Vietnam, the world's second biggest rice exporter, has targeted to annually ship abroad four million tons of rice in the next five years, according to the country's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Tuesday.

To this end, the country, under its strategy for rice production until 2010, will develop several areas designated for growing rice for export, including one million hectares in the southern Mekong Delta, and 300,000 hectares in the Red River Delta, aiming to produce 36 million tons of paddy rice each year.

It will also focus on upgrading irrigation network, and applying advanced technology in rice production, processing and storage, said the ministry.

Vietnam, expected to harvest 38-39 million tons of paddy rice in 2006, up from nearly 33 million tons in 2005, has recently decided to export five million tons of rice at most this year, a move to ensure the country's food security.

Vietnam shipped abroad over 2.9 million tons of rice valued at 794 million U.S. dollars in the first six months of this year, posting year-on-year rises of 7.8 percent and 4.2 percent respectively, according to the country's General Statistics Office.

In the period, the Philippines was Vietnam's biggest rice importer, buying 38 percent of the country's total export. It was followed by Malaysia and Cuba, with import volume representing nine percent and eight percent, respectively, of the total.

In 2005, Vietnam sold overseas more than 5.2 million tons of rice worth of 1.4 billion dollars, said the office.

Source: Xinhua