Exports of some farm produce via Lao Cai border gate surge in Q1 hinh anh 1Container trucks go through Kim Thanh border gate no. 2 in Lao Cai (Photo: VNA)
 
Lao Cai (VNA) – Exports of several kinds of farm produce to China via Lao Cai border gate (the northern border province of Lao Cai) increased in the first quarter of this year despite the COVID-19 pandemic, said deputy head of the border gate’s customs branch Tran Anh Tu on April 1.

As of the end of Q1, export revenues of watermelon hit over 8.4 million USD, a year-on-year surge of 190 percent; while those of mango stood at 7.4 million USD, up 11.5 times compared to the same period last year.

However, earnings from dragon fruit, cassava and tapioca starch strongly declined in the reviewed period.

The export of machinery and industrial goods through the border gate has almost stopped since the beginning of the year.

As a result, total exports-imports through the Lao Cai border gate in January-March stood at 242.8 million USD, a year-on-year decrease of 33.8 percent.

Of the figure, 119.6 million USD was from exports, dropping 49 percent, while imports reached 123.2 million USD, down 6 percent.

Statistics of the border gate’s customs branch showed that as of the end of March, State budget collection at the border gate was only 232.6 billion VND (9.85 million USD), equivalent to 68.5 percent of the same period in 2019./.
VNA