Exports of agricultural, forestry and seafood products were estimated to reach US$7.6 billion in the first half this year, down 2.4 per cent on-year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).
Major agricultural products, such as coffee, tea, cashews and pepper, saw export turnover of US$4.3 billion, equal to the same period last year.
Meanwhile, seafood export turnover totaled US$1.7 billion, down 11.2 per cent, and forestry products achieved US$1.2 billion, down 18.8 per cent, according to the ministry.
Duong Long Tri, deputy director of the ministry's Information Center, said agricultural, forestry and seafood exports faced many difficulties in the period, among them falling prices on international markets was the principle cause of export turnover decline.
Although some exported products, such as coffee, rubber and tea, increased compared to the same period last year, total export turnover still decreased.
Rice remains a constant export for the country, at 3.8 million tons with a turnover equivalent to US$1.8 billion.
The current rice export market has changed little, the Philippines is still the largest importer of Vietnamese rice, taking 51 percent of the country’s total exports.
The ministry has set the target of US$12.5 billion for agro-forestry and seafood exports for the whole year, a decrease of US$3.7 billion compared to the previous year’s figure. (Liberated Saigon)
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