Vietnamese exports to France explode

Exports to the demanding western European country burgeoned from US$1 billion in 2010 to over US$2.2 billion in 2013, the General Department of Vietnam Customs reported.

In the eight months leading up to September of this year alone, the Department reported the nation’s exports to France jumped 12.6% over last year’s corresponding period to hit a record US$1.43 billion.

Most key export products enjoyed high growth including seafood (up 28.7% to US$95.16 billion), wood and timber products (up 28.9% to US$65.37 billion), coffee (up 17.4% to US$64.7 million), and pepper (up 93% to US$16.58 million).

Cashew nuts obtained the highest growth skyrocketing 116.8%, grossing US$16.21 million in total revenue.

Telephone handsets and components led industrial products exports with gross revenue of US$526.74 million, making up 36.8% of the country’s total export revenue in the first eight months of the year.

The Department figures also reflect that Vietnam has enjoyed trade surplus with France for years, and France is currently the third largest trade partner of Vietnam in the EU, trailing Germany and the UK.

According to a survey conducted by import-export management agency in the EU, Vietnamese products are favoured in France thanks to their reasonable prices and high quality meeting with French customers high demands.

Exports to France are quite diversified, including footwear, garment, utensil products, agro-forestry and seafood products, gemstone, jewellery, electrical products, electronics, mechanical tools, ceramics, rubber, coal, toys, sports and entertainment products, plastics and bamboo.

Major imported goods include machinery, equipment, technological line, pharmaceuticals, chemical, high-grade garment, gemstone, jewellery, wine, beverage, rubber products, optical devices, measurement and medical products, cosmetics, wheat, and vehicles and spare parts.

Exports to France are also experiencing favourable conditions as they are not subject to quotas. However, goods have to follow management regulations of the EU common commercial policy and must be verified by Customs.

Over the past two years, the Vietnam Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoIT) has carried out a number of highly visible trade promotion activities in France.

For instance, the MoIT coordinated with the Big C and Casino Group to launch a programme to promote Vietnamese goods at Casino Saint-Didier Supermarket in Paris from September 22-29, which introduced a wide variety of Vietnamese traditional goods to French consumers.

France is a highly lucrative market for Vietnamese goods. With a consumer market that includes hundreds of thousands of Overseas Vietnamese residents and students who are bullish on the Made-in-Vietnam brand.