HCMC Earns $3.36 Bln from Exports in Jan-February

's southern economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City is estimated to have gained an on-year increase of 26.7% in export value to reach $3.36 billion in the first two months of this year, said the municipal Trade Department.

The figure accounted for 38.57% of the country's total export earnings during the period.

The city pocketed $245.6 million from exporting garments, up 13.8% on-year, $53.6 million from footwear, up 6.5% and $55.4 million from seafood, up 8.3%.

Ho Chi Minh City also shipped 2.3 million tons of crude oil and 74,000 tons of rice, down 11.7% and 56.3% on-year, respectively.

Though the city obtained high on-year export growth, local exporters showed their great concerns about their revenues and profits due to dollar's on-going devaluation and high production cost driven by input material price hikes.

Trinh Ngoc Minh, vice director of Phu Nhuan Service Joint Stock Co., said the company's Jan-Feb export value was just equal to a half of the same period last year.

He also forecast local exporters would face many difficulties to realize their targeted revenues and profits this year. (Trade)