A shoe production company in Dong Nai Province. This province's footwear export value in June was about US$411 million, a surge of 12 per cent year on year. — Photo baodongnai.com.vn

The southern province of Dong Nai in the first half of this year gained growth of nearly 7 per cent in footwear export value to US$2.14 billion compared to the same period last year.

This was the largest export value among key export products of Dong Nai. At the same time, the footwear industry had the highest trade surplus with over $1.7 billion.

According to the Dong Nai Statistics Office, the footwear export value in June was about $411 million, a surge of $80 million month on month and 12 per cent year on year.

Dong Nai has more than 50 export goods, of which major export products include footwear, garments, wood, yarn, and the group of machinery, equipment and spare parts. Those major export products account for nearly 60 per cent of the province's total export value. The export value reached nearly $4.94 billion in the first six months of the year.

Luc Van Thuy, head of the Trade Management Department under the Dong Nai Department of Industry and Trade, told the Dong Nai newspaper that the footwear industry has brought the biggest export value to the province and seen a growth in export value every year. The footwear production enterprises have improved the quality of products to meet the high demand of export orders.

Phan Thi Thanh Xuan, general secretary of the Vietnam Leather and Footwear Association, said the COVID-19 pandemic has caused export orders for Vietnamese footwear and bags enterprises to plummet. Many export orders under negotiation have not yet been finalised because the US and European markets still have very weak consumption. This greatly affects production plans, jobs and income of businesses and employees in the domestic leather and footwear industry.

According to the General Department of Customs, Viet Nam's footwear export turnover in the first five months of this year was $6.69 billion, a year on year reduction of $310 million.

Meanwhile, Dong Nai still maintained growth of 7 per cent in the first five months. This province was one of the four leading localities in producing and exporting footwear. Dong Nai's footwear export value accounted for more than 20 per cent of the national total export value.

Shoes manufactured in Dong Nai are exported to about 80 markets worldwide, of which the US and the EU being the two largest markets, according to the provincial statistics office. — VNS