VIET NAM (19 February)
Harvesting of the summer-autumn and the Lua Mua paddy crops (or the "tenth month" crop harvested in December-January) has been completed. Summer crop had suffered some damage due to flooding in the Mekong River Delta in southern region while dry conditions prevailed in the central part of the country. However, good rainfall during the last few months of the year benefited the Lua Mua crop grown in the northern part of the country. Due to the reduced plantings in the Mekong Delta where farmers have diversified into other crops, the area under paddy crop was reduced slightly. Consequently, with a combined effect of all the factors, the total paddy production for 2002 is estimated at 34.1 million tonnes (22.7 million tonnes of milled rice) about 6.5 percent higher than the year before.
On account of the increased acreage and generally favourable growing conditions, the 2002 maize production is estimated at 2.3 million tonnes or 6 percent above the previous year.
Exports of rice in 2002 were 3.23 million tonnes, 7 percent down over the year before. Vietnam is a third largest rice exporter behind Thailand and India.