Farm produce exports enjoy US$3.3 bln trade surplus
VOV.VN - Vietnam raked in US$32.1 billion from exporting agro-forestry-aquatic products during the opening eight months of the year, representing an annual increase of 21.6%, reported the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The country also spent US$28.8 billion on importing agro-forestry-aquatic products between January and August, up 44.1% year on year.
This resulted in a trade surplus of US$3.3 billion, a drop of 48.1% compared to the same period from last year.
August alone saw these products earn US$3.4 billion from exports, down 21.6% year on year and a fall of 22% from the previous month.
Compared to July, only cassava, cereal and dairy products witnessed increases in their respective export values.
Meanwhile, the export of wooden products plunged by over 50%, while tra (pangasius) fish and shrimp endured a decline of nearly 30%. Vegetables, husbandry products, and peppers also saw decreases of 26%, 24%, and 21.5%, respectively.
These decreases can be attributed to the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, some enterprises and factories have been forced to shut down or are operating at only 30% to 40% of their capacity.
During the reviewed period, the United States was the biggest importer of Vietnamese agro-forestry-aquatic products, accounting for 29.1% of the overall market share, followed by China with 18.9%.
