At the current growth rate, agricultural, forestry and fishery exports in 2024 could reach 60 to 61 billion USD.

Many items recorded double-digit growth

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in the first 9 months of 2024, the total export turnover of agricultural, forestry and fishery products reached 46.28 billion USD, up 21%; imports reached 32.42 billion USD, up 7.5%. The trade surplus of agricultural, forestry and fishery products reached 13.86 billion USD, up 71.2%.

Regarding rice, according to the report of the General Department of Customs, in the first 9 months of 2024, the country's rice export volume reached 6.96 million tons, up 8.4% over the same period last year and the value reached 4.35 billion USD, up 23%.

In the past 9 months, Vietnam's rice was mainly exported to the ASEAN market with 5.06 million tons, accounting for 73% of the country's total rice export volume and up 32.6% over the same period last year. In addition, exports to China were 241,000 tons, down 72% year-on-year.

For fruits and vegetables, exports in the first 9 months of 2024 recorded an increase of over 30% year-on-year, mainly due to the increase in durian exports. Specifically, in the first 9 months of 2024, fruit and vegetable exports reached 5.64 billion USD, up 33.9% (equivalent to an increase of 1.43 billion USD) over the same period last year. Of which, durian exports (HS code 0810.60.00) reached 2.66 billion USD, up 63.7%, equivalent to an increase of 1.04 billion USD over the same period last year. However, dragon fruit exports (HS code 0810.90.92) only reached 375 million USD, down 20.9% over the same period last year.

Regarding export markets, in the past 9 months, Vietnam's fruit and vegetable products were mainly exported to China with 3.79 billion USD, up 37.8% (equivalent to an increase of 1.04 billion USD) over the same period last year, accounting for 67% of the total export value of this group of products nationwide.

The General Department of Customs further informed that the volume of coffee exports in the first 9 months of 2024 decreased but the average unit price increased sharply. Specifically, the total volume of coffee exports reached 1.11 million tons, down 11.7%. The average unit price of exports of this group of products increased by 56%, so the value reached 4.31 billion USD, up 37.8% over the same period last year.

Exports are expected to exceed target.

Mr. Phung Duc Tien - Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development - commented that in the first 9 months of 2024, the agricultural sector had many advantages but also faced many difficulties, the most difficult of which was storm No. 3.

Storm No. 3 and floods caused economic damage estimated at over VND 81,500 billion, of which damage in the agricultural sector alone was over VND 30,800 billion, accounting for 38%. Livestock and aquaculture were the two sectors that suffered the most damage after storm No. 3.

In that situation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has strongly directed its affiliated units and localities to deploy prevention, control and production recovery work, especially in heavily damaged provinces.

"After storm No. 3, about 170,000 hectares of forest were broken, and seeds are being prepared for planting early next year. Regarding crop production, the northern provinces suffered losses of about 300,000 - 400,000 tons, but by the end of the first 9 months of 2024, the total output still reached 34.01 million tons, an increase of 1.5% over the same period last year. October will certainly be affected, but if 300,000 - 400,000 tons are lost out of the total output of 43.3 million tons, it will still be enough to ensure 40 million tons," said Mr. Tien.

Also according to Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien, in terms of livestock, by the end of September 2024, meat output still reached 6.13 million tons of meat, an increase of 4.8% over the same period last year. As for aquatic products, the total aquatic product output in the first 9 months of 2024 reached 7.02 million tons, of which both aquaculture and exploitation increased slightly. The export turnover of aquatic products by the end of September 2024 reached 7.23 billion USD, with September alone reaching more than 900 million USD, so it is likely that this year's aquatic product export will reach the target of 10 billion USD as set.

Recently, provinces and cities that suffered heavy damage after storm No. 3 such as Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, especially in Van Don, have been directly assigned materials, breeds, feed, etc. by the Department of Fisheries to support production recovery. Regarding exports, the Deputy Minister emphasized that when storms and floods occur, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has assessed that the northern mountainous provinces are basically self-sufficient, so exports will not be greatly affected.

The export turnover of agricultural, forestry and fishery products in the first 9 months of 2024 reached 46.28 billion USD, an increase of 21% over the same period last year; September alone reached 5.85 billion USD. In particular, the trade surplus of the whole industry reached 13.9 billion USD, accounting for 66.8% of the total surplus of the whole economy. With the current growth rate, agricultural, forestry and fishery exports in 2024 could reach 60 - 61 billion USD.

Regarding fruits and vegetables, with the optimistic developments from the market as well as the results achieved by the end of the third quarter of 2024, experts said that fruit and vegetable exports for the whole year of 2024 will reach and exceed 7 billion USD, exceeding the set target.

"There are only more than 2 months left to reach the finish line, there is still much to overcome. In the coming time, we need to continue to encourage production recovery; promote good models in provinces not affected by storm No. 3, from the North Central region to the Mekong Delta; strive to fight smuggling to protect and promote growth, and in the coming time, we will step up anti-smuggling of lobster seeds," said Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien.

Source: Cong Thuong Newspaper