Rice exporters try to crack new markets

Domestic rice exporters face plenty of obstacles to trading in strict South Korean and Japanese markets, experts said.

Le An Hai, commercial counsellor for Viet Nam in South Korea, said that during 2011, South Korea planned to import 347,658 tonnes of rice, making it a great potential market for Vietnamese rice.

To be successful, Vietnamese rice exporters had to be experienced in exporting rice at electronic auctions, Hai said.

Electronic auctions are new to many local rice exporters, said Cao Thi Ngoc Hoa, deputy general director of Southern Food Corporation.

Domestic rice exporters had often joined in direct auctions, but not in electronic auctions, she said.

Although Japan planned to import 250,000 tonnes of rice from Viet Nam, local rice exporters could not cope with the order because of poor market research and knowledge regarding modern market trading methods, said Ho Xuan Hung, deputy minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

An additional obstacle to trading in South Korean and Japanese markets is consistent quality of rice.

Hoa said that her corporation, having always traded on the South Korean market, had now stopped doing so because of strict market standards. Refering to Japan, she said that rice must reach 500 criteria of quality to be imported.

If exporters violated standards, they faced being penalised, said Pham Van Bay, deputy chairman of the Viet Nam Food Association.

Deawoo International, a large South Korean rice importer, said Vietnamese exporters should be self-confident in improving the quality of rice exports to successfully enter the South Korean market.

Since 2010, domestic rice exporters had achieved significant success in exporting rice to Hong Kong, another strict market often importing Thai rice due to its cheap price and good quality, said Bay.

If local exporters received guidance regarding the exportation of high-grade rice, Vietnamese rice could easily enter strict markets, he said. Exporters needed state support in coming to grip with modern trading methods.

Viet Nam exported 2.8 million tonnes of rice, valued at US$1.4 billion, during the first four months of 2011. Exports saw a year-on-year increase of 30 per cent in volume and 22.7 per cent in value. — VNS

Tags: Vietnam rice, Vietnam rice exports, Vietnam rice exports 2011