Agro-forestry, aquatic exports hit US$2.5 bln

Illustration photo

The figures indicate that the sector’s six-month trade surplus has reached between US$5.6-5.7 billion, helping to cut the country’s trade deficit.

Most export stables have maintained a satisfactory growth rate. In the first six months of this year, Vietnam exported 3.7 million tons of rice, earning US$1.7 billion.

China has become the largest importer of Vietnamese rice, while Malaysia is the second biggest importer in this period, with an increase in import value of almost 20% over the same period last year.

The country also exported 1.1 million tons of coffee during this period.  Germany and the US are the biggest importers of Vietnamese coffee, with a stable growth rate in both volume and value.

A number of other agricultural products such as tea, pepper and cashew nuts also retain a stable growth in both volume and value. The country exported 61,000 tons of tea, worth US$86 million, up 13.7% in volume and 9.9% in value over the same period last year.

Exports of cashew nuts reached 97,000 tons, making US$666 million, posting a-year-on-year increase of 41.2% in volume and 26.6% in value.

Vietnam remains its top position among cashew exporters in the world, with its main markets the US, China and the Netherlands.

The nation earned US$2.2 billion from exporting timber and wooden products during this time, up 23.8% over the same period last year.

Despite the continuing difficulties experienced by fisheries exports to EU markets, the total export value of this commodity in this year’s first six months reached US$2.9 billion, up 10% than last year’s figure. /.