The Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang witnessed a significant increase of 49.2 percent in export value in the January-August period compared to the same period last year, totalling over 431.5 million USD.

The figure equates to 88 percent of the province’s yearly target.

Seafood exports contributed greatly to this, with a total value of 403 million USD, representing 93.8 percent of its export target and a 49.8 percent rise from one year ago.

Meanwhile, exports of other agricultural products enjoyed a 41.8 percent increase year-on-year, totalling 27 million USD. This sector’s key product is rice, which reached an export volume of 51,152 tonnes.

The province’s rice varieties, particularly branded fragrant rice, have gained global popularity, with export values for branded fragrant rice varieties at least 1.5 times higher than for normal varieties.

The province imported goods worth approximately 29.4 million USD in the period, accounting for 133.5 percent of the import target due to an increase in raw shrimp imports.

Also in the eight-month period, the province posted an industrial production value of nearly 11.7 trillion VND (around 552 million USD), up by 23.4 percent compared to the same period last year.

Production of frozen shrimp went up by 33.4 percent and frozen octopus, by 42.4 percent; an increase in production volume was also recorded for rice and other agricultural products, contributing to the rise in exports.-VNA