Vietnam boosts rice exports

Vietnam boosts rice exports

HANOI (AFP): Vietnam is set to surpass the United States to become the world's second largest rice exporter after Thailand, a report said on Saturday.

The official Lao Dong newspaper said a Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development source cited the U.S. Department of Agriculture as indicating Vietnam could surpass the United States in rice exports.

Vietnamese rice exports this year reached 2.29 million tons through July, compared with 2.3 million tons from the United States over the same period, the report said.

Based on the first seven months of this year, Vietnam is still ranked number three worldwide after Thailand, which saw 5 million tons of exports over the period and the United States.

Vietnam exported 3.05 million tons of rice last year, ranking third among exporters behind Thailand and the United States.