Hanoi, July 24 - Vietnam's January to July rice exports surged 46.3 percent from the same period last year to an estimated 4.28 million tonnes, the government said on Friday.
The General Statistics Office estimated the seven-month rice exports would bring in $1.98 billion, or 4.4 percent more in revenue than a year earlier.
The export volume so far this year represents 85.6 percent of the government's rice shipment target for the year of 5 million tonne. Vietnam is the world's second largest rice exporter after Thailand.
Exports this year could reach a record 6 million tonnes [ID:nHAN518818]. Exporters have contracts for 5.4 million tonnes and top export firm Vinafood 2 has been in talks to sell up to 500,000 tonnes to the Philippines.