Vietnam’s export turnover to Africa reached $2.6 billion in the first seven months of this year, up 172 percent from the same period last year.
The achievement marked Africa as the key market where Vietnam had maintained a trade surplus, reaching nearly $1.88 billion in the reviewed period, according to the General Customs Department.
Vietnam’s exports to Africa posted outstanding value in some markets such as South Africa, rising six-fold over the same period last year to $1.5 billion, and Senegal rising three-fold to $154 million.
Exports to Egypt and Ghana also saw positive increases, posting 36 percent to $75 million and 27 percent to $124 million, respectively.
Rice remained Vietnam’s key export item to the African market, accounting for 25-30 percent of the country’s annual total export rice.
Senegal was Vietnam’s largest rice importer on the African continent, spending$ 143 million. It was followed by Ivory Coast and Ghana with $86 million and $56 million, respectively.
African countries are expected to import about 9.8 million tons of rice from Vietnam for the whole year, a year-on-year increase of 2 percent.
In addition to rice, Vietnam’s other export items such as apparel, footwear, seafood, telephone and accessories won firm footholds in the African market.