Hanoi (VNA) – Ricꦿe exports ofVietnam to African nations have been on the rise and the 🅷upward trend maycontinue in the next year.

The Asia-African Market Department at theMinistry of Industry and Trade has joined hands with trade offices to arrangewebinars introducing potential of the African and Middle East markets, whichdrew hundreds of Vietnamese firms. African countries, especially those in the westernregion, have high demand for rice because local production cannot meet demand,especially during years with natural hazards, crop failure, politicalinstability and diseases. Algeria, in particular, relies entirely on riceimports, according to the Vietnam Trade Office in the country. The surge in its rice consumption isattributed to the increase of Asian migrants in the country, particularlyChinese workers. Algeria purchased about 100,000 tonnes of rice per year,equivalent to 1 percent of the country’s food consumption. Vietnam shipped in excess of 16,390 tonnesof rice to the African country in 2019, fetching 6.28 million USD, a leap of20.8 percent in value from the previous year. The figure hit 14.58 million USD inthe first six months of 2020, accounting for 58 percent of Vietnam’s totalexport value to Algeria. Similarly, Senegal imports up to 800,000 tonnesof rice a year, primarily broken rice. Vietnam’s rice exports to Senegal witnesseda sharp increase to 96,665 tonnes in 2019, earning 32.62 million USD, rising 13.1-foldin volume and 10.2-fold in value. The country shipped rice worth 26.47million USD in the first seven months of 2020, a year-on-year surge of 77.2percent. This year, Senegal is projected to import1.25 million tonnes of the grain. In both markets, Vietnamese rice facestough competition from products of India, Thailand, Pakistan, Uruguay and China,among others. The Vietnam Trade Office is keeping a closeeye on adjustments in trade policies and rice import demand in the region, aswell as import and payment regulations, especially in the context of COVID-19,to promptly inform businesses./.