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

in the region, but it witnessed a decline in imports over the past 5 years from 85
million USD in 2016 to only 37 million USD in 2020. Thailand and Viet Nam are the
two main exporters to Lao PDR with 56% and 21% respectively. The imported value
of Thailand is 18 million USD in 2020, an increase of 16% from 2015. The import value
from Cambodia is insignificant at 7 million USD in 2020, with 60% from Viet Nam.

Figure 13: The total export value of the sub-region and the world (million USD)

Sources: Trademap (2022).
Figure 14: World consumption and demand for rice (million tons)

Source: USDA

The formal intra trade of rice in the region is also low as well. The total value
of rice traded in this region is reduced from 81 million USD in 2015 down to only
66 million USD in 2020, with the majority of reduces coming from the decrease of
Thailand. Viet Nam has become the important partner in this intra trade, increasing
the shares of rice export in the region from 3% in 2015 to more than 66% in 2020. In
this region, Lao PDR is the main importer, accounting for more than 80% over the
years. However, the total value of imports has decreased from 70 million USD in 2015
to only 54 million USD in 2020. Although the formal trade shows Viet Nam is the
largest exporter of this region, statistics from informal highlights Viet Nam imported
a lot of rice from neighboring countries.

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