VIET NAM (31 May)
In the Southern provinces, the winter/spring paddy crop is being harvested, while in Northern provinces the winter/spring crop planting has been completed.
Crop production is expected to increase as a result of higher input use and marginal rice land being converted to other crops or aquaculture. The aggregate paddy production in 2003 is projected at 34.2 million tonnes, slightly above the previous year and a record production in the last five years.
Viet Nam is the third largest rice exporter behind Thailand and India. The rice export target for this year is 4.0 million tonnes compared to 3.9 million tonnes in 2002. In the first five months 1.91 million tonnes were exported, up 47.4 percent from last year.