Vietnam-US trade continued to grow in the first quarter of this year, increasing 16.5 percent over the same period last year with export value up 12.3 percent and import value up 36 percent, the Vietnam Trade Office in the USA said.
Two-way trade was valued at 3,964 million USD, 16.5 percent (or 564 million USD) more than the first quarter of 2009, statistics recently released by the US Department of Commerce said.
Vietnam exported nearly 3,133 million USD worth of goods to the US in the first three months of this year and imported from the US more than 831 million USD.
Apparel remained the top exports categories in terms of value in the first three months, grossing nearly 1,343 million USD, up 8.6 percent over the same period last year; and followed by furniture and household items, nearly 393 million USD, up 26 percent; and footwear, 345 million USD, down 5.1 percent.
Vietnam 's three-month exports valued at more than 100 million USD each included agricultural products, seafood, and electric apparatus, audio-video equipment.
Imports from the US increased remarkably in the first quarter of this year with 12 out of 15 main imports categories posting increases over the same period last year. The three categories saw year-to-year decreases in value included iron and steel products; civilian aircraft equipment and parts; and hides and skins, down 8.4 percent, 42.8 percent and 98.2 percent, respectively.
Imports of wastes from the animal feed industry became the first import category in value, chalking 121.7 million USD in the first three months of 2010, up 575 percent over the same period last year. It was followed by meat, poultry, etc. with year-to-year value increasing 10.6 percent to 84.6 million USD; and metalworking machines and parts increasing 20 percent to nearly 77.3 million USD.
According to the US Department of Commerce, in 2009, Vietnam 's exports to the US was valued at 12,290 million USD and its imports was valued at 3,107 million USD. Last year's two-way trade reached 15,397 billion USD, representing a 2 percent year-to-year decrease.
The Vietnam Trade Office in the USA attributed 2009's decreased trade value to Vietnam 's export value decrease due to decreases in US consumption and import prices from previous years.
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