Vietnam, Thailand to serve as world’s main Southeast Asia rice exporters in decade: report

Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar are the world's main Southeast Asia rice exporters in 2023-2032, according to a new report by market insights provider ResearchAndMarkets.com.

The growth of global demand for food has boosted the regional exporters' rice production and export scale, says the "Research Report on Southeast Asia Paddy Industry 2023-2032" released on Monday.

By production, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and the Philippines are the major rice producers in Southeast Asia, the report said.

Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia are the main rice exporters in the region, while Brunei, Singapore and other countries basically rely on paddy imports; and countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia also need to import a large amount of rice to meet domestic demand every year.

According to the analysis, the economic levels of the 11 Southeast Asian countries vary greatly, with Singapore being the only developed country with a per capita GDP of about $73,000 in 2021. Myanmar and Cambodia had a GDP per capita of less than $2,000 in 2021.

The region’s population growth has resulted in a rise in rice demand, and economic development has led to a change in the popularity of high-quality products, which has also promoted the development of the rice industry in Southeast Asian countries, the report said.

Vietnam Food Association chairman Do Ha Nam said 2022 was a successful year as the country’s total shipments reached about seven million tons with expected revenue of $3.3 billion or higher.

Vietnam’s 2021 rice exports totaled 6.2 million tons, creating $3.2 billion in revenue, and the average export price was $526 per ton, according to official data.