But volumes were down 3.5 percent to 6.15 million tons since the country stopped exports for over two weeks in March and April to ensure adequate domestic supply amid the pandemic.

The average price rose by 13.3 percent from the previous year to $499 per ton, the highest in years, the Ministry of Industry and Trade reported.

Vietnamese farmers and exporters are focusing on quality and getting higher prices by meeting import standards in markets like the E.U., South Korea and the U.S., it said.

Eighty five percent of the country’s exports last year were considered to be of high quality, according to the General Statistics Office.

In 2019, Vietnam was the world’s third largest rice exporter behind India and Thailand with shipments of $2.81 billion. Its biggest buyer was the Philippines.