Agro-forestry-fishery exports hit US$17.1 billion in six months

During the first half of the year, farm produce export earnings were estimated at US$9.1 billion, up 15.4 percent year-on-year. Meanwhile, revenues from aquatic and forestry product shipments reached US$3.5 billion and US$3.8 billion, respective increases of 14.1 percent and 12.8 percent. 

Vietnam exported 413,000 tonnes of rice worth US$182 million in June, raising the six-month volume and value to 2.8 million tonnes and US$1.2 billion, up 6.3 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively. China remained the top importer of rice from Vietnam. 

Pepper exports were estimated at 23,000 tonnes in June, bringing home US$110 million. Over the first six months, the volume rose 18.3 percent to 126,000 tonnes but the value was down 16.8 percent to US$714 million. 

Meanwhile, the country earned US$259 million from selling 109,000 tonnes of coffee in June. The six-month volume and value were 817,000 tonnes and US$1.86 billion, down 16.7 percent and up 9.5 percent, respectively. Germany and the US remained the largest importers of Vietnamese coffee. 

During the January-June period, wood and wooden furniture raked in US$3.6 billion, or 13.2 percent higher than the same period last year, mostly sold to the US, China and Japan. 

Aquatic products worth US$3.5 billion have been shipped abroad since the beginning of this year, predominantly to the US, Japan, China and the RoK, marking a 14.1 percent rise.

The ministry also reported that Vietnam spent US$2.94 billion on importing agro-forestry-aquatic products, pushing the six-month figure to US$14.06 billion, up 25.4 percent.