Vietnamese Rice Exports Record 8 Million Tons Despite Global Price Decline

By Megha Bajaj

In terms of rice production and export, Vietnam has surpassed various countries and ranks among the top five world’s largest rice exporters.  Vietnamese rice exports in 2025 increased amidst growing volatility in the global market, attracting significant attention. Experts stated that the recent surge in Vietnamese rice exports is due to increased competition and rapidly changing import policies among key consumer countries. They added that Vietnam faced numerous challenges in its rice exports but managed to maintain its strategic role in the global food supply chain. However, the challenges for Vietnam have not withered.

Vietnam's rice exports climbed to 8 million tons

As per individuals who are monitoring the rice trade of the world's major rice-exporting countries, Vietnam faces several challenges in the rice trade in 2026, requiring Vietnam to deal with both policymakers and the business community with more proactive and adaptable strategies. If we look at export figures, Vietnam's rice exports climbed to 8 million tons, allowing the country to secure and maintain its position among the world's top 5 rice exporting countries.

Whereas Vietnam's export volume remains strong, the sharp decline in prices has come to light. In the first 11 months of 2025, Vietnam exported over 7.5 million tons of rice, earning approximately $3.8–3.85 billion. However, this is 28 per cent less than the volume exported in 2024.  According to the data, average export prices dropped by approximately 20 per cent, resulting in a significant decrease in revenue despite stable shipment volumes. Notably, this decline was primarily attributed to increasing global supply amidst weak demand.

Surprisingly, the country also faced a setback from the Philippines in recent months, as the Philippines had suspended rice imports from September to December. However, the Philippines has now resumed rice imports. Another significant factor is the reduced rice imports by Indonesia and Malaysia, which also affected Vietnam's rice exports. Not only this, one report indicated that Vietnam's rice exports to Indonesia plummeted by approximately 96.4 per cent, while shipments to Malaysia witnessed a 32.5 per cent decrease compared to the same period last year.

What did the marketing director of a Vietnamese rice company say?

Furthermore, a marketing director of a Vietnamese rice company stated that although export volume largely met targets last year, the sharp decline in prices had a significant impact on the context of Rice exports in 2025. Moreover, he stated that his company achieved its rice export volume target, but the export value declined sharply compared to 2024. Adding that after the first six months of 2025, particularly following the news of the Philippines' rice import suspension, rice prices dropped by more than 30 per cent from the beginning of the year, causing significant losses for several firms. At the same time, Vietnamese rice companies and exporters say that clear import plans are necessary regarding rice exports to Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. They argue that the lack of clear import plans from these countries for the new year 2026 has led to a holding pattern in rice trading, and this needs to be addressed. Notably, Vietnam performed well in terms of rice exports in 2025, but the low prices affected rice exporters.

2025 was the year of significant adjustments – Vietnamese Rice Exporters

Vietnamese rice exporters said that 2025 was a year of significant adjustments, as companies struggled to maintain operational stability. Traders cite that due to market diversification, the company substantially met its volume and value targets, but lower demand from significant buyers such as the Philippines and Indonesia put considerable pressure on exporters, forcing them to look to other markets. Exporters said that in 2025, in addition to price and market pressures, companies also faced process-related and cost-related difficulties, and delays in issuing certificates of origin recently caused significant problems. However, with traditional buyers like the Philippines resuming purchases, Vietnam is expected to feel a sigh of relief in 2026.

Positive news for Vietnam

Meanwhile, positive news has emerged for Vietnam. Recently, a meeting took place between Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Vietnamese Trade Counsellor Le Phu Cuong in the Philippines. This meeting has turned out positively for Vietnamese rice exporters in terms of rice trade. Interestingly, it has been reported that the Philippines may import 3.6 million tons of rice in 2026, of which 75-80% is likely to come from Vietnam. It is now expected that this will lead to an improvement in both the volume and prices of Vietnamese rice exports this year.

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