This is equal to half of the corresponding period last year’s rice export volume of 541,000 tonnes and value of US$282 million.

Major markets for Vietnamese rice in January 2012 were Asia and the US. Other markets in Africa, Australia, the Middle East, and the EU also imported a small volume.

The VFA said that rice exports from India and Pakistan continued to increase sharply while other exporters like Thailand, Vietnam and the US faced difficulties.

Economic experts attributed the decrease in rice export volume to long New Year holiday in Vietnam, China and India.

The price of paddy rice in the Mekong Delta region currently stands at VND5,600-5,750 per kilo.