Vietnam Rice Varieties: From Global Staples to Award-Winning Specialties
In 2026, Vietnam continues to solidify its position as the world’s “rice bowl,” with a strategic shift towards high-quality fragrant rice, specialty varieties, and organic grains. Here are the prominent types of Vietnamese rice leading the global market:
1. Premium Fragrant Rice (Specialty Segment)
This group represents the pinnacle of Vietnamese rice branding, fetching the highest economic value internationally.
- ST24 & ST25 Rice: Celebrated as the “World’s Best Rice in 2019; 2023; 2025.” These varieties feature long, clear grains, a high degree of stickiness, a sweet aftertaste, and a distinct pandan aroma that lingers even after the rice has cooled.
- Jasmine Rice: The most popular fragrant rice in the premium category. It has long grains with moderate stickiness and a delicate floral scent, highly favored in the US and Middle Eastern markets.
- Nàng Hoa Rice: Known for its porcelain-flower-like fragrance, slender grains, and a soft texture that stays tender for a long time.
2. White Rice
Traditional varieties that serve daily consumption and the food processing industry.
- 5% Broken Rice: The highest standard in the white rice category, featuring uniform grains and minimal breakage. It is the preferred choice for households and restaurants.
- 15% – 25% Broken Rice: Commonly used for industrial catering or as a raw material for producing rice vermicelli, rice paper, and noodles.
- Medium rice/ Camolino rice/ Egypt rice: Known for its dry, fluffy, and expansive texture when cooked, making it the perfect ingredient for fried rice and food processing factories.
- Japonica round rice/ calrose rice/sushi rice: Known for its porcelain-light flavor, short grains, and a soft texture that stays tender for a long time
3. Glutinous Rice (Sticky Rice)
Vietnam offers famous sticky rice varieties with exceptional elasticity and rich aromas.
- “Short glutinous rice – Nếp Cái Hoa Vàng” A specialty of Northern Vietnam with round grains and a deep fragrance, primarily used for traditional cakes, sticky rice dishes, and artisanal rice wine.
- Long An Glutinous Rice: A long-grain sticky rice, milky white and highly adhesive, serving as a key export commodity to Asian markets.
4. Nutritional & Functional Rice (Health Trend 2026)
Catering to the 2026 wellness lifestyle trend.
- Brown Rice: Includes Red, Black, and “Dragon Blood” (Huyết Rồng) varieties. Rich in fiber and vitamins, these are ideal for weight management and blood sugar stability.
- Organic Rice: Cultivated without chemicals and certified to international standards (USDA, EU Organic), targeting the high-end health-conscious segment.
| SPECIFICATION | |||||||||
| Product name | Long white rice | Fragrant rice / Jasmine rice | Round rice / Calrose rice | Medium rice / Egypt rice | Glutinous rice | ST 25 rice | Black rice | Red rice | Brown rice |
| Broken | 5%/10%/15%/25% | 3% / 5% max | 5% / 10% max | 5% / 10% max | 5% / 10% max | 3% / 5% max | 5% max | 5% max | 5% max |
| Moisture | 14% max | 14% max | 14% max | 14% max | 14% max | 14% max | 14% max | 14% max | 14% max |
| Foreign matter | 0.2 max | 0.2 max | 0.2 max | 0.2 max | 0.2 max | 0.2 max | 0.2 max | 0.2 max | 0.2 max |
| Chalky kernel | 6% max | 3% max | 3% max | 3% max | Nil | 3% max | 3% max | 3% max | 3% max |
| Yellow kernel | 0.5% max | 0.3% max | 0.3% max | 0.3% max | 0.3% max | 0.3% max | 0.3% max | 0.3% max | 0.3% max |
| Damaged kernel | 0.5% max | 0.3% max | 0.3% max | 0.3% max | 0.3% max | 0.3% max | 0.3% max | 0.3% max | 0.3% max |
| Paddy grain | 10 grain/ kg max | 7 grain/ kg max | 5 grain/ kg max | 5 grain/ kg max | 5 grain/ kg max | 5 grain/ kg max | 3 grain/ kg max | 3 grain/ kg max | 3 grain/ kg max |
| Average length of grain | 6.2 mm min | 6.8 mm min | 4.8 – 5.2 mm | 5.5 – 5.8 mm | 5.8 mm min | 7.4 mm min | 7.2 mm min | 7.2 mm min | 6.2 mm min |
| Red and red steak kernel | 0.5% max | 0.5% max | 0.5% max | 0.5% max | 0.5% max | 0.5% max | 0.5% max | 0.5% max | 0.5% max |
| Rice admixture | 3% max | 3% max | 3% max | 3% max | 3% max | 3% max | 3% max | 3% max | 3% max |
| Milling degree | WELL MILL DOUBLE POLISHED AND SORTEX | ||||||||
| Crop | New crop | New crop | New crop | New crop | New crop | New crop | New crop | New crop | New crop |