Contrary to pessimistic forecasts earlier in 2017, after a drop in 2016, the country’s rice exports had a successful year in 2017, with some higher-than-expected figures. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the level of rice exports in December was estimated at around 400,000 to 450,000 tonnes, bringing the total export volume for the entire year to 5.9 to 6 million tonnes, over 1 million tonnes higher than last year’s figure. A recent update from the General Department of Customs showed that as of 15th December, the level of rice exports reached 5.66 million tonnes, worth around 2.6 billion USD.