EVFTA boosts Vietnamese rice’s market prospects in Austria
VOV.VN - Vietnamese rice is gaining momentum in Austria thanks to high quality, competitive prices, and preferential tariffs under the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), amid rising European demand for sustainable, healthy food products.
According to the Vietnamese Trade Office in Austria, although the country of nine million is not traditionally a rice-consuming nation, shifting dietary habits, a growing appetite for Asian cuisine, and a preference for organic foods are driving up demand. Rice has increasingly become a household staple.
Austria consumes around 57,100 tonnes of rice annually, nearly all of it imported. Domestic output is negligible—just over 280 tonnes in the 2023–2024 crop year, making the market highly reliant on foreign suppliers. This presents clear opportunities for Vietnamese exporters.
Vietnam ranks among the world’s top rice exporters, with popular varieties such as ST25, Jasmine, brown rice, and the specialty sticky rice Nep Cai Hoa Vang. To meet EU standards, Vietnamese producers have ramped up investments in modern processing, food safety, and certifications including GlobalGAP, HACCP, and ISO.
“Vietnamese rice is of excellent quality, flavorful, and competitively priced,” said Dinh Thi Hoang Yen, head of the Trade Office. She noted that the EVFTA has given Vietnamese rice a pricing edge over rivals like Thailand, India, and Cambodia, and that her office is working to promote business links and expand Vietnam’s market share in Austria and the EU.
Under the EVFTA, Vietnamese rice exports to the EU enjoy preferential tariffs. However, the bloc maintains a limited annual import quota of 80,000 tonnes with tariff exemptions, allocated by country and product type. Yen said expanding this quota through negotiation is crucial to ensure long-term growth.
Vietnamese exporters must also comply with stringent EU regulations on pesticide residues, traceability, labeling, environmental protection, and consumer rights. In Austria, consumers are especially drawn to organic and minimally processed products with clear origin and quality assurance.
The strong interest in Vietnamese sushi rice in Austria, Yen noted, bodes well for the future of other varieties such as fragrant and brown rice.
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