Rice stockpiling in the Mekong Delta. (Photo: VNA)

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that Vietnam is trying to improve the branding of its rice by shipping mainly high-quality rice, and keeping the export of normal rice below 20%. 

Vietnam shipped more than 860,000 tons of rice abroad in the first two months of this year, earning 420 million USD, up 17% in volume since last year. The Philippines was the biggest importer of Vietnamese rice, accounting for nearly 27%, followed by China.

The export price for Vietnamese rice is rising thanks to improved rice quality.