Vietnam has successfully recorded the highest rice yield in Southeast Asia, harvesting 5.6 tonnes per hectare, almost doubling that of Thailand, and 1.5 times greater than India, according to a Agricultural Ministry report delivered at a conference in Hanoi on March 18.

The ministry said after 10 years of implementing the national master plan on food security, Vietnam has achieved encouraging results in agricultral production, with rice output and exports in 2009 surpassing estimates, reaching 43.4 million tonnes and 6.34 million tonnes respectively. 

Notably, total land area for rice cultivation expanded to nearly 4.2 million ha as of 2008, vastly exceeding the initially set target of 3.76 million ha.

Between 2009 and 2019, income per capita in rural areas increased by 4.3 times, whilst the gap between urban and rural areas narrowed from 2.1 times to 1.8 times.

Notably, the value and output of agricultural products increased sharply during the reviewed period, with coffee yield tripling that of Colombia and Indonesia and 1.5 times higher than Brazil. Tra fish alone yielded 209 tonnes per ha, the highest in the world.

Meanwhile, agricultural exports continued to experience an upward trajectory with seven items raking in turnover of over US$1 billion per year.

The ministry said thanks to the emergence of hi-tech agricultural models and organic farming, the country is capable of ensuring food self-sufficiency with a relatively high average food output per capita, ranking sixth in the world. It helped stabilise the market, curb inflation, create jobs, and reduce poverty.

Aside from these results, the ministry acknowledged a number of inadequacies, including low income from agricultural production, unsteady land policies, and the negative impact of climate change on agricultural production.

At the conference, delegates discussed ways to achieve sustainable agricultural production in the context of global complications, including socio-political instability and diseases. They agreed that with a population of close to 100 million, it is a must for Vietnam to ensure national food security.