Reference Date: 26-February-2026

Sowings of 2026 winter/spring paddy crops progress at average level

Planting of the 2026 winter/spring paddy crops, which are mostly irrigated and account for about 45 percent of the annual output, is underway and is expected to finalize by early March 2026. According to official estimates, as of mid‑January 2026, about 1.9 million hectares were planted with paddy, close to the five‑year average during the same period. Conducive weather conditions and adequate availability of irrigation water in the main paddy‑producing Mekong River Delta, located in the south, and the Red River Delta, located in the north, have supported satisfactory development of crops. Planting of the 2026 winter/spring maize crops, which account for about 80 percent of the annual output, is underway and is expected to finalize at the end of February 2026. The area planted is estimated to be slightly below average as some farmers decided to reduce maize plantings in favour of more profitable vegetables, fruits and other cash crops. Growing conditions of crops are generally good supported by favourable weather conditions. The 2026 summer/autumn maize crops, which account for about 20 percent of the annual output, is expected to be planted from June 2026 onwards.

Paddy crop production estimated at average level in 2025

The 2025 paddy cropping season finalized in December 2025 and the aggregate paddy production is officially estimated at an average level of 43.5 million tonnes. Production of the winter/spring paddy crops is estimated at an average of 20.4 million tonnes. Production of the summer/autumn paddy crops is estimated at a record level of 15.1 million tonnes, reflecting good yields, supported by adequate availability of irrigation water and generally favourable weather conditions in the main paddy producing areas. Production of the 10th month (winter) crop is estimated at an average level of 8.1 million tonnes.

The 2025 maize cropping season finalized in December 2025 with the harvest of the summer/autumn crops. The aggregate maize production is estimated at 4.3 million tonnes, about 5 percent below the average, mostly due to a contraction in sowings as some farmers opted to plant more profitable alternative crops.

Cereal import requirements forecast at well above‑average level in 2025/26 marketing year

Cereal import requirements in the 2025/26 marketing year (July/June) are forecast at 22.4 million tonnes, well above the average level. Imports of maize are projected at 12 million tonnes, about 10 percent above the average, reflecting the reduced domestic production harvested in 2025 and the current low international prices that will support high import volumes. Wheat is not cultivated in the country and imports are forecast at 5.6 million tonnes, significantly above average, driven by strong domestic demand for both high‑quality wheat for human consumption and low‑quality wheat for animal feed. The demand for feed crops increased substantially over the past five years, largely driven by the rising demand for pork meat at national and international level, particularly from China (mainland).

Exports of rice, the country’s primary exportable cereal, are forecast at 7.9 million tonnes in the 2026 calendar year, down from 8.1 million tonnes in 2025.

Prices of rice lower year‑on‑year in January 2026

Domestic wholesale prices of rice generally declined from August 2024 to September 2025, mainly owing to ample market supply from the output harvested in 2024 and 2025, and reduced demand for exports. As of January 2026, prices of rice were between 10 and 30 percent lower year‑on‑year across the country.

Disclaimer: The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

This brief was prepared using the following data/tools:
FAO/GIEWS Country Cereal Balance Sheet (CCBS) https://www.fao.org/giews/data-tools/en/ .

FAO/GIEWS Food Price Monitoring and Analysis (FPMA) Tool https://fpma.fao.org/ .

FAO/GIEWS Earth Observation for Crop Monitoring https://www.fao.org/giews/earthobservation/ .

Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) https://www.ipcinfo.org/ .