Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has sought measures to ensure national food security and promote sustainable rice production and exports in the current circumstances.
In a directive issued on August 5, Prime Minister Chinh said global food trade has become a complex matter, with rice prices moving upwards after some countries banned exports and reduced sale quantities while others boosted their rice reserve.
In Vietnam, massive trading of rice has been seen in some localities, causing local supply and demand imbalances and pushing up prices.
Therefore, to ensure national food security in all situations while promoting the potential and advantages of rice production and exports and avoiding speculation, Prime Minister Chinh asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to guide localities on reviewing planning orientations for large-scale, high-quality rice production areas to ensure the targeted output of over 43 million tons a year is met in the years to come.
The government leader directed the Ministry of Industry and Trade to work with MARD and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies to direct, examine, and supervise rice export activities to ensure national food security and that exporters comply with related regulations, and to carry out programs to promote Vietnamese rice products and brands.
Prime Minister Chinh instructed ministries, agencies, and localities to keep a close watch on developments in regional and global rice markets, the production situation, and rice output to ensure a balance between domestic demand and exports.
Those found to be involved in rice speculation to push up prices and make illegal profits, causing instability in the domestic market and damaging the prestige of Vietnamese rice brands in international markets, will be strictly punished, he said.
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