At the reception, Permanent Vice Chairman Duong Tan Hien provided a brief overview of Can Tho City, highlighting its strengths and advantages. The Mekong Delta region, including Can Tho, is known for its agricultural production, particularly rice. Currently, the Mekong Delta region contributes to 95% of the country's rice exports, with 37 businesses in Can Tho City alone operating in the field of rice export. Can Tho City, the hub of the Mekong Delta region, has a total rice cultivation of some 75,000 hectares which yields more than 1.3 million tons a year. Last year, the city shipped 976,000 tons of rice abroad, up 23% year-on-year, and rice exports in the first quarter of this year continued to enjoy robust growth. Additionally, the government has been focusing on developing transportation infrastructure in the Mekong Delta region and Can Tho City, in recent years and will continue to do so in the future.

Can Tho City will focus on developing high-tech agriculture to better product quality, and branching out more large-scale rice fields to increase productivity, he said, adding it is engaging in a project to grow one million hectares of high-quality rice with low carbon footprints in the Mekong Delta until 2030.

Can Tho wishes to cooperate with SunRice Group, boasting considerable experience in rice plantation, management, and processing, to improve local production value, he said, stressing the local administration will create favorable conditions for the group to study and develop a plant in the city for further cooperation.

Mr. Duong Tan Hien, Permanent Vice Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee, presented a gift to Mr. Paul Serra, CEO of SunRice Group

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of SunRice Group Paul Joseph Serra said SunRice is one of the largest rice food companies in the world and one of Australia's leading branded food exporters. The Group comprises multiple businesses, assets, and operations across Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, the United States, the Pacific Islands, and Asia. It has around 35 major brands in approximately 50 global markets.

CEO of SunRice Group shared that their visit to Can Tho City was to explore opportunities for sustainable rice cultivation and to express their intention to cooperate in the future while actively contributing to the one-million-hectare high-quality and low-carbon rice cultivation project* in the Mekong Delta. Recognizing the potential for high-quality rice produced in Vietnam due to its rich soil and favorable environmental conditions, the Group hopes to build a plant in Can Tho city, a move to help Vietnamese rice reach out the high-end markets such as the US and Europe.

After meeting with Can Tho authorities, SunRice Group will visit the Mekong Delta Rice Institute and witness several experimental models of high-quality rice varieties in the region. Mr. Paul Serra is eager to make future visits to Can Tho City and bring new investment opportunities, thus expanding and strengthening the friendly relationship and cooperation between the two parties.

* The one-million-hectare high-quality and low-carbon rice cultivation project will be deployed in the Mekong Delta localities of An Giang, Kien Giang, Dong Thap, Long An, Soc Trang, Can Tho, Bac Lieu, Tra Vinh, Hau Giang, Ca Mau, Tien Giang and Vinh Long. It is part of an effort to restructure the region's production system and value chain with a focus on sustainable farming practices, higher product value, greater business, and production efficiency, as well as improved livelihoods of rice farmers, in accordance with Vietnam’s commitment to environmental protection, climate change response and greenhouse gas emission reduction.