Hanoi, Sept 22 - Vietnam has secured contracts to export 4.1 million tonnes of rice so far this year, or 89 percent of its annual target, and loading will be completed by the end of October, a state-run newspaper reported on Monday.
Vietnam projects rice exports this year of 4.5 million to 4.6 million tonnes, putting it on track to be the world's second-largest rice exporter, up from third place in 2007, after Thailand and India, when it shipped 4.5 million tonnes.
Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has urged exporters to speed loading and also seek more contracts in order to ship 4.6 million tonnes this year, Vietnam Agriculture, a newspaper run by the Agriculture Ministry, said.
Vietnam had exported 3.37 million tonnes of rice by Sept. 19, down 6 percent from a similar period last year, the Vietnam Food Association said on Monday.
Exporters need to step up buying paddy from Mekong Delta farmers to ensure a sufficient quantity for loading, the government said in a weekend statement.
The call came after summer-autumn paddy prices fell to 4,000-4,200 dong (24.2-25.4 U.S. cents) per kg in the Mekong Delta last week from 4,100-4,600 dong during the week ending Sept. 12.
Paddy from the ongoing third crop eased to 3,700-3,900 dong per kg last week from 3,700-4,000 dong in the previous week as Vietnam has not been able to sign major export contracts so far this month while foreign buying demand stabilised, traders said.
Farmers in the Mekong Delta grow three rice crops a year. The Delta produces more than half of Vietnam's paddy output and supplies more than 90 percent of the grain for trading.