Agro-products export is estimated at USD 28.6 billion in 7 months

In the first 7 months of 2021, agricultural products export is estimated at USD 28.6 billion, up 26.7%, import is estimated at USD 24.7 billion, up 42.8% over the same period last year.

Despite having encountered many difficulties, export still increases strongly. Photo: TL.

Export of agricultural products in the first 7 months of the year increased sharply over the same period.

The Covid-19 epidemic continued to develop complicatedly during July, affecting production, harvesting, circulation and consumption activities of agricultural products and foodstuffs in localities, especially in Ho Chi Minh City and some provinces where social distancing are being implemented.

In that context, following the direction of the Prime Minister, the MARD has established two Working Groups led by two Deputy Ministers, proactively guiding localities to effectively implement production plans, disease prevention on crops and livestock, solutions to support localities to connect supply and demand, promote agricultural products domestic consumption and export.

Currently, the MARD has coordinated with provinces to grasp the situations on price, output and production, agricultural products supply, difficulties in consumption before the Covid-19 epidemic situation to promptly report and advise the Government on solutions; coordinate with inter-sectoral agencies and localities to organize support for the people and businesses, develop response plans for production, circulation, distribution and consumption of agricultural products.

In addition, the MARD will support localities in introducing, marketing, consuming and promoting trade for local specialty agricultural products; connect and bring agricultural products into the supermarket system, agricultural products store chain; promote consumption through e-commerce; continue to remove trade and technical barriers of other countries to Vietnam's agricultural exports.

To be more specific, in the first 7 months of the year, the total import-export turnover of agricultural, forestry and fishery products is estimated at over USD 53.2 billion, of which export is estimated at USD 28.6 billion, up 26.7% over the same period last year; import is estimated at USD 24.7 billion, up 42.8%; trade surplus is about USD 3.9 billion, down 25.8% over the same period last year.

In the first 7 months of 2021, many products/product groups have experienced an increase in export value, including rubber, vegetables and fruits, pepper, cashew nuts, cassava and cassava products, livestock products, pangasius, shrimp; wooden product; rattan, bamboo, sedge carpet; cinnamon… In particular, rubber, vegetable and fruit products, cashew nut, cassava and cassava products have increased both in export volume and value.

In the last months of the year, it is expected that the weather, diseases on crops and livestock, and especially the Covid-19 epidemic, are expected to remain complicated, causing many difficulties. The agriculture sector has identified several key tasks for August.

Regarding cultivation: Closely monitor the weather, meteorology and hydrology situation to give direction for the cropping season and structure appropriately, monitor the production of industrial crops and fruit trees in the southern provinces, strengthen plant protection activities, organize a standing committee to direct epidemic prevention and control, promptly deal with incurred epidemic areas.

Regarding animal husbandry and veterinary medicine: focus on supporting localities to develop production, restore livestock and poultry herds after natural disasters and epidemics, closely monitor developments in animal feed materials’ domestic and global supply as well as prices.

In the context of the current Covid-19 epidemic, the Ministry will organize to promote exports, open markets, support and inform agricultural product export enterprises on trade agreements, and guide enterprises and localities on the implementation of export markets policies and regulations in accordance with the Covid-19 epidemic situation.