China nearly doubles imports of Vietnamese rice on stronger feed demand

China imported more than 1 mln tons of Vietnamese rice worth nearly $505 mln in January–August 2026. A year earlier, shipments stood at just over 565 thsd tons valued at $286.7 mln, meaning physical volumes increased by nearly 80%.

The surge in purchases lifted China from fourth to second place among the largest buyers of Vietnamese rice, behind only the Philippines. China accounted for 17.4% of Vietnam’s total rice export value during the eight-month period.

One of the main drivers of growth was strong Chinese demand for broken rice, which is widely used in animal feed production. Its lower price compared with corn and whole rice supports its competitiveness as a feed ingredient.

The Philippines remains the largest market for Vietnamese rice with a 40.9% share. Together, the Philippines and China account for more than 64% of shipments, supporting exports in the short term but also increasing Vietnam’s dependence on two key markets.

According to the Vietnam Food Association, the country could export around 7.74 mln tons of rice worth $3.94 bln in 2026. Export value is expected to fall by about 4% y/y due to weaker average prices, although stronger demand from China and other Asian markets continues to support shipment volumes.

Tags: China, rice, Vietnam, compound feed