Agro-fishery-forestry exports pick up 3.1 percent

 Fish processing for exports (Photo: VNA) 

Agro-fishery-forestry exports were estimated at 6.73 billion USD in Quarter 1, a year-on year increase of 3.1 percent, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

During the period, the country shipped some 1.59 million tonnes of rice to foreign countries and brought home 692 million USD, up 41.6 percent in volume and 40.8 percent in revenue against the same time last year.

Indonesia emerged as Vietnam’s largest rice importer with 31.42 percent of market share, followed by China with 17.15 percent.

Strong growth markets include the Philippines and Malaysia while a sharp fall in rice consumption was recorded in Ivory Coast and Singapore.

The value of aquatic exports in the quarter was calculated at nearly 1.36 billion USD, rising 1.7 percent from 2015. Accounting for 51.84 percent of the market share; the US, Japan and China remained Vietnam’s largest seafood consumption markets.

Likewise, overseas shipments of 479,000 tonnes of coffee earned 808 million USD, annual gains of 30.2 percent and 5.7 percent in volume and value, respectively.

In stark contrast, the volume of tea exports declined by 5 percent to 23,000 tonnes, compared to the same time in 2015. As such, its revenue was down 10.2 percent to 35 million USD.

The country also splashed out 5.31 billion USD on agro-forestry-fishery imports in Quarter 1, down 3.9 percent against the same period last year. Imports of major products were 3.77 billion USD, a year-on-year drop of 9.7 percent.

VNA