Vietnam Eyeing Ivory Coast for More Rice Export
Vietnam, the world’s second largest rice exporter, has a great opportunity to boost rice shipments to Ivory Coast in the coming years thanks to its soaring demand and taste for Vietnamese rice, according to the Ministry of Trade.
Ivory Coast is considered one of the biggest rice consumers in the world with an estimated import of 900,000 tons last year, tripling the figure it consumed in 1990, statistics from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported.
Its booming population and consuming habit changes are the two major reasons for increasing rice imports, mostly from Thailand, by Ivory Coast.
Vietnamese exporters shipped 213,000 tons of rice to Ivory Coast in the first 11 months of last year, fetching revenue of nearly US$53million, the ministry said, adding that Vietnamese rice is currently exported for US$305 per ton, up US$45 on-year.
Statistics released by the General Statistics Office shows that Vietnam shipped abroad 2.3 million tons of rice worth over US$731 million in the first half of 2007, year-on-year decreases of 9 per cent in volume and 5.6 per cent in turnover. (Vietnam & World Economy)
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