Workers process frozen shrimp for export in the southern province of Kien Giang. Fisheries exports reached $907 million in February, a decrease of 9.4 per cent over the same period last year. — VNA/VNS Photo Le Sen

HA NOI  (Biz Hub) — Viet Nam's exports of agricultural, forestry and fisheries products reached US$1.78 billion in February, taking the sector's total export value in the first two months to $4.177 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 1.9 per cent.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the export value of major farm produce was $1.87 billion, down 5.3 per cent.

Fisheries exports reached $907 million, a decrease of 9.4 per cent.

Bucking the trend, the export value of forestry products increased year-on-year by 7.9 per cent to $989 million.

Rice export volume in February reached 200,000 tonnes with a value of $90 million, pushing figures for the first two months to 526,000 tonnes and $243 million respectively. This marked year-on-year decreases of 33.1 per cent in volume and 34 per cent in value.

February's coffee shipments reached 110,000 tonnes for an export value of $230 million, taking the first two months' total to 242,000 tonnes and $511 million. Germany and the US continue to be two largest importers of Vietnamese coffee.

Rubber export stood at 137,000 tonnes for nearly $202 million, marking a 30.5 per cent growth in volume but a 6.3 per cent decrease in value over the same period last year.

In January this year, average rubber export prices reached $1,423 per tonne or a year-on-year decrease of 31.27 per cent.

Tea exports for the first two months declined 3.3 per cent, but value went up 5.1 per cent year on year. In February, tea shipments of 6,000 tonnes were worth $10 million, taking the total of first two months to 16,000 tonnes and $28 million.

In the first two months, pepper exports reached 22,000 tonnes for an export value of $199 million, a year-on-year reduction of 8.7 per cent in volume, but a 24 per cent growth in value.

Cashew kernel is the only produce that saw growth both in volume and value. Cashew kernel export volumes for the first two months reached 36,000 tonnes for a value of $261 million tonnes, year-on-year increases of 14.2 per cent and 36.8 per cent respectively. — VNS