Q1 Agro-Forestry-Fishery Export Rises 7.6 Pct

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said the export value of agricultural, forest and aquatic products was estimated at US$2.9 billion in March, totalling US$7.6 billion in the first three months of 2017, up 7.6 per cent year on year.

Particularly, the value of agricultural exports was projected at US$4.2 billion in the first quarter, up 13.5 per cent over the same period of 2016; the value of aquatic exports was forecast at US$1.5 billion in the January-March period, representing a year on year growth of 3.6 per cent; and forest product export value was estimated at US$1.8 billion, up 12.4 per cent year on year.

Growth was still seen in some commodities. Coffee exports reached 449,000 tonnes worth US$1 billion in the first three months of 2017, up 25.6 per cent in value over the same period of 2016. Rubber exports totalled 249,000 tonnes valued at US$510 million in the reporting period, up 1.9 per cent in volume and up 90.6 per cent in value over the corresponding period of 2016.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said Vietnam spent US$1.96 billion on importing agricultural, forest and aquatic products in March 2017, totalling US$6.01 billion the first three months, up 14.3 per cent year on year. Key agricultural imports took away US$4.51 billion, up 20.1 per cent year on year.