Export turnover in first quarter up 2.4%

Nhan Dan - Hanoi,Vietnam, March 24, 2009

Vietnam has earned US$13.5 billion from exports in the first three months of this year, up 2.4% against the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Due to the impact of the global economic crisis, exports (excluding crude oil) from the foreign invested sector decreased 13% year-on-year, earning only US$4.5 billion.Items that registered high export growths in both quantity and value in the first quarter include rice, cassava (picture from cassavanews), pepper and tea.

In the meantime, the import turnover of many other products decreased by 50%-70% compared to the same period last year. Only imports of new medicine saw an increase of 22.4%.

In total, Vietnam’s total import turnover in the first quarter is estimated at US$11.8 billion, down 45% compared to the same period last year.