Vietnam to restrict rice exports through June
Vietnam will keep its ban on new rice export contracts through June to ensure domestic food security and tackle inflation, even though it has completed harvesting a bumper crop.
Hanoi: Vietnam will keep its ban on new rice export contracts through June to ensure domestic food security and tackle inflation, even though it has completed harvesting a bumper crop, state media reported on Saturday.
The ban in place since early this month would help "ensure food security and meet best with the state's interest", Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Nguyen Thanh Bien said.
It would also help reduce the volume of rice on the export market, pushing up prices and raising export earnings over time, he said.
Early this month the government extended the ban to help stabilise domestic food prices as it tries to tame double-digit inflation. Prior to that, it had curtailed exports for March and April, while allowing shipments under deals signed earlier.
Vietnam's southern region, incorporating the Mekong Delta food basket, is expected to harvest 9.9 million tonnes of export-quality, winter-spring paddy this year, up 3.9 per cent from last year.
Bien said global prices would continue to rise until 2010.
"Vietnam has made a record with its rice offer price to the Philippines reaching $1,200 a tonne and rice prices are expected to rise to $1,500 per tonne next month," he said.
Share this article
More from Markets
More from Business
Popular in Business

-
Budget travel
Airlines in the region
Take a pictorial look at some of the budget airlines in GCC
Business Editor's choice
-
Cafe Nero's premium coffee blends
UK chain plans to open 50 outlets in region following UAE launch
-
Emirates to fly direct to Tokyo
Airline considers code-share deal with JAL after adding second destination in Japan
-
Work on world's longest sea crossing
The proposed Qatar-Bahrain causeway project is estimated to cost Dh9.9 billion


