PANO - Vietnam earned more than US$ 147 million from exporting 293,384 tonnes of rice between January 1st and 20th this year, according to a representative from the Vietnam Food Association (VFA).

In 2011, the VFA is planning to export a total of 6 million tonnes of rice, a decrease of 750,000 tonnes compared to last year’s figure.

The Mekong Delta River provinces are targeting to achieve an output of 21.5 million tonnes of rice, equivalent to 2010’s figures.

In 2010, the country exported 6.75 million tonnes of rice, earning a turnover of US$3.23 billion. This year, prices of Vietnamese rice exports are expected to go up substantially.

Translated by Duy Minh