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Vietnam Considers Resuming Rice Shipments Amid Virus-driven Stockpiling

VOA News

   Vietnam is now considering when it will resume exporting rice amid the
   coronavirus pandemic, after first saying Tuesday it was suspending the
   signing of any new rice contracts. The nation is the world's
   third-largest rice exporter.

   Authorities are reevaluating the situation because companies are saying
   there is plenty of rice in domestic storage, which the nation deemed a
   priority so citizens could stock up on food and stay at home to slow
   down the spread of the coronavirus.

   The government formed a team to "work with local authorities and rice
   exporting companies to review, inspect and evaluate the supply of rice,
   the rice exporting conditions, the circulation of reserves and the
   status of executing rice export contracts," it said on its official
   website Wednesday.

   The Vietnam Food Association said it was safe to ship rice abroad, as
   domestic inventories are more than enough to serve local demand.

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