Vietnam's 2012 rice export task steady at 7mn T

HANOI: Vietnam has set a target to export 7 million tonnes of rice in 2012, similar to the record high volume expected this year, a state-run newspaper quoted a government minister on Tuesday as saying, citing competition from India and Pakistan.

Exporters have bought just 700,000 tonnes for stocking, down from a level of between 1.5 million and 2 million tonnes in their usual stock in previous years due to the slowing sales, the Agriculture Ministry-run Vietnam Agriculture newpaper quoted Deputy Agriculture Minister Diep Kinh Tan as saying.