Despite a sharp decline in global rice prices due to abundant supply, Vietnam’s rice exports have still recorded growth in volume. With over 5.5 million tons exported in the first seven months of 2025, Vietnam has officially surpassed Thailand to become the world’s second-largest rice exporter, second only to India.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, in the first six months of 2025, Vietnam’s average export rice price fell by 18.4% compared to the same period in 2024. This caused export turnover to reach only USD 2.44 billion, down 15.4% year-on-year.
However, export volume continued to rise. The Vietnam Food Association (VFA) reported that in the first seven months of 2025, Vietnam exported 5.5 million tons of rice, valued at USD 2.81 billion—up 3.1% in volume but down 15.9% in value. In July 2025 alone, rice exports reached 750,000 tons, earning USD 366.1 million.
While Vietnam maintained stable export volumes, Thailand—the world’s second-largest rice exporter in 2024—saw a significant decline. According to the Thai Ministry of Commerce, in the first six months of this year, Thailand exported only 3.73 million tons of rice, down more than 27% compared to the same period last year, while Vietnam exported over 4.7 million tons.
As a result, Vietnam has now officially surpassed Thailand to claim the position of the world’s second-largest rice exporter.
According to the Vietnam Food Association (VFA), one of the factors helping Vietnam maintain its rice export volume is its specialty rice varieties such as OM, DT8, and ST, which provide a distinct competitive advantage in the international market. These varieties are highly favored by many countries, particularly the Philippines and African markets.
In the first six months of 2025, rice exports to African markets surpassed 1 million tons and continue to show an upward trend, especially for high-quality varieties like ST, DT8, and OM, with demand occasionally exceeding supply.
With this growth momentum, the VFA forecasts that Vietnam’s rice exports could reach 8.8 million tons in 2025. Similarly, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) projects Vietnamese rice exports at 7.9 million tons, significantly higher than Thailand’s 7 million tons. This means Vietnam is expected to maintain its position as the world’s second-largest rice exporter, reinforcing the reputation and brand of Vietnamese rice in the global market.
Link: https://thuehaiquan.tapchikinhtetaichinh.vn/viet-nam-vuon-len-vi-tri-thu-hai-the-gioi-ve-xuat-khau-gao-94024.html