HCMC - Two Vietnamese exporters have secured variety certification to ship more than 388 tons of fragrant rice to the European Union (EU).

HCMC-based Blue Ocean Import Export Co. has been cleared to export three shipments of 5% broken OM 5451 rice, totaling 364.52 tons, to the Czech Republic, France and Germany. Meanwhile, Hoang Minh Nhat JSC in Can Tho City has dispatched nearly 24 tons of Jasmine 85 rice to Poland, sourcing its paddy from the Mekong Delta region. Under EU regulations, imported fragrant rice must possess variety certification to ensure the grain belongs to the specific categories recognized by the European Commission. This certification is a critical requirement for Vietnamese rice to benefit from the preferential tariffs outlined in the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). Since the agreement took effect in 2020, Vietnam has been granted an annual tax-free quota of 80,000 tons, including 30,000 tons of fragrant rice. Currently, nine Vietnamese fragrant rice varieties - including Jasmine 85, ST25 and OM 5451 - are eligible for these incentives, reflecting the growing footprint of Vietnamese agricultural products in premium international markets.