Mekong Delta’s 1st Best Rice Competition 2026 ready for kickoff

On the morning of April 24, reporters from Vietnam Agriculture and Nature Newspaper observed at Hung Vuong Square (Bac Lieu Ward, Ca Mau Province) that booth setup for the Science, Technology, Culture and Tourism Week, along with the 1st Mekong Delta Best Rice Competition 2026, had been largely completed.

At the site, all booths had been finalized, with products neatly arranged and ready to welcome visitors. Notably, the rice-salt-OCOP product exhibition space, featuring 130 booths, stands out with the participation of a wide range of enterprises, cooperatives, and cooperative groups from across the Mekong Delta region.

At the booths, a wide range of specialty, fragrant, and high-quality rice products such as ST24, ST25, and BL9 Dai Thom 8 were attractively displayed, accompanied by traceability information, production processes, and quality certifications. In addition, production models and scientific and technological applications in rice cultivation were introduced, drawing strong interest from visitors and businesses.

According to the organizing committee, by the end of April 23, all participating units had completed the submission of rice samples in accordance with regulations. Preparations for the judging process are now complete, ensuring it will take place as scheduled on April 25.

Observations at the exhibition area show that many enterprises have brought their flagship rice products to the competition, clearly reflecting a shift toward high-quality and sustainable development.

Mr. Nguyen Luu Tuong, Director of Best Rice Co., Ltd., said the company is participating with its Ca Mau ecological ST25 rice - considered a premium product of the region. The rice is cultivated in coastal and mangrove-adjacent areas under a rice-shrimp farming model, mainly in Khanh Binh commune, covering more than 10,000 hectares.

According to Mr. Tuong, in addition to serving the domestic market, the product is currently exported to several markets, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and Singapore, with plans to expand into China and some Middle Eastern countries. “Through this competition, we hope to bring Ca Mau rice closer to consumers at home and abroad, and further affirm the value of Vietnamese rice,” he shared.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ta Van Lam, Technical Director of Misun Group Joint Stock Company, said the company is presenting its “Gao Ong Dien” product, which is produced using biological farming methods without chemical fertilizers. Soil improvement is carried out using bio-products, biochar, and organic fertilizers, while natural nutrient sources are applied during the growth stage to ensure product quality and consumer health safety.

The product is currently cultivated on more than 418 hectares across several localities, including Lang Tron Ward and the communes of Hoa Binh, Vinh Thanh, Vinh Phuoc, and Hong Dan, with an average yield of over 700 kg/cong. According to Mr. Lam, the company’s goal in participating in the competition is not focused on competition itself, but rather on promoting the value of clean, health-friendly rice and moving toward OCOP standards in the future.

Truong Thi Thien Trang, Director of Phu Long Cooperative (Vinh Phuoc Commune, Ca Mau Province), said the cooperative is participating in the competition with its “Anh Ba Ca Mau” rice product, produced from the ST25 variety under the locality’s characteristic rice-shrimp farming model. According to Ms. Trang, the cooperative has made thorough preparations, from seed selection and production organization to product refinement, to bring the highest-quality rice samples to the competition.

“Through this competition, we hope that ‘Anh Ba Ca Mau’ rice, made from our local ST25 variety, will gain wider recognition, thereby expanding market access and enhancing the value of Ca Mau rice,” she shared.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Kieu Khuyen, Deputy Director of the Ca Mau Agricultural Extension Center, said preparations for the agriculture sector’s exhibition booth have been completed, with highlights including typical farming models and high-quality local rice varieties.

At the booth, three representative production models are being showcased: rice–shrimp, rice–fish, and low-emission, climate-adaptive rice farming, reflecting the province’s orientation toward sustainable agricultural development. In addition, various rice varieties and samples are displayed, providing information on cultivation areas, production output, and market linkage potential.

According to Ms. Khuyen, as of now, 28 rice samples from 28 participating units have been registered for the competition. Ca Mau Province alone has 13 participants, including 10 cooperatives and 3 enterprises.

The 1st Mekong Delta Best Rice Competition 2026 is expected to serve as a reputable platform to honor outstanding rice products of the region, while promoting production-consumption linkages and enhancing the value and brand of Vietnamese rice in the market.