Vietnam’s ST24 rice crowned best in world (Photo: HQL)

The rice was created by a group of local scientists including engineer Ho Quang Cua and his colleagues, MA Nguyen Thi Thu Huong and Dr. Tran Tan Phuong. A short-term variety was put into trial in 2014, and went into production in 2016. It is more resistant than traditional rice varieties, yields as much as seven tons per hectare, and can adapt to climate change. Ho Quang Cua said: “ST24 fragrant rice is small, white, and has a light aroma. Consumers like this rice, so its cultivation area is expanding. The rice has received several domestic awards for its quality.” 

ST24 finished third at the 9th World's Best Rice Contest in Macau, China, in 2017. It claimed the top prize at the 3rd Vietnam Rice Festival in Long An last year and won first prize at the first Vietnam Rice Contest recently held in Ho Chi Minh City.