Hanoi, Jan. 10 -- For Vietnam, one of the world's top rice exporters, targeting mid-sized markets with stable demand, high quality standards and near-total reliance on imports such as Israel is proving to be a smart strategic play.

The Vietnam - Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA), which took effect in late 2024, is poised to provide a fresh boost to agricultural exports, with rice at the forefront.

Israel's arid climate, limited arable land and severe water constraints leave it with virtually no domestic rice production. While bread and wheat-based staples dominate the national diet, yet rice holds a steady place as a familiar food among Asian and African communities, Arabian citizens and migrant workers.

International data, drawn fro...