Page 14 - Regional_rice_report_with_full_bookmarks

PROJECT “NETWORK FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
THINK-TAKS FOR COUNTRIES IN MEKONG-SUB REGION” (NARDT)

In Viet Nam, rice is grown scattered throughout the country but mostly
concentrated in the two large deltas: Red River Delta (13%) and Mekong River Delta
(46%). These regions are large plains with favorable climate and soil conditions.
Thanks to the developed irrigation system, Vietnam can develop production system
with 2-3 seasons per year in the majority of provinces.
Figure 3: Paddy rice production area distribution in Viet Nam in 2020

Source: Viet Nam’s Agriculture Atlas, IPSARD, 2021; GSO, 2021
- Rice farming system

Southeast Asia region usually has two distinct seasons - the dry season
and the rainy season due to the region’s tropical monsoon climate. Accordingly,
rice production is also distributed around these two seasons. Each country usually
produces 2 rice crops per year. However, there are many provinces in Viet Nam can
produce three rice crops per year thanks to application of short duration rice varieties,
developed irrigation system, favorable climate condition.
In general, the rice production seasons, and the harvest time are different
between countries and take place around the year. As a result, these countries can
supplement each other through cross-border trade. The rice trade can allow to fill
temporary shortages of rice in some months and at the same time can satisfy diverse
tastes of consumers in countries. For example, at the time of seeding in Lao PDR
(February to April), rice from the South of Viet Nam can be provided for northern
provinces of Lao PDR to ensure food security. In contrast, Lao PDR’s upland rice
return to serve diverse demands of Vietnamese thanks to high quality.

14