The 2026 World's Best Rice competition concluded on 9/10 in Manila, Philippines, with Myanmar taking first place. Vietnam's Ong Cua ST25 rice secured second place, followed by the Philippines in third, while India and Thailand shared fourth. The Rice Trader (US) announced these results during its World Rice Conference.

The competition featured rice samples from numerous countries. An international panel of chefs and experts evaluated the rice in both raw and cooked states. They based their assessment on criteria such as uniformity, grain length, aroma, tenderness, and flavor.

Ho Quang Cua (second from left) with Le Phu Cuong, Vietnam's Trade Counselor in the Philippines, at the competition on the morning of 9/10. *Photo: Contributed*

ST25 previously won first place in 2019, 2023, and 2025. In its most recent win, the rice variety shared the top prize with Cambodia. Before that, in 2017, ST24 also ranked among the top three varieties in the competition.

ST25 is the result of over 30 years of research, selection, and cross-breeding by engineer Ho Quang Cua and his associates. He has been instrumental in developing ST fragrant rice varieties, including ST24 and ST25, in the Mekong Delta's rice-shrimp farming region.

According to the enterprise, the rice samples submitted each year correspond to their respective harvests. Consistently ranking among the top contenders over many years requires the producer to maintain quality across different harvests.

Ong Cua ST25 rice is produced by Ho Quang Tri Private Enterprise in Soc Trang. The brand is protected in Vietnam, the US, the UK, the European Union, Australia, Hong Kong, and China. The product is distributed in the US, Australia, and Canada.

By Thi Ha