice every year, with much of it sourced from Thailand. For Mozambican policymakers and business leaders, this reliance on imports presents a clear vulnerability while also creating an investment opportunity. In addition, Gume stressed that a guaranteed domestic market exists for anyone prepared to invest in local production, irrigation, mechanisation, and agro-processing, mentioning that Mozambique must move beyond being simply a consumer of imported rice. His vision extends beyond self-sufficiency, outlining an ambition to transform Mozambique into a regional agro-industrial and production hub for the entire Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Top Rice News 3: Vietnam’s rice exports rise 5% in first two months of 2026
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Vietnam exported an estimated 640,000 tonnes of rice worth 289.4 million USD in February. In the first two months of the year, rice exports climbed to 1.3 million tonnes valued at 599.3 million USD, up 5% in volume; however, down 11.2% in value compared with the same period last year. The average export price during the January–February period was estimated at 464.1 USD per tonne, a decrease of 15.4% year on year. Notably, the Philippines remained Vietnam’s largest rice market, accounting for 47.6% of total exports. In addition, China and Ghana followed with shares of 18.3% and 8.9%, respectively. Compared with the same period last year, export value to the Philippines rose 17.6%, whereas shipments to China surged 5.8-fold.
On the contrary, exports to Ghana declined 31%. Rice exports recorded the strongest growth in China, increasing 5.8 times, while exports to Côte d’Ivoire witnessed the sharpest drop, down 90.9% among the 15 largest export markets. The exporters stated that Vietnam’s 5% broken rice is currently quoted up to 365 USD per tonne, not changed from the last week. Trading activity has slowed as buyers expect prices to fall further, whereas domestic supply is rising amid the peak harvest of the winter–spring crop.
Preliminary data illustrated that southern ports handled more than 382,000 tonnes of rice in February, the majority of which was shipped to the Philippines and African markets. While the Middle East conflict has not explicitly impacted Vietnam’s rice shipments to Africa, traders revealed that freight costs have increased significantly due to higher insurance premiums and fuel prices.