Vietnam imported 2.87 million tonnes of maize,
worth 622 million USD, up by 30.3 percent in volume, and an increase of
16.8 percent in value compared with the same period last year.
The
country also imported 700,000 tonnes of beans and other materials for
processing of animal feed worth nearly 1.4 billion USD.
Meanwhile,
exports of rice from Vietnam over the same period reached 2.08 million
tonnes, worth 875 million USD, a decline of 255,000 tonnes in volume and
138 million USD in values over 2014.
In all, the value of
imported animal feed and other materials for the food processing
industry in the first five months amounted to nearly 2.3 billion USD,
nearly triple the total value of rice exports over the same period.
Authorities
have been urged to re-structure the country's planting systems, aiming
to reduce material imports while easing the pressure on rice
consumption.
The programme to re-structure rice plantation to
other crops including maize began in 2013 when the country's rice
exports were stagnant.
However, the programme has faced challenges in many localities across the country.
The
slump in the world's farm produce prices, including maize prices, has
caused local agricultural products to be less competitive than imported
goods.
Maize prices have dropped to less than 5,000 VND per kg
since the end of 2014, making maize growers' profits lower than rice
growers'.
It has forced many farmers to return to rice cultivation.
Huynh
The Nang, Chairman of Vietnamese Food Association, said that global
demand for rice had changed greatly compared to five to 10 years ago.
Rice growing countries have increasingly raised their output, while rice
buyers have also been promoting rice production.
"It's time for
Vietnam to re-consider rice production and exports with an aim to raise
the added value of this product and a bigger effort to change rice into
more necessary crops," he said./.
