At the Workshop on Global Rice Market and Trends on December 13, 2023, Mr. Tran Van Huyen, Hau Giang Provincial Deputy Secretary and Chairman of People's Committee commented that the locality boasts several favorable soil and abundant freshwater conditions to develop agriculture.

"With criss-cross rivers and canals with combined length of 2,300 km, including the Xa No canal with the historic base of 120 years, connecting Hau River and the West Sera. This is the very first Vietnam Southern rice transportation route", said Huyen.

Established in 2004 through the division of Can Tho province, Hau Giang province is situated at the center of the Southwest region along the Hau River. The natural area of the entire province is 1,622.23 km2, with a population of 728,873 people. The province consists of 8 administrative units at the district level and 75 communes, wards, and towns, with the provincial center being Vi Thanh City.

Positioned near the two main development axes of the Mekong Delta, namely the Ho Chi Minh City - Can Tho - Ca Mau axis and the Hau River South axis, adjacent to the Hau River, which serves as a primary waterway and maritime transport route in the Mekong Delta, Hau Giang enjoys favorable conditions for economic and social development.

The Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) growth rate has exhibited remarkable progress in recent years, reaching 13.94% in 2022, ranking fourth nationwide in Vietnam and leading the Mekong Delta region. In 2023, the GRDP growth is projected to reach 12.27%, maintaining its leadership in the Mekong Delta and ranking second nationally in Vietnam. The budget revenue is expected to reach nearly 7,000 billion VND, with an average income per capita of 79.61 million VND per year.

Contributing to these shared achievements, Hau Giang province has undergone a shift in its rice cultivation structure. Over the years, it has transitioned from low-quality varieties such as IR 50404, OM 576 to high-quality rice varieties like OM 5451, OM 18, RVT, which align with the domestic and export market demands.

Simultaneously, the province has developed high-quality rice areas using large field models integrated with product consumption assurance, reaching an annual linked consumption area of over 25,000 hectares.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Hau Giang province, the local rice cultivation area is 78,890 hectares, accounting for 56.2% of the agricultural land area. Annually, it produces nearly 1.2 million tons of rice, contributing over 54% to the production value of the cultivation sector and serving as the primary economic source for over 100,000 farming households.

Especially in the current global food crisis, the role and significance of the rice industry become increasingly crucial for Hau Giang farmers and farmers nationwide, playing a vital role in global food security.

"In the present context, humanity is facing complex and unpredictable developments in climate change, market fluctuations, and global consumption trends. This will have a significant impact on agriculture in general and the rice industry in particular," shared Mr. Huyen.

The Vietnamese Government has recently approved the project "Developing 1 million hectares of high-quality and low-emission rice cultivation linked to green growth in the Mekong Delta region by 2030," with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam taking the lead in its implementation.

As a province with a strong focus on rice cultivation, Hau Giang has committed to deploying approximately 28,000 hectares of high-quality rice by 2025 and increasing it to 46,000 hectares by 2030. "This is one of the actions to fulfill Vietnam's high-level leadership commitment to the world that 'Vietnam is a responsible participant in the transparent, responsible, and sustainable global food and agricultural system,'" shared Mr. Huyen.

According to the leadership of Hau Giang province, organizing the seminar "Global Rice Market and Future Trends" provides an opportunity for stakeholders to exchange, evaluate, and deeply analyze aspects related to rice production, processing, export, market demand transparency, and quality standards.

Simultaneously, it serves as an opportunity for Hau Giang province to listen to suitable solutions in line with local realities. Based on this, finding solutions for the green, clean, and sustainable development of the rice industry is paramount.

The International Rice Industry Festival Vietnam - Hau Giang 2023 is one of the events in the series celebrating the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Hau Giang province. On this occasion, Mr. Tran Van Huyen expresses gratitude to the central ministries, esteemed international guests, scientists, experts, businesses, and delegates.