Rice exports to the Scandinavian market have reached an average growth rate of 73%/year in the period 2017-2021. In 2021, the Nordic countries will import nearly 5,700 tons of rice from Vietnam, worth more than USD 5.5 million. This result is partly due to the free trade agreement between the European Union and Vietnam (EVFTA).
Branded rice from Vietnamese companies is exported to Europe. Photo: LTG
According to the Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden, the Nordic countries imported 136,471 tons of rice in 2021, worth USD 169.75 million. In which the import turnover from Vietnam reached 5.52 million USD with 5,646 tons, the average price was 981 USD/ton.
Currently, Vietnam only exports milled rice to Scandinavia. Although the export turnover is not much, accounting for only 3.3% of the import market share in Northern Europe, the growth is very impressive, averaging 73% per year in the period 2017-2021.
Before 2019, Sweden hardly imported Vietnamese rice. As of 2019, with the Trade Bureau’s campaign and promotion of rice products in preparation for the European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), Sweden’s rice import turnover from Vietnam has experienced significant growth, from over USD 100,000 to USD 2.79 USD million in 2021 .
Vietnamese rice exports to Norway have also increased from USD 1.8 million in 2018 to more than USD 2.34 million in 2021. Danish rice imports from Vietnam are not much, only USD 394,000 in 2021.
According to the Vietnam Trade Office in Sweden, the Scandinavian market in particular and the European Union (EU) in general is a potential market area, but it is very picky and has high demands on products.
The EU has issued Regulation (EU) 2022/741 on the Union’s multiannual coordinated control program in 2023, 2024 and 2025 to ensure that products imported into the EU comply with maximum pesticide residue levels, to reduce consumer exposure to pesticide residues on and in foodstuffs of animal origin.
Currently, not only the EU, but also non-EU Scandinavian countries such as Norway and Iceland are also strengthening inspection programs under this regulation. Rice is the most commonly inspected export product from Vietnam to the Scandinavian market under this programme. In particular, the substances Hexaconazole and Tricyclazole often exceed the threshold value in the offending product.
@ Saigon Times
