Export turnover earned by the agro-forestry-fishery sector was estimated at 16.93 billion USD in the first seven months of 2015, an annual drop of 3.6 percent, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Earnings from the export of coffee saw the biggest drop (down 33.7 percent), followed by aquatic products (down 17 percent), rubber (down 9.2 percent) and rice (8.3 percent).

In the reviewed period, a total of 792,000 tonnes of coffee products were exported thus, gaining 1.63 billion USD but decreasing 33.9 percent in quantity and 33.7 percent in value compared to the same period last year. Germany and the US have maintained their roles as the biggest importers of Vietnamese coffee, accounting for 15.31 percent and 11.53 percent of its market share.

The rubber industry sold 519,000 tonnes of commodities overseas and earned 760 million USD, representing an annual increase of 13.9 percent in quantity but a drop of 33.7 percent in value. Rubber prices were reported to climb only in China and India while declining in eight other major markets.

Exported rice has undergone a similar downward trend with the quantity and value reducing annually by 3.1 percent and 8.3, respectively. China is still the largest market for Vietnamese rice exports but has shown signs of falling demand. Meanwhile, more than doubling its Vietnamese rice imports has brought Malaysia to third place.

On the contrary, cashew nut and woodwork products have enjoyed a seven-month value growth of 26.6 percent and 8.3 percent, respectively. Pepper exports also followed the positive trend.-VNA