ANN/VIETNAM NEWS – Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade has established an inter-agency inspection team to monitor rice export business activities in the Mekong Delta region. The goal is to ensure transparency, stabilise the market and safeguard the interests of rice producers amid domestic and international fluctuations. The inspection team will focus on enforcing legal regulations related to rice export businesses, addressing violations while reviewing market supply and demand, as well investigating pricing conditions. The inspection period covers transactions from September 2024 to the end of February 2025, with the actual inspections taking place March 25 to 28. The inspection team, announced under Decision No 831/QD-BCT issued on March 21 will work closely with key export enterprises, industry associations and local authorities, assessing the current market situation of the grain and propose measures to stabilise it. The findings from the inspection will be reported to the government before tomorrow. A total of 44 businesses are being inspected and they will be required to comply with legal regulations on rice export and ensure transparency in trading and exporting activities. They need to provide complete documentation and relevant materials related to their business operations, export contracts and product origin upon request. Businesses are being warned they must not engage in trade fraud, price manipulation or be using any legal loopholes in rice exports. They must strictly adhere to state regulatory measures, refrain from exploiting market conditions to destabilise the rice industry and cooperate fully with the inspection team by providing truthful and timely information. The Ministry of Industry and Trade is also expediting amendments to Decree 107/2018/ND CP and Decree 01/2025/ND-CP on rice export business activities under a fast-tracked process, with completion expected in March. Previously, Official Dispatch No 21/CD-TTg, issued by the prime minister on March 4, instructed ministries, sectors and local authorities to implement comprehensive measures to balance supply and demand, stabilise rice exports and control any price manipulation that could impact the market. According to the Vietnam Food Association (VFA), rice prices in the Mekong Delta region experienced slight fluctuations on March 24. However market demand remained stable, with some raw rice categories seeing a slight decline, while fresh paddy prices held steady compared to the weekend.