HCMC – HCMC has ranked first in the country in terms of export value, earning US$8.9 billion from exports over the past two months, according to the latest statistics from the General Department of Vietnam Customs.
In January this year, the city’s export revenue amounted to some US$4.1 billion, making it the number one in the country for export value. This is the second straight month that the city has taken the lead in export value after Bac Ninh Province surpassed it for several months after the fourth wave of the Covid pandemic hit HCMC in 2021.
In December in 2021, after the pandemic was brought under control and firms restarted their business and production activities, HCMC saw the export value reach US$4.8 billion, regaining the number one ranking.
Although Bac Ninh Province ranked first in export revenue due to large foreign direct investment projects, mainly the one from Samsung, for several months during the fourth wave in 2021, HCMC exported goods worth over US$44.9 billion last year, the highest among other localities. Bac Ninh Province came second with a value of US$44.8 billion.
Speaking at a press briefing last weekend, a representative of the HCMC Department of Industry and Trade said that since the city eased social distancing in October last year, almost all manufacturing and trading activities in the city have resumed.
Bui Ta Hoang Vu, director of the department, said that almost all manufacturers had resumed operations, at over 95% capacity, while many firms in the city’s hi-tech park had restarted operations, reaching full capacity.
The economic recovery has also been reflected in the rising number of orders. Many local exporters have received orders for the end of the first quarter, while some firms active in the wood and apparel sectors have received orders set from now until the end of the first half of the year.
Apart from HCMC and Bac Ninh, other provinces and cities reporting the January export value of over US$1 billion are Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Thai Nguyen, Haiphong, Hanoi and Bac Giang.
The statistics also indicated that in January, the country’s export value hit over US$30.8 trillion, up 8.1% year-on-year. Vietnam mainly exported phones and phone parts, computers, electronic items, machinery, footwear, garments and textiles and woodwork.
