Rice export volume in March 2016 reached an estimated 629,000 tonnes, valued at USD274 million, bringing the total figure for the first quarter of the year to 1.59 million tonnes, worth USD629 million, up 41.6% in volume and 40.8% in value over a year earlier, reported the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development.

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Indonesia became the biggest importer of Vietnamese rice in the first two months of 2016, with a market share of 31.42%. Rice exports to the market reached 330,000 tonnes in the two months, valued at USD131.1 million.

China ranked second with over 160.6 million tonnes of rice imported from Vietnam, worth USD71.5 million, up 39.2% in volume and 53.6% in value, accounting for 17.15%.

They were followed by the Philippines with a more than 11 fold increase in both volume and value, Malaysia with a 51.49% rise in volume and a 49.27% rise in value, and United Arab Emirates (UAE) with a 42.27% rise in volume and a 23.85% rise in value.

Meanwhile, markets witnessing sharp reductions are Ivory Coast (25.19% in volume and 8.04% in value) and Singapore (20.1% in volume and 21.8% in value)./.

( Compiled by VNF )