Vietnam’s ST25 rice wins World’s Best Rice Award 2025

The ST25 rice shared the top honor with Cambodia’s Phka Romdoul rice this year.

Hero of Labor Ho Quang Cua, the creator of the ST25 rice variety, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Sunday afternoon that both Vietnam and Cambodia were recognized as co-winners after an intense competition featuring entries from countries including Thailand, India, Australia, and the Philippines.

The competition was part of the 17th World Rice Conference, organized from Friday to Sunday by The Rice Trader, one of the most prestigious events in the international rice industry.

At the event, Ho Quang Tri Private Enterprise, the producer of ST25 rice, shared the more-than-30-year journey of research and development of premium fragrant rice varieties.

The company also highlighted how international recognition has helped improve farmer incomes, strengthen Vietnam’s image as a producer of high-quality rice, and expand its reach to demanding markets such as the United States, Japan, Europe, and Australia.

Being consistently ranked among the world’s best rice varieties has affirmed Vietnam’s pioneering position on the global rice map, Cua said.

This victory adds to ST25’s impressive record – World’s Best Rice titles in 2019, 2023, and now 2025.

The 2019 and 2023 competitions, both held in the Philippines, marked Vietnam’s first and second triumphs, setting the foundation for ST25’s rise as an international brand.

In recent years, ST25 rice has become a hallmark of Vietnamese rice excellence.

Demand for the rice often exceeds supply, both domestically and internationally, with premium markets in the EU, U.S., and Australia driving strong exports, local media reported.

China remains one of the largest importers.

Export prices for ST25 have reached as high as US$1,100-1,200 per tonne, reflecting its superior quality and growing global reputation.