Farmers in Thoai Son district, An Giang province, harvest the 2025 Winter-Spring rice crop. (Photo: VNA)
Vietnam’s rice industry marked a significant milestone on June 5 with the export of the first batch of rice under the brand “Green and Low-Emission Vietnamese Rice” to Japan, one of the most demanding markets in the world.
This achievement goes beyond mere technical or commercial success, it represents a profound shift in agricultural thinking, from traditional production methods to a model that is sustainable, modern, responsible, and climate-resilient. The event sends a strong message: Vietnamese agriculture is moving forward on a green path, a path to the future.
From green production to high-value exports
Vietnamese agricultural products clearing strict technical and quality barriers to reach Japanese dining tables is no longer a rare feat. However, the recent export of 500 tonnes of Japonica rice by Trung An High-Tech Farming JSC in partnership with Japan’s Murase Group carries special significance. What sets this shipment apart is not its variety or quantity but its novel method of production, which is environmentally friendly, greenhouse gas-reducing, and fully traceable.
This success is the first tangible result of Vietnam’s strategic initiative: the “One Million Hectares of Low-emission, High-quality Specialised Rice linked to Green Growth in the Mekong Delta by 2030” (known as the One Million Hectares Rice Project). This policy aims to comprehensively restructure the rice industry, shifting from mass production to high-quality, value-driven cultivation.
As one of the first enterprises granted the right to use the “Green and Low-Emission Vietnam Rice” label, Pham Thai Binh, Chairman of the Trung An High-Tech Farming JSC, emphasised that producing low-emission rice involves more than just changing farming methods. It requires transforming the entire value chain: reducing chemical fertilisers, increasing biological agents, precision water management, eco-friendly harvesting, and especially applying digital technology for monitoring and traceability.
A testament to this green transformation is the export price of the shipment, 820 USD per tonne, significantly higher than the average of 650–700 USD per tonne and on par with Thailand’s premium Hom Mali rice. This clearly proves that green products, if systematically produced, can be positioned in the premium global market. Furthermore, it lays the groundwork for Vietnam to enter agricultural carbon credit trading, a sector currently being developed through the country’s MRV (Measurement, Reporting, and Verification) system, expected to be completed by 2028.
Building momentum for broader impact
Following this promising debut, Vietnam’s rice sector is poised for historic opportunities to scale up sustainable production. By October 2025, an additional 3,000 tonnes of ST25, one of Vietnam’s premium rice varieties certified as low-emission, will be exported to Australia, another market known for stringent quality standards.
However, winning over such high-end markets requires more than just quality grains. It demands a robust, responsible production system from start to finish. According to Binh, the market potential for high-quality, eco-friendly rice is substantial, particularly in the EU, the US, and the Middle East. Yet, these opportunities come with tough requirements: food safety must be absolute, with no pesticide residues, and full traceability must be ensured.
Therefore, building sustainable links among farmers, cooperatives, and businesses is critical to the success of green rice, he stressed.
To ensure that low-emission green rice is not a passing trend but a long-term strategic foundation, Vietnam must undergo a comprehensive transformation from policy to practice. The entire rice production system must be modernised, greened, and internationally standardised. Initially, this means transitioning from traditional methods to modern models using biological fertilisers, reducing methane emissions, and optimising water management. These changes will not only cut emissions but also enhance economic efficiency and product quality, enabling Vietnam to meet the standards of top-tier markets.
Moreover, to effectively implement this model, enterprises must lead in technology and market orientation, while farmers and cooperatives serve as the core producers. Close coordination between these actors, supported by the government, is essential to redesign green-standard production zones, provide green credit for farmers, and invest in internationally compliant logistics and processing infrastructure. Most importantly, Vietnam must build a nationally recognised low-emission rice brand with international credibility.
While technology and market dynamics are vital, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Thanh Nam underscored the central role of human factors. It is the shift in farmers’ mindsets that has laid the foundation for the early success of the low-emission rice model, he noted.
From previously exploiting the land to maximise yield, today’s farmers are combining efficient use with soil enrichment and natural nutrient development to improve product quality and protect resources. Initially hesitant about reducing fertilisers, adjusting crop schedules, or changing irrigation methods, many farmers have embraced these changes after seeing stable yields, higher prices, and improved incomes. They have become pioneers in low-emission rice production, showing a revolutionary shift in agricultural production thinking./.
