VINACHEM

The first two weeks of January saw a trade deficit of some US$80 million as shipments of some of the nation’s key export earners dipped, showed data of the General Department of Customs.

The department said Vietnam registered outbound sales of US$7.3 billion and imports of US$7.38 billion in the first half of January. By January 15, total exports and imports inched up 21.2% year-on-year, or more than US$2.57 billion, but dropped 16.4%, or over US$2.88 billion, compared to the second half of December.

Data of the agency indicated the decline in exports by mid-January over the last two weeks of December resulted from strong slides in key export products. Apparel shipments fell by 22.5% (or US$287 million), computers, electronics and components by 14.6% (or US$138 million), seafood by 28.6% (or US$104 million), and wooden products by 23.8% (or US$97 million).

However, the two-week period witnessed an increase of 9.1% (equivalent to US$110 million) in outbound sales of phones and phone components to US$1.32 billion, 40.9% (US$6 million) in technical-fabric exports, and 8.4% (US$2 million) in clinker and cement.

Imports contracted in the first two weeks of this year compared to the last 15 days of December due to import revenue decreases of 19.4% (equivalent to US$320 million) in machinery, equipment and parts; 55.6% (US$253 million) in fuels; 10.2% (US$128 million) in computers, electronics and components; and 18.2% (US$94 million) in phones and phone parts.

Despite the falls, imports of machines, equipment and parts totaled US$1.33 billion, and computers, electronic items and components registered more than US$1.12 billion.

The department said Vietnam enjoyed a trade surplus of more than US$2.52 billion last year. - SGT