Vietnam is forecast to have earned US$13.47 billion from goods exports in the first quarter of this year, a slight on-year hike of 2.4 per cent, including US$4.7 billion in March, down 6.37 per cent on-month, according to the government’s General Statistics Office.
Of the sum, the foreign-invested firms contribute US$5.89 billion, down 24 per cent on-year and the domestic ones with US$7.58 billion, up 40.3 per cent.
Gemstone and precious metal have outstripped crude oil and apparel to become the country’s biggest forex earner during the period by making export turnover of US$2.287 billion, up 4,883.2 per cent on-year.
It is followed by garments and textiles with US$1.9 billion, down 0.1 per cent on-year, crude oil with 4.25 million tons worth US$1.42 billion, up 22.4 per cent in volume but down 45.5 per cent in value, footwear with US$915 million, down 10.8 per cent, rice with 1.74 million tons worth US$785 million, up 71.3 per cent in volume and 76.2 per cent in value, seafood with US$714 million, down 10.4 per cent, coffee with US$634 million, down 7.1 per cent, woodwork products of US$527 million, down 22.9 per cent, electronics, computers and spare parts of US$496 million, down 12.8 per cent, machines and equipment of US$342 million, and coal of US$262 million, down 1.4 per cent.
During the first quarter, the nation is estimated to have spent US$11.83 billion on imports, down 45 per cent on-year, including US$4.3 billion in March, up 2.87 per cent on-month. Of the total, the domestic firms’ import value reaches US$7.49 billion, down 50.4 per cent on-year, and the foreign-invested ones with US$4.33 billion, down 32.4 per cent.
The figures result in the country’s trade surplus of US$1.647 billion in the first quarter of this year, thanks to a sharp increase in gemstone and gold exports.
Vietnam reports sharp on-year decreases in its all key imports during the first three months, said the GSO.
Machinery, equipment and spare parts take the lead in import value with US$2.38 billion, down 30.2 per cent on-year, followed by petroleum products of US$1.12 billion, down 60.2 per cent, cloths of US$761 million, down 15.5 per cent, steel and iron of US$753 million, down 70.1 per cent, electronics, computers and spare parts of US$616 million, down 29.2 per cent, plastics of US$492 million, down 32 per cent, garment and textile, and footwear accessories of US$372 million, down 26.8 per cent, chemicals of US$309 million, down 71.3 per cent and fertilizer of US$298 million, down 33.8 per cent.
Vietnam is forecast to face between US$1.2 billion and US$1.5 billion trade deficit in the first half of this year as the country is facing risks of export fall and import increase, said the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).
The estimated figure, however, is much lower than US$14 billion in the same period of last year, the ministry said. (GSO Mar 2009)
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