Deputy General Director of the General Department of Vietnam Customs just signed an urgent document to suspend the export of rice from the country starting from 0:00am of March 24. This order sent to the provincial and municipal Departments of Customs.
“To implement a conclusion by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at a meeting of the cabinet on ensuring food security in the context of the COVID-19”- according to the document. However, those shipments with customs registration forms completed before the issued time will go as usual.
Additionally, rice products under HS code of 1006.20, 1006.30, and 1006.40 would now be banned from exporting.
Customs departments are in charge of collaborating with relevant agencies, including the Department of Anti-smuggling and Investigation to deal with rice smuggling.
On the same day, the Ministry of Finance requested the General Department of State Reserves to ensure sufficient food reserves under the year’s plan to prepare for any emergencies.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has told the ministries of trade, finance and agriculture to take stock of rice supplies and submit a report on supplies and exports by Saturday, according to the statement.
“While waiting for the report from the working group, the signing of all new rice export contracts will be suspended, and those contracts that have already been signed will be dealt with after the report is available,” the government said.
On March 18, PM Phuc presided over the meeting, during which he stressed food security must be ensured in a really firm way under any circumstance.
Vietnam has claimed 134 cases of the coronavirus but no deaths, In excess of 1,five hundred suspected conditions are in quarantine and monitored.
According to the General Statistics Office, Vietnam exported 900,000 tonnes of rice valued 410 million USD in January-February, up 27 percent and 32 percent, respectively. Last year, rice exports brought home US$2.81 billion in total.