Agricultural, forestry and fishery exports could hit a record $61 billion in 2024

(PLVN) - Speaking with Vietnam Law Newspaper, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien said that as of November 2024, Vietnam's agricultural, forestry and fishery export turnover reached 56.74 billion USD and is expected to reach about 60-61 billion USD for the whole year.

Agricultural, forestry and fishery exports set new record

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien said that in November 2024, Vietnam's agricultural, forestry and fishery exports recorded a growth rate of nearly 14% over the same period last year. In the first 11 months of 2024, the export turnover of agricultural products reached 56.74 billion USD, an increase of 19% compared to 2023, surpassing the record of 53.1 billion USD of the whole year of 2023. The export turnover of agricultural, forestry and fishery products exceeded the target of 54-55 billion USD assigned by the Prime Minister.

According to Deputy Minister Tien, if the situation in December continues to be favorable, the whole year's export turnover could reach 60-61 billion USD, marking a big step forward and affirming the important role of the agricultural sector in the economy.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien informed about the achievements of the agricultural sector in the first 11 months of 2024.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, by the end of November, the country had planted 7,825 thousand hectares of rice, reaching 104% over the same period last year. The harvested rice area was 6,853.8 thousand hectares, reaching 100.1% over the same period; the estimated output reached 42.12 million tons, up 1.1% over the previous year, with an average yield of 61.5 quintals/ha, up 0.6 quintals/ha.

Regarding the livestock sector, the total number of pigs in the country is estimated to increase by 3.5% compared to 2023, while poultry farming has developed steadily with the poultry flock increasing by 2.9%. To date, the country has newly planted 232,000 hectares of concentrated forests, an increase of 5.1% over the same period last year. The aquaculture sector has also developed steadily, with the output of farmed aquatic products estimated at 5,189.4 thousand tons, an increase of 3.9% over the same period.

The agricultural trade balance in the past 11 months recorded a surplus of nearly 16.5 billion USD, up 53% over the previous year - a record high. Key sectors all grew strongly: agricultural products reached nearly 30 billion USD (up more than 23%), aquatic products reached 9.2 billion USD (up 11.8%), forestry products reached nearly 15.6 billion USD (up 19.6%), and livestock products reached more than 475 million USD (up 4.4%). Notably, wood and wood products exports achieved a surplus of over 12.1 billion USD, while fruits and vegetables had a trade surplus of 4.56 billion USD thanks to promoting official exports to China.

In terms of markets, Asia accounted for 48.2% of total turnover, followed by the Americas with 23.7% and Europe with 11.3%. The US, China and Japan were the three largest markets, accounting for 21.7%, 21.6% and 6.6% of total export turnover, respectively. Exports to the US increased by nearly 25%, to China by 11% and to Japan by 5.5% compared to the same period last year.

Timely directions and solutions

According to the Deputy Minister, the success of the agricultural sector in 2024 must first mention the attention and close direction of the Party, State and Government, especially the Prime Minister. After Storm No. 3, the Government issued Resolution 143 and Official Dispatch No. 100, requesting sectors and localities to urgently overcome the consequences of natural disasters and restore production.

The entire agricultural sector quickly assessed the damage and implemented reconstruction solutions, prioritizing short-term crops, poultry and waterfowl, while encouraging unaffected localities to increase production.

Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien also affirmed that the impressive export results in 2024 were achieved thanks to the restructuring process of the industry over the past years, combined with the application of science and technology and the transition to a green, circular economy. In addition, the efforts to expand and diversify export markets of units in the industry also contributed greatly to this achievement.

Regarding the development goals in the coming time, Deputy Minister Tien said that the agricultural sector will continue to restructure to increase added value and link production with the market. The sector will promote the application of science and technology, digital transformation and the development of a circular economy, while expanding and diversifying markets, especially potential markets such as the United States, China, Japan, Korea and the EU. The Deputy Minister also pointed out that areas such as livestock farming and deep processing still have great potential for development.

"Although the agricultural sector is facing many challenges such as climate change, epidemics and global economic instability, opportunities are still huge thanks to the increase in global food demand and advantages from free trade agreements. To achieve the larger goal, the agricultural sector will continue to focus on increasing added value, diversifying products and expanding markets," said Deputy Minister Tien.

According to experts, looking back at 2024, Vietnam's agricultural sector will not only overcome difficulties but also affirm its important role in socio-economic development. With the right orientations, the agricultural sector will continue to develop sustainably and contribute to the overall development of the country.

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/xuat-khau-nong-lam-thuy-san-co-the-lap-ky-luc-61-ty-usd-trong-nam-2024-post533983.html