Import and export turnover in May is estimated at nearly US$51 billion, down from March.

Import and export activities grew strongly in the first months of the year. Photo: T. Binh. 

Increasing 28.5%

According to the General Department of Customs, in April, the total import and export turnover was estimated at $50.9 billion, down 12.4% from the previous month (mainly due to the number of working days of April being three fewer days compared to the previous month). In which, exports are estimated at $ 25 billion, down by 15.7% and imports are about $ 25.9 billion, down by 9%.

With these estimated results, in the first four months of the year, the total import-export turnover of the whole country was estimated at nearly $ 204.91 billion, up strongly by 28.5% from the same period in 2020.

In which, exports are estimated at $ 103.4 billion, up by 27.7% and imports are estimated at $ 101.51 billion, up 29.4%.

Vietnam's merchandise trade balance in April was estimated at a deficit of $ 900 million. However, for the first four months of the year, the country had an estimated trade surplus of $1.89 billion (but lower than the trade surplus of $ 2.54 billion in the same period last year).

The foreign direct investment (FDI) business sector in April was estimated at US $ 37.7 billion, down 6% from the previous month. In which, exports were $ 21.2 billion, down by 3.3%; imports were $ 16.5 billion, down 9.3%.

In the first four months of the year, the FDI sector was estimated at $146.37 billion, accounting for 71% of the country's total import-export turnover and up 36.3% from the same period last year. In which, exports are estimated at $80.15 billion, up 39.2% over the same period in 2020 and import is estimated at $66.22 billion, up 32.8%.

Many key export commodity groups increased sharply

According to the General Department of Customs, many key export products continued to maintain high growth momentum in the first four months of the year.

These include: wood and products estimated at $4.98 billion, up 50.5% over the same period last year; phones and accessories were estimated at $18.37 billion, up 19.4; computers, electronic products and components were estimated at nearly $15.85 billion, up 19.4%; footwear was estimated at $6.39 billion, up 18.7%.

In addition to two-digit growth commodity groups mentioned above, textiles and fisheries are also the two key commodity groups with remarkable recovery.

In which, textiles and garments were estimated at $9.5 billion, up 9%; seafood was estimated at $2.38 billion, up 6.1% over the same period last year.

In terms of imports, commodity groups with notable fluctuations like petroleum products were estimated at $2.69 million tons, turnover of $1.38 billion, up 10.5% in volume and 22% in turnover compared to other products in the same period last year; computers, electronic products and components were estimated at $21.64 billion, up 22.6%; machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts was estimated at $14.58 billion, up 29.5%; phones and accessories were estimated at $6.12 billion, up 44%; fabrics of all kinds were estimated at $4.23 billion, up 18.2%.

The groups of goods related to raw materials for production and construction also saw impressive double-digit growth.

For example, iron and steel were estimated at 5.07 million tonnes, up 13.7% and turnover of $3.73 billion, up 36.5%; plastic materials were estimated at 2.41 million tonnes, turnover of $3.8 billion, up 14.9% in volume and 39.4% in value; materials for textile, garment, leather and shoes were estimated at $2.08 billion, up 21.5%.