Agro-forestry products: Key Exports of Lam Dong

The growth rate of goods and service retails of the province has always exceeded preset targets. In 2005, the total goods and service retail value reached VND5,865 billion (US$366.56 million), up 38.5 per cent against 2004 and equal to 103 per cent of that year’s target.

 

Regarding the export field, in spite of encountering market and price difficulties, enterprises in the province were still able to boost export turnover. Many commodities had stable export market, such as tea, coffee, cashew nuts, vegetables, fruits, silk and flowers. The following figures partially displayed achievements in 2005.

 

Tea: The province exported 7,202 tonnes, or 53.3 per cent of the target of 2005, valued US$9.71 million, or 7.66 per cent of Lam Dong’s total export revenues. Major export markets are Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, the EU, the Middle East, India, Canada, Malaysia, China, the US and others. The falling tea export volume in 2005 (compared with 2004) was resulted from soaring prices of materials and fertilisers. With little investment of farmers, the quality of tea was poor. In addition, production costs of enterprises rose while selling prices remained unchanged.

 

Coffee: The export volume dropped to 44,620 tonnes, or 74.4 per cent of the annual target, with a total revenue of US$37.07 million, accounting for 29.26 per cent of the province’s export earnings. Major export markets include the EU, the Philippines, Singapore, China, the US, the Middle East, Malaysia, Canada, South Africa, France Rumania and Mexico. Although the export volume fell 7,166 tonnes against 2004, the export revenues increased 8.62 per cent. This showed that the quality of coffee was improved.

 

Fruit and vegetables: The total export volume soared to 14,923 tonnes, exceeding 98.97 of the yearly plan. The export turnover was US$11.97 million, or 9.45 per cent of the total export revenues. Major export markets comprised of Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia, and Thailand. The soar in fruit and vegetable export is attributed to investments in advanced technologies by several enterprises in the province. In addition, enterprises and cooperatives in other localities consigned Lam Dong-based companies to export 17,371 tonnes of fresh vegetables worth of some US$4 million.

 

Silk yarn: The province exported 1,276 tonnes, surpassing 42 per cent of the annual plan, and earned US$24.78 million, or equal to 19.56 per cent of the province’s export turnover. Main export markets are Japan, Laos, Thailand, China and Cambodia.

Silk: Lam Dong exported 3.11 million square meters, exceeding 159 per cent of the annual target. The total export earnings were US$5.72 million, or 4.51 per cent of Lam Dong’s aggregated export value. Japan was the largest customer with 99.96 per cent of export volume.

 

Cashew nuts: The export volume fell to 2,053 tonnes, or 68.43 per cent of the yearly plan. The export value was US$9.84 million, or 7.77 per cent of Lam Dong’s combined export value. Cashew nuts were mainly exported to the EU, Australia, the US, New Zealand, Israel and China.

 

Apparel and wool: The export volume increased to 2.56 million products, equalling 128 per cent of the yearly target and increasing 94 per cent against 2004. The export value reached US$12.78 million, or 10.09 per cent of the provincial export value. The EU, the US, Laos and Australia were among the largest export markets.

 

Flowers: The export volume rose 11.4 per cent on year to 29.53 million branches, valued US$7.71 million, or 6.08 per cent of the provincial total export value. Flowers were mainly exported to Japan, Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, the EU, the US and Indonesia.

In 2006, the trading sector focuses on boosting up export, encouraging the cooperation between enterprises, production units and households to expand consumption markets. The province will build supermarkets and commercial centres in Da Lat City, Bao Loc Township, Duc Trong District and other districts to develop the trading sector to catch up with the growth of its economy. In 2006, Lam Dong targets at US$140 million export revenues and VND5,840 billion (US$365 million) retail value.