Coffee Export Sharply Down in January

Vietnam reportedly raked in only US$217 million from shipments of 140,000 tons of coffee in the first month of 2009, down 31.2 per cent in terms of value and 18.8 per cent in volume against the same month of last year, latest report from the General Statistics Office showed.

 

The country is forecast to export a total of 980,000 tons of coffee by the end of this year, down 8.6 per cent from 2008. With expected price of US$1,800 a ton, the country’s total revenue is expected to hit US$1,764 billion, down 17.4 per cent on year.

 

Last year, 172 Vietnamese companies exported 954,000 tons of coffee worth US$1.95 billion, down 22.4 per cent on year in volume but up 2.1 per cent in value. Vietnamese coffee was selling for US$2,044 a ton on average last year, up by 31 per cent from 2007.

 

Vietnam exports coffee to 93 countries and territories worldwide, with Germany, the U.S. and Italy being big importers. (GSO January Edition, Vinanet)