An agricultural sector had a trade surplus of 5.32 billion USD.
Although businesses are still "starving" for orders, an agricultural sector still had a trade surplus of 5.32 billion USD in the first 6 months of this year.
According to the report on forestry sector results in the first 6 months of the year and tasks for the last 6 months of 2023 of the Department of Forestry (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), the area of newly planted forests reached about 124 thousand hectares, an increase of 4.1% over the same period last year; about 600 million seedlings of all kinds were prepared to serve the 2023 forest planting plan.
The forestry sector also planted 45.9 million scattered trees, up 5.1% over the same period last year. Forest certification was granted to about 29,500 hectares and 30,000 hectares were assessed and awaiting certification, bringing the total area of certified forests to 438.5 hectares in 32 provinces nationwide.
In the first 6 months of this year, the exploitation of concentrated planted forests nationwide reached 8.806 million m3wood, up 3.7% year-on-year in 2022.
The export value of wood and forestry products in the first 6 months of the year is estimated at 6.42 billion USD, down 28.8% over the same period in 2022, reaching 36% of the plan. Of which, wood and wood products reached 5.96 billion USD, down 29%, non-timber forest products 455.7 million USD, down 26.2%.
The trade surplus of this group of products is estimated at 5.32 billion USD, down about 30% compared to the same period in 2022. Exports of wood and non-wood forest products are also the product line with the highest trade surplus compared to key export groups in the agricultural sector.
According to the Forestry Department, the world economy continues to decline, inflation is high in some developed countries, so consumers are tightening their spending, especially in the main markets of the US and Europe. Our country's manufacturing enterprises are facing difficulties in signing and fulfilling orders.
In addition, the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to be complicated and prolonged, affecting the production and business activities of enterprises such as: logistics costs, high prices of raw materials and input materials... Along with that, the protectionist policies of countries are still being strengthened, affecting the trade of Vietnamese wood products.
Mr. Trieu Van Luc - Deputy Director of the Forestry Department admitted that the decline in exports of wood and non-wood forest products was because traditional markets such as the US, EU, China, and Japan all limited imports.
According to him, high inflation has caused consumers in these markets to tighten their spending, prioritizing only buying essential products for daily life. Wooden products are not in the essential goods group, so they have been reduced in purchase.
Therefore, recently, some businesses have been unable to sign new orders, Mr. Luc shared.
Although exports continue to decline sharply, the forestry industry still targets the export value of wood and forest products this year at about 17.5 billion USD, higher than 16.83 billion USD in 2022.
To achieve this goal, in addition to solutions for sustainable development, the forestry sector needs to coordinate with other sectors in preventing trade fraud and strictly controlling imported timber from high-risk countries. Closely follow and develop a management scenario for the export and import of timber and forest products; develop export markets in accordance with international law and signed agreements.
