Workers at a tra fish processing plant in Dong Thap province (Photo: VNA)

The value of agro-forestry-fishery exports reached over 4.1 billion USD in November alone, which was conducive to a hope for the exports to obtain over 47 billion USD for the entire year.

According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien, the value was estimated at nearly 43.5 billion USD in the January – November period, up 14.2 percent on-year.

Of the sum, the crop cultivation sector contributed 19.3 billion USD, an annual increase of 13.7 percent, with high export value growth posted for rubber, coffee, cashew, pepper, rice, cassava and cassava products.

The forestry sector also exceeded its target spectacularly, with its export turnover reaching 14.3 billion USD to date and expected to soon exceed over 15 billion USD. Meanwhile, fishery exports are likely to reach 8.6 billion USD.

Tien said the ministry has so far directed localities, farms, and cooperatives, and businesses to build material areas meeting the set criteria, while promoting trade and further negotiating to expand the market, particularly the US and China.

Although export turnover increased, the sector’s trade surplus decreased sharply by 56.5 percent from the same period last year to be at nearly 4.3 billion USD. In this regard, the official attributed the reduction to an increase in the scale of imported materials and breeds over the past time, adding that this, however, will be a growth premise for the following period./.