Vietnam has firmly established itself as one of the world’s leading agricultural powerhouses. With fertile deltas, advanced milling technology, and strict quality control, Vietnamese rice is no longer just a budget commodity—it is a premium, globally trusted food source.
For international wholesale traders, food processing factories, and large-scale distributors, understanding the core Vietnamese rice varieties for export is the key to maximizing profit margins and securing high-demand inventory.
Here is a comprehensive breakdown of the major rice categories available for bulk sourcing from Vietnam.
1. Premium Fragrant Rice (Long-Grain Jasmine & ST Varieties)
This segment is driving the highest growth in the global market. Characterized by long grains, natural floral aromas, and a soft, sticky texture even when cooled, this category is perfect for premium retail packaging and high-end restaurant supply chains.
ST24 & ST25 Rice (World’s Best Rice Winners): Globally acclaimed for their premium quality. These varieties feature slender, translucent grains with an intense natural pandan aroma. They are highly sought after by high-end buyers in the USA, European Union (EU), Japan, and Australia.
Jasmine 85 Rice: The backbone of Vietnam’s fragrant rice exports. It offers an excellent balance of high volume availability and cost-efficiency while maintaining a soft texture and delicate aroma. Jasmine 85 is a staple import for the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Nang Hoa / Huong Lai Rice: High-elongation varieties with a sweet aftertaste, heavily imported by Asian supermarkets and distribution networks worldwide.
2. Long-Grain White Rice (High-Volume & Cost-Efficient)
If your goal is cost optimization for public tenders (G2G), mass-market retail, or raw materials for food manufacturing (rice noodles, rice flour, crackers), this is your primary category.
Vietnam processes and grades white rice strictly by the percentage of broken grains:
| Grade | Texture & Cooking Profile | Target Industry / Market |
| White Rice 5% Broken | Firm but tender, minimal broken grains, international standard. | Supermarket chains, global distributors (Philippines, Indonesia, Africa). |
| White Rice 15% – 25% Broken | High volume fluffiness. Maximizes budget efficiency. | Catering, food aid programs, and price-sensitive wholesale markets. |
| 100% Broken Rice | Fractured grains rich in starch. | Food processing plants (beer brewing, rice flour mills, animal feed). |
3. Glutinous Rice (Sticky Rice)
Powered by the rich alluvial soil of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam is one of the few global suppliers capable of exporting bulk glutinous rice with consistent, year-round volume.
Key Varieties: Glutinous IR4625, Long An Sticky Rice. These grains are milky white, opaque, and yield a highly cohesive, sticky texture when steamed.
Primary Uses: Essential raw material for Asian food manufacturing factories (mochi, rice cakes, traditional sweets, and ready-to-eat meals).
Top Importing Hubs: China, Singapore, Malaysia, and global Asian-diaspora wholesale networks.
4. Japonica Rice (Round-Grain Sushi Rice)
Vietnam has successfully localized the cultivation of premium Japanese round-grain (Japonica) rice varieties, offering a massive cost advantage to global buyers.
Characteristics: Short, plump, pearly grains with high starch content that creates perfect stickiness—ideal for sushi, kimbap, and bento boxes.
The B2B Advantage: Vietnamese Japonica rice delivers 85-90% of the quality of Japanese-grown rice at a fraction of the price. This makes it the go-to choice for global restaurant supply chains, ready-meal factories, and catering companies across Korea, Taiwan, and the Middle East.
Why Leading Food Manufacturers & Wholesale Traders Source from Vietnam
1. Year-Round Supply Stability: Thanks to 3 harvest cycles per year in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam guarantees a continuous supply chain. We can fulfill bulk logistics orders ranging from a few containers to hundreds of thousands of metric tons without seasonal disruptions.
2. Strict International Certifications: Top-tier Vietnamese rice mills operate under globally recognized food safety standards, including HACCP, ISO 22000, BRC, FDA, and HALAL, ensuring seamless customs clearance in strict markets like the US and EU.
3. Optimized Logistics & Competitive Freight: Strategically located deep-sea ports (such as Cat Lai and Cai Mep) ensure fast transit times and highly competitive ocean freight rates to Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
A Pro-Tip for Buying Bulk Rice from Vietnam
Define Your Specifications (Spec Sheet): Ensure your contract clearly defines the thresholds for Moisture (usually max 14%), Foreign Matter, Chalky Kernels, and Yellow Kernels to match your country’s import regulations.
Partner with Verified Exporters: Work with established mills and exporters registered under the Vietnam Food Association (VFA) to guarantee financial security and export licenses.
Third-Party Inspection: Always mandate international inspection agencies like SGS, Bureau Veritas, or Cotecna at the loading port to verify quality, weight, and phytosanitary conditions before sealing the containers.
Whether you need high-volume, budget-friendly white rice for a manufacturing plant or award-winning ST25 fragrant rice for a premium retail brand, Vietnam offers the scalability, quality, and price point to boost your business margins.
Partner with CTC Internimex: Your Trusted Vietnamese Rice Export Specialist
When it comes to sourcing high-volume, premium-grade Vietnamese rice, CTC Internimex is your premier commercial partner. As a leading trading and export company, we specialize in bridging the gap between Vietnam’s finest rice mills and global buyers, ensuring a seamless, risk-free supply chain.
Why Global Wholesalers & Manufacturers Choose CTC Internimex:
Uncompromising High Quality: We strictly source and monitor our supply chain to meet international food safety standards, delivering rice that complies with strict import regulations in the US, EU, and Asia.
Large-Scale Bulk Capacity: Whether you need a continuous monthly supply for a food manufacturing plant or a massive shipment for nationwide distribution, we have the logistical capability to handle large-scale volume requirements seamlessly.
Tailored B2B Solutions: From customized specifications (moisture, broken percentage) to private label packaging and flexible FOB/CIF terms, we tailor our services to maximize your business margins.
Ready to secure your next high-volume rice shipment with a reliable Vietnamese exporter? Contact the CTC Internimex export desk today to request specifications, sample testing, or an immediate FOB/CIF price quote!
Learn more here: Understanding Rice Grading in Vietnam: What B2B Buyers Need to Know
