Vietnamese seafood exports up 13% in H1 2010

Vietnam's seafood exports increase by 13% on-year, earning US$2 billion for the first half of 2010.

Vietnam's export revenue from farm produce, forest products and seafood increased 13.5% on-year to US$8.6 billion in the first half of 2010, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Though recording the lowest growth rate at just 5.8%, farm produce remained a leading hard currency earner with an export turnover of US$4.6 billion in the period under review.

Economists blamed the failure to the decrease of an estimated US$98/tonne in the world market in the first five months of the year and an over supply.

The US remained the largest market, garnering almost 40%of Vietnam's exports. It was followed by Japan with 12.5%.