SGGP

Farmers are reporting losses in the 2026 summer-autumn rice crop as soaring input costs and falling rice prices squeeze already thin profit margins.

Farmers are facing heavy input costs due to fluctuating fuel prices, while traders purchase rice at depressed rates, shrinking profit margins and pushing many households into losses.

In the rice fields of Thanh Thoi An Commune in Can Tho City, harvesting for the summer-autumn crop is in full swing. Combine harvesters and transport vehicles operate continuously, carrying harvested rice to Provincial Road 935 where long rows wait for traders to purchase.

Looking at the long rows of stacked rice bags, elderly farmer Hong Van Lu in Thanh Thoi An Commune sighed saying that he had high hopes for this rice crop, but prices are too low, so there will hardly be any profit left.

Farmer Hong Van Lu shared that he cultivated 6 hectares of Japanese rice (DS1 – Japonica) this season, but sold it at only VND6,500a kg which is more than VND1,000 a kg lower than last year. Some neighboring households that accepted deposits later were only able to sell at around VND6,000 a kg. At this price level, after deducting all expenses, profits stand at under VND2 million per large plot (1,300 square meters). The main reason is that fuel price fluctuations drove fertilizer, pesticide, and other input costs up by around 30 percent, leaving farmers with no profit despite high yields.

In contrast to the lively atmosphere of harvest days, farmer Bui Tran Son in Nga Bay Ward, Can Tho City, stood with a somber expression, flipping through pages of cost records for his 1.5 hectares of rice after weighing and handing it over to traders. Son said his crop yielded 700 kg per plot. Initially, he accepted a deposit at VND6,000 per kg for OM18 rice, but as market prices plummeted, traders lowered the purchase price to VND5,850 per kg. After deducting all seasonal expenses, Son’s household suffered a loss of nearly VND10 million.

According to purchasing enterprises, rice prices fell due to multiple factors, including market oversupply caused by peak harvest times. In addition, the rice export market faces numerous barriers and relies heavily on purchasing power from major foreign partners, keeping buying prices low.

Director Nguyen Van Thanh of Phuoc Thanh IV Company analyzed that the Philippines is Vietnam’s primary rice export market, but over the past two years, this partner has created various barriers to protect its domestic farmers. Specifically, during the summer-autumn rice harvest, they occasionally restrict imports of 5 percent broken rice.

This policy shift alone creates volatility in the country’s rice export market. Although these market fluctuations are short-term, they impose substantial risks on rice farmers, as evidenced by the sharp drop in rice prices recently.

By Tuan Quang – Translated by Anh Quan

Published Date: September 20, 2026