Food, forestry exports reach almost $25b through October

Saturday, Oct 31, 2015 08:14

Viet Nam's farming, fishery and forestry product export value in the first 10 months of this year was estimated at US$24.6 billion, a year-on-year reduction of 3.8 per cent.

Workers process cashew nuts for export at food processing firm Donafood in southern Dong Nai Province. Viet Nam's farming, fishery and forestry product export value reaches around US$24.61 billion in the first 10 months of this year. — VNA/VNS Photo Danh Lam

HA NOI (VNS) — Viet Nam's farming, fishery and forestry product export value in the first 10 months of this year was estimated at US$24.6 billion, a year-on-year reduction of 3.8 per cent.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, most of the key agricultural products saw a tumble in both volume and value. Since January, the country has raked in $2.26 billion from exporting 5.32 million tonnes of rice, dwindling 4.6 per cent in quantity and 11.7 per cent in value compared to the same period last year.

The same situation affected coffee and rubber exports, which saw two-digit decreases. About 1.05 million tonnes of coffee were sold for $2.13 billion in the ten-month period, tapering off 29.6 per cent in volume and 31.4 per cent in value.

Meanwhile, rubber exports witnessed a slight surge of 3.5 per cent in the amount shipped abroad to 870,000 tonnes but a 15.8-per cent fall in value to $1.22 billion.

During the first 10 months, tea shipments of 99,000 tonnes were worth $170 million, down 9.1 per cent in volume and 8.4 per cent in value.

By stark contrast, pepper and cashew exports saw stellar results. About 272,000 tonnes of cashew consumed in foreign countries brought back $1.97 billion, escalating 6.3 per cent in quantity and 18 per cent in value.

Pepper exports in 10 months slid 19.6 per cent but value went up 0.5 per cent. Pepper shipments stood at 117,000 tonnes for an export value of $1.11 billion.

Viet Nam earned $5.47 billion from wood and wood-based product exports, picking up 7.9 per cent over the same period last year. China, Japan and the United States (US) are three biggest importers of the commodity.

The seafood sector also contributed $5.37 billion to the total export revenue, dropping 17.7 per cent compared to the same period in 2014. The US continued to be the leading market with 19.43 per cent of total seafood export value. — VNS