South Vietnam Jan-May Exports Down 0.4 per cent to US$15.06B

Exports by southern Vietnam (excluding crude oil exports of Ho Chi Minh City) were estimated to have fallen 0.4 per cent on-year to US$15.06 billion in the first five months this year, said the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).

 

In contrary to export decreases of many localities, Vinh Long province posted the highest growth of 62.7 per cent during the time, followed by Kien Giang province (+42.4 per cent), Tien Giang province (+27 per cent), and Ho Chi Minh City (+14.6 per cent).

 

Crude oil topped the list with US$2.52 billion, followed by apparels of US$1.19 billion, seafood of US$1.11 billion, and footwear of US$596 million.

 

Southern Vietnam spent US$10.9 billion on imports during the five months, down 34.8 per cent on-year, said the MoIT.

 

Vietnam reaped US$22.86 billion from goods exports in Jan-May, down 6.8 per cent on-year, and imported US$23.99 billion, down 37 per cent on-year, resulting in a trade deficit of US$1.13 billion, compared to US$11.57 billion of the same period last year, said the government’s General Statistics Office (GSO). (Industry & Trade, GSO May 2009)