Value of farm exports expected to rise

Viet Nam is expected to improve its export-value growth in major agricultural, aquacultural and forestry products this year, amid the recovery of the global economy.

Figures from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development show that Viet Nam’s exports of agricultural, forestry and aquacultural products last year gained high value due to high prices and stable markets.

The global economy would continue recovering, the ministry expects, and the export demand for agricultural, forestry and aquacultural products would increase.

As a result, Viet Nam would maintain growth in export value for its more commonly exported products, including rice, aquacultural produce, pepper and rubber.

Last year, the aquaculture sector set a record with more than US$5 billion in export value.

Products were exported to many demanding markets, with the US taking the largest value of 19.3 per cent, followed by Japan with 7.8 per cent. South Korea, Germany and Spain were also among the top consumers of Vietnamese aquacultural products.

In addition, Vietnamese products have entered new markets in South America and the Middle East and have been expected to reach $5.5 billion in export value this year, the highest-level ever. This year, Viet Nam’s rubber productivity is hopefully to rise 4 per cent to reach 780,000 tonnes, following the farmland extension of 5,000ha.

The ministry predicts that the first quarter of the year will see high demand for rubber because of the shortage of supply both globally and domestically.

The Vietnamese rubber-tyre market will be more successful this year as the rubber supply in large markets in the US, Europe and Japan is declining, said the Southern Rubber Industry JSC (Casumina), the country’s leader in the field.

This is seen as an advantage for Viet Nam and other small markets, according to Casumina.

Viet Nam’s rubber export volume is planned to exceed 760,000 tonnes this year for an export value of nearly $3 billion, an almost $700 million increase compared to last year.

Viet Nam remains as the world’s leading pepper exporter, accounting for 44 per cent of the global export volume.

The International Pepper Association expects this year’s global pepper export volume to fall to 230,000 tonnes, 3.3 per cent lower than last year.

The two world major pepper producers, Brazil and Indonesia, will see their export volume fall this year, with Brazil having a reduction of 11.8 per cent and Indonesia, nearly 47.7 per cent.

Meanwhile, Viet Nam’s key pepper producing area in the southeastern region expects a bumper crop this year.

The Viet Nam Pepper Association (VPA) said the country’s pepper product-ivity would exceed the 2010 mark by producing 100,000 tonnes, an increase of 5.3 per cent compared to last year.

The VPA said Vietnamese pepper exporters were taking advantage of competitors’ reduced productivity to grab more market share. — VNS

Tags: Vietnam farm exports