Soc Trang (VNA) – The SocTrang-based ST24 rice variety was honoured as having the best flavour in theworld, as it received the World’s Best Rice 2019 award at the 11th AnnualWorld’s Best Rice Contest in the Philippines on November 12.

The contest was part of the 11th World RiceTrade Conference held by rice industry analysts The Rice Trader from November10 to 13, which attracted hundreds of major rice enterprises and traders alongwith scientists worldwide.

Vietnam’s rice competed with strong rivalsfrom Thailand and Cambodia in the contest, in which the jury and internationalchefs inspected the visual aspects of the rice submitted, as well as performeda sensory evaluation of the rice (pre-cooked and cooked), before unanimouslyannouncing Vietnam’s ST24 as the winner of this year’s contest.

This is the first time ever that aVietnamese rice variety has been honoured as the best in the world after 10seasons of the annual contest.

ST24, developed by a group of scientists ofthe Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang, could be cultivated in up to threecrops per year.

In 2017, ST24 came third in the 9th World’sBest Rice event in Macau, China.

Director of Soc Trang Department ofAgriculture and Rural Development Luong Minh Quyet said cultivation areas of STrice line have been expanded annually, with ST24 accounting for over 10,000 ha./.