Vietnamese rice breaks barriers in Japan’s strict market

In a recent interview with Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper, Mr. Pham Thai Binh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Trung An Hi-Tech Farming Joint Stock Company, revealed that in May, the company will export its first batch of rice labeled with carbon emission standards to Japan.

The demand for rice exports to the Japanese market is substantial. Photo: Provided by Vinaseed

The warehouse selling price for this shipment is $785 per ton, and when including delivery costs to the port, the price rises to over $800 per ton. 

"The opportunity in the Japanese market is immense. They have expressed interest in buying more, but we haven’t been able to meet their demand, so we’ve had to decline some orders," Mr. Binh stated.

This achievement stems from the company’s collaboration with Japanese partners on production techniques and adherence to the market’s stringent standards. 

Mr. Binh noted, "Japan is a highly promising market but extremely demanding in terms of quality. Therefore, farmers must collaborate and cultivate according to the company’s requirements, and the company must comply with the standards set by Japan."

In 2022, the first shipment of Vietnamese rice to Japan totaled 100 tons. By 2024, the second export batch reached 6,000 tons, a 60-fold increase. However, Vietnamese rice entering Japan must meet rigorous regulations, including 624 criteria for pesticide residue testing and three rounds of inspections.

At the 2025 Annual General Meeting, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tra My, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Vietnam Seed Joint Stock Company (Vinaseed), highlighted the strong demand for rice in Japan. Vinaseed’s Board discussed strategies to export rice to this market. 

To achieve this goal, Vinarice, a member of the Vinaseed Group, is participating in the Australian Government’s "Transforming Rice Value Chains for Climate Resilience and Sustainable Development in the Mekong Delta" (TRVC) project.

Ms. My shared, "We have implemented low-emission farming in provinces in the Mekong Delta. In the first season, we reduced 3,888 tons of CO2 emissions and received a reward of AUD 28,600." She added, "We always seek out demanding markets because working with such markets allows us to demonstrate our competitive edge."

According to the Import-Export Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade), as of April 28, 2025, Vietnam has 152 traders certified to conduct rice export business. 

Customs Department (Ministry of Finance) statistics show that in the first quarter of 2025, Vietnam exported nearly 2.31 million tons of rice, generating $1.21 billion, a 5.82% increase in volume but a 15.5% decrease in value compared to the same period last year. The average export price of rice in the first quarter was $522 per ton, down 20.18%.