Pineapples are processed for export at Dong Giao Food Stuff Export JSC in the northern province of Ninh Binh. Farm, forestry and aquatic exports posted growth of 10.4 per cent in the first five months of the year. — VNA/VNS Photo Huy Hung

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Viet Nam gained a year-on-year increase of 10.4 per cent in the value of farm, forestry and aquatic exports to US$12.1 billion during the first five months of this year.

Of this, export values reached $5.94 billion for farming products, 5.1 per cent higher than the same period last year; $2.83 billion for seafood products, an increase of 25 per cent; and $2.46 billion for forestry products, a surge of 13.8 per cent.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, coffee, pepper, cashew, seafood, wood and wooden products recorded growth in both export volume and value during the first five months, reported the Vietnam News Agency. Meanwhile, rice, rubber, tea, cassava and cassava products saw reductions in exports.

Coffee exports in the first five months achieved a year-on-year increase of 36.7 per cent in volume to reach 966,000 tonnes and 29 per cent in value to $1.96 billion.

Pepper exports also saw a year-on-year surge of 33.6 per cent in volume to 92,000 tonnes and 42.3 per cent in value, rising to $645 million during the first five months of the year.

Also in the five-month period, 98,000 tonnes of cashew were sold abroad for $618 million, registering a rise of 11 per cent in volume and 11.5 per cent in value year on year.

Meanwhile, seafood products grew 25 per cent to $2.83 billion. The US remained the leading importer, posting a year-on-year surge of 67 per cent. This was followed by Japan, the Republic of Korea and China.

Further, rice exporters could not reverse the declining trend they have suffered since the beginning of the year.

Over five months, some 2.65 million tonnes of rice were shipped to other countries to reach a value of nearly $1.2 billion, reflecting respective drops of 10 per cent and 7 percent, year on year.

Marking a five-fold rise in volume and a six-fold rise in value, the Philippines rose as the second largest importer of Vietnamese rice, accounting for 19 percent of market share, while China topped rice imports with 42 per cent.

Decreases were also seen in the export of tea and rubber, Viet Nam's strong export lines. — VNS