Leather & Footwear Export Surpasses Target While Textile Fails
Vietnam is estimated to obtain US$450 million from leather and shoe exports in December, raising the total figure to US$4.69 billion in 2008, surpassing the yearly target by US$200 million.
The increase is attributed to deliveries for Spring and Summer 2009, according to Nguyen Duc Thuan, chairman of the Vietnam Leather and Footwear Association (Lefaso).
Meanwhile, textile and garment shipments are estimated at US$9.1 billion this year, falling short of the target of US$9.5 billion this year, according to the General Statistics Office.
December’s apparel exports will reach US$724 million, down US$60 million on-month.
The reduction is blamed for economic downturn in the U.S which is Vietnam’s largest textile export market, according to Le Quoc An, chairman of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (Vitas).
Apparel is now Vietnam’s second largest forex earner behind crude oil while leather and footwear is the third largest. (Youth)
Vietnamese
