November’s turnover brought the country’s total export earnings in the first 11 months of this year to US$51.3 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 11.6 percent. 

The drop in the country's export turnover was due to the falling prices of Vietnamese commodities exported to the international market despite the increase in volume, said the GSO. 

For example, Vietnamese rice exports were up 33.5 percent in volume but fell by 5.8 percent in value, and coffee was up 15.5 percent in volume but down over 17 percent in value. 
Other key Vietnamese exports like crude oil, coal and rubber also saw an increase in export volume but a decrease in export value over the same period last year, said the office. 
In November, Vietnam spent US$6.7 billion on imports, raising the total amount of imports for the year to US$61.7 billion, down 17.8 percent year on year. 

The imports that dropped in volume were mainly seafood, milk and milk products, animal and vegetable oil, clinker, petrol, liquefied gas, chemicals, fetilisers, plastics, rubber, wood and wooden furniture, cotton, garments and footwear, gems, precious metals and steel. 

The figures show that Vietnam saw its trade deficit widen to US$10. 4 billion in the reviewed months, much lower than that of the same period last year when it reached US$16.9 billion. 

To keep this year’s trade deficit at around the US$11 billion mark, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is working with other ministries and agencies to enhance domestic production and safeguard exports by adopting a flexible exchange rate, adjusting import-export tariffs, simplifying customs procedures and helping businesses access capital sources.