The sector’s import-export value in the first twomonths of this year was estimated at 11.99 billion USD, down 16.8% from thesame period last year. Its exports accounted for around 6.28 billion USD, adrop of 22.5%.
After falling to the second position among Vietnam’simporters, China returned to the top spot in the first two months of the year with 1.27 billion USD or 20.2% of the market share. It was followed by the USwith some 1.19 billion USD; Japan, 563 million USD; and the Republic of Korea,302 million USD.

Meanwhile, such staples as coffee, rubber, rice,cashew nuts, pepper, tra fish (pangasius), shrimp, wood and wooded products, andrattan and bamboo products experienced decreases.
To promote the consumption of farm produce, theministry said it will step up market development, remove barriers andfacilitate domestic sales and exports, while utilising free trade agreements(FTAs), especially the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement forTrans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement(EVFTA).
The sector will also continue its coordination tosupport the protection of trademarks and geographical indications for Vietnam’spotential export items abroad. It proposed the government build a decree onthe management of Vietnam's national agricultural product brands.
Representatives from the ministry will hold workingsessions with China’s Nanning and Yunnan customs forces to seek ways to promotetrade and remove obstacles to agro-forestry-aquatic product exports.
The ministry will also organise a forum on fruit andvegetable exports within the framework of Hortex Vietnam 2023, an InternationalExhibition & Conference for Horticultural and Floricultural Production andProcessing Technology, slated for early March./.