Vietnam’s export-import value in the first four months of this year was estimated at 210.79 billion USD, down 13.6% year-on-year, with a trade surplus of 6.35 billion USD, the General Statistics Office (GSO) reported.

In April alone, the import-export turnover stood at 53.57 billion USD, representing decreases of 7.7% from the previous month, and 18.8% from the same period last year.

During the four-month period, Vietnam exported about 108.57 billion USD worth of goods, a year-on-year drop of 11.8%, of which the domestic economic sector contributed 25.58 billion USD, down 11%.

As many as 20 items joined the more than one-billion-USD club, making up 83.8%  of the total export turnover.

Among groups of exports, fuels and minerals generated about 1.33 billion USD; processing industry commodities, 96.1 billion USD; agro-forestry products, 8.56 billion USD; and aquatic products, 2.58 billion USD.

Meanwhile, the country imported around 102.22 billion USD worth of goods from January to April, down 15.4% year-on-year, of which 36.62 billion USD came from the domestic economic sector, a decrease of 11.4%.

For import, the more than one-billion-USD club gathered 19 items that accounted for 75.8% of the combined value.

Vietnam spent 95.64 billion USD on production materials; and 6.58 billion USD on consumer goods in the four months.

The US was Vietnam’s biggest buyer with 28.4 billion USD, while China was the country’s largest exporter with 33.3 billion USD.

Given uncertainties in trading activities, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has maintained a close watch on market developments, supported enterprises to optimise free trade agreements and remove obstacles to their business and production, and worked to diversify markets and exports, and promote e-commerce.

VNA