While exports of textiles, wood, and seafood fell sharply in the first four months of the year, essential goods, rice and Vietnamese fruits exported to other countries grew upstream.
The export picture of Vietnam in the first four months of the year still has many challenges when the export turnover of goods only reached 4 billion USD, down nearly 108,57% compared to the same period last year.
Ho Chi Minh City - the economic locomotive of the country - exports in 4 months reached just over 12 billion USD, down 21%, the strongest decrease in 22 years. Among the export groups, seafood, furniture, fine arts, and textiles fell deeply at double digits. In which, many enterprises ran out of orders and suddenly stopped exporting because their partners went bankrupt.
However, in the export group, fruit, rice, cashew nuts and essential consumer goods were bright spots when many businesses still achieved high sales and 20-40% growth in the first 4 months of the year.
Data from the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association shows that, in the past five months, exports of vegetables and fruits reached nearly $5 billion, up 1,9% over the same period last year. In particular, China, the US, the Netherlands, and Malaysia increased their purchases of Vietnamese vegetables and fruits. Particularly, China's purchase of vegetables and fruits from Vietnam reached US$29 million, accounting for 805% of the market share (last year accounted for 59%).
With rice, according to statistics of the General Department of Customs, in the first 4 months of the year, rice exports reached nearly 3 million tons, equivalent to 1,56 billion USD, up 43,6% in volume and 54,5% in value compared to that of rice. same period in 2022.
In the consumer goods group, according to enterprises producing processed foods such as instant noodles, noodle soup, and spices, exports grew by 10-30%. In particular, large markets such as Korea and Japan have high demand for Vietnamese goods because of competitive prices and improved quality.
Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Deputy General Director of Colusa - Miliket Food Joint Stock Company, said that in the first 5 months of the year, the company's export revenue to 30 countries and territories grew by about 30% compared to the same period last year. same period. Sales in key export markets of the company, which are the US, Japan, and South Korea, increased sharply. In addition to instant noodles as the mainstay, Americans and EU also prefer rice products.
Vietnamese instant noodles on Korean supermarket shelves. Image: flexible knitting
Similarly, Ms. Dinh Hong Van, Senior Marketing Director of Masan Consumer, informed that in the first 4 months of the year, most of the company's export essential consumer products were positive, in which, the spice group increased the most. , mainly in the Japanese market.
With rice, each year, Ocean Green Import-Export Company (Lotus Rice) exports several thousand tons to the EU market, but this year is facing the reality of "not being able to buy enough quality rice to sell". In the first 4 months of the year, according to Director Huynh Van Khoe, export orders were rushing.
“There has never been a year when rice export orders were as high as this year. Despite the high price of rice, partners still buy in large quantities," Mr. Khoe said.
There are many advantages when China opens, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tung - General Director of Vina T&T Import-Export Company said, in the first 4 months of the year, the company's fruit export revenue grew by 20% over the same period last year. . With durian products, this year the company has a contract to export 1.500 containers (15 tons each) to the Chinese market.
Sharing the same view, Mr. Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (Vinafruit), said that Vietnamese fruits are becoming more and more popular because of their better taste compared to other countries.
According to him, Vietnamese durian, mango and dragon fruit are attractively priced and the quality is superior to China and India. Vietnam has a favorable climate and better farming techniques than other countries. On the other hand, Vietnamese fruit can be produced all year round, while competitors can only produce the main crop.
In the second half of the year, fruit and vegetable exports will be very positive if they grasp the Chinese market requirements in the direction of good manufacturing practice (GAP). It is expected that the total export turnover of vegetables and fruits this year may be over 4 billion USD. "The Vietnamese fruit and vegetable ship will accelerate this year and the years to come," said Nguyen.
Vietnamese fruits are introduced at the 2023 Vietnam export fair. Photo: Thi Ha
The reason why this group of export industries has turned upside down, partly because China opened up, the demand for essential foodstuffs in the market of billions of people increased. The wars between Russia and Ukraine increased the need for food reserves, and at the same time, drought reduced the global food supply. Countries such as Europe, the US, and the UK have increased their food imports for storage. A report by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), shows that global rice production in the 2022-2023 crop year is forecast to reach 503 million tons, down 2% year-on-year and the first annual decline since the 2015-2016 crop year. XNUMX.
Besides, Vietnam's staple food and food products are increasingly improving in quality and priced more competitively than competitors in the market. Many businesses have been more focused on researching products that are right for international consumers.
However, enterprises of this group said that the export picture in the last 6 months of the year is not really stable. Currently, the global economy is still in recession, inflation is high, risks are still lurking when raw material prices escalate. Some export products still depend on the Chinese market. Export groups of essential products such as instant noodles and rice noodles are still being weighed down by the EU's new regulation on banned substances ethylene oxide. The issuance of food safety certificates for instant noodles products is still slow, making it difficult for businesses to export in difficult markets.
To speed up, businesses asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to step up trade promotion activities in new markets. They also asked the ministry to coordinate with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Science and Technology to speed up the inspection of goods and issue food safety certificates to exporters. With vegetables and fruits, businesses want to promote the supply of codes and control the growing areas and establishments to pack more tightly to avoid impersonating codes.
Thi Ha
