CẦN THƠ Up to 71,000 tonnes of rice have been certified under the Low-Emission Green Vietnamese Rice label over the past two years.

The label is granted by the Vietnam Rice Sector Association (VIETRISA) to rice produced in line with technical standards set under the programme on the sustainable development of one million ha of high-quality and low-emission rice linked with green growth in the Mekong Delta by 2030 (One Million Hectare Programme), and verified by commune-level authorities or accredited international organisations.

Certified rice must meet traceability requirements covering production areas, varieties and cropping seasons, and comply fully with low-emission, high-quality cultivation protocols.

VIETRISA has so far issued label-use certificates to eight enterprises cultivating a combined area of about 18,000ha, its Vice Chairman Lê Thanh Tùng said at a recent meeting in Cần Thơ City.

According to Tùng, Việt Nam has become the world’s first country to produce and export low-emission rice.

The eight companies are currently exporting about 70,000 tonnes of low-emission rice under the One Million Hectare Programme, out of roughly 400 rice exporters nationwide.

While the number of participating companies remains limited, Tùng said, the exports mark an important milestone, reflecting the project’s early progress as well asthe challenges of its initial implementation. VNS