According to Enterprise Singapore, the city-state imported 378,900 tonnes of rice worth SGD 309.1 million during January-September, down 5.8 per cent in volume and 11 per cent in value from a year earlier.
The average import price fell 5.5 per cent to SGD 816 per tonne.
Despite the decline, Singapore's rice import volume was the second-highest for the January-September period between 2020 and 2026, behind only 2025.
Rice imports from Vietnam were valued at SGD 79.5 million, down 9.2 per cent year-on-year, a smaller decline than the overall market.
Vietnam's share of Singapore's rice imports by value edged up from 25.2 per cent to 25.7 per cent, ranking third behind Thailand and India.
By volume, Vietnam's market share climbed from 28.1 per cent to 31.4 per cent, making it Singapore's second-largest rice supplier after India.
Vietnam was the only one of Singapore's three largest rice suppliers to record growth in shipment volumes.
The increase contrasted with Vietnam's overall rice exports, which fell 6.1 per cent to 6.4 million tonnes in the first nine months, while export earnings dropped 10.9 per cent to USD 3.11 billion.
Vietnam's Trade Office in Singapore said further export opportunities could emerge in the fourth quarter as Singapore increases rice reserves amid El Nino-related concerns and the possibility of tighter Indian export restrictions.
Vietnam previously emerged as a major alternative supplier during India's rice export restrictions in the 2023-2024 period, accounting for 46-50 per cent of Singapore's white rice imports in the first half of 2024.
Vietnamese rice could also remain price-competitive in the short term, supported by ample supplies after the Philippines suspended import permits until mid-November 2026.
