SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION IN FEBRUARY, 2014

Together with the cultivation of spring rice, as of above period, provinces over the country also cultivated 251,600 ha of maize, equaling 112.6% from 2013’s same period; 58,200 ha of sweet potato, equaling 90.1%;  389,300 ha of vegetables, equaling 109.6%.

As estimated, the country’s number of buffalos in February decreased by 2% from the same period in 2013; oxen by 1% and pigs reduced slightly. The poultry farming was facing difficulties because the strong breakout of bird flu epidemic in many provinces. As of 20/02/2014, the country had 61,000 infected chickens and ducks; the number of destroyed poultry was over 84,000. As of above period, the country did not remain any provinces, which had blue ear disease within duration less than 21 days; foot and mouth disease within this duration still existed in three provinces; bird flu within this duration remained in 17 provinces. 

b. Forestry

In two beginning months of the year, the country’s concentrated forest area was estimated to reach 1,236 ha, rose 0.9% from the identical period last year; dispersedly-planted trees reached 32 million, rose 0.6%; wood production reached 672,000 m3, rose 4.5%; firewood production 5.1 million cubic meters, rose 0.6%.

Generally, in two months of 2013, damaged forest area was 243 ha, reduced by 23.4% from the same period last year, of which burnt area was 227 ha; destroyed area was 16 ha. 

c. Fishery

Generally, estimated fishing production gained 768,800 tons, rose 2.3% from 2013’s same period, including: farmed products reached 323,600 tons, down 0.3%; caught products achieved 445,200 tons, up 4.3%, of which sea caught products reached 419,400 tons, up 4.7%.

2. Industry

Generally, in two beginning months of the year,  Industrial Production Index (IPI) grew by 5.4%, higher than the same period’s 4.4% in 2013. Of industries, the manufacturing had a good growth of 7.8% from 2013’s identical period, contributed 5.4 percentage points to the general growth rate; the power generation and supply increased by 8.5%, contributed 0.6 percentage points, the water supply and waste treatment by 5.8%, contributed 0.1 percentage points respectively. Only the mining and quarrying decreased by 3%, making the overall growth reduce 2.1 percentage points[1].

Consumption index for the whole manufacturing in 01/2014 fell by 2.8% from the previous month and grew by 3.4% from the same period last year. As of 01/02/2014, stock index for the entire manufacturing rose 12.7% from the identical period in 2013, lower than the growth of 21.5% of 2013’s equivalent period. Stock rate for the whole manufacturing in January was 77%.

Labour employed index (LEI) for industrial enterprises as of 01/02/2014 rose 5.1% from the same period last year, of which the state sector reduced by 0.9%; the non-state sector grew by 4.7%, and the FDI sector rose 8.2%. As of above period, LEI of the mining and quarrying increased by 0.8% from 2013’s identical period; the manufacturing by 5.8%; the power generation and supply by 3.2% and the water supply and waste treatment by 1.8%.

3. Investment

Generally, two months’ realized investment capital from the state budget reached 20859 billion dong, equaling 11.6% of the yearly plan and reduced by 1.2% from the similar period in 2013. Of which, capital under central management reached 4,015 billion dong, equaled 10.2% of the annual plan and fell by 0.1% from 2013’s equivalent period; capital under local management achieved 16,844 billion dong, equaled 12% and by 1.2% respectively.

FDI from the beginning of the year to 20/02/2014 attracted 122 newly licensed projects with the registered capital of US$ 830.9 million, decreased by 33% in the number of projects, and by 19.3% in capital compared to the figures in 2013’s same period. Besides, 41 times of projects licensed from previous years was provided with additional capital of US$ 708.8 million. Therefore, the total registered capital of both newly and additionally financed projects reached US$ 1,539.7 million, reduced by 62.5% from the same period in 2013. Estimated realized FDI in two beginning months of the year reached US$ 1,120 million, rose 6.7% from the similar period last year.

In two beginning months of the year, the manufacturing attracted foreign investors with the registered capital of US$ 1,178.6 million, accounted for 76.5% of total registered capital; the real estate business received US$ 278.3 million, accounted for 18.1%; other industries received US$ 82.8 million, accounted for 5.4%.

The country had 18 provinces and cities directly under the central management which received newly licensed FDI projects in two months from 25 nations and territories.

4. Government revenues and expenditures

Total estimated government revenues from the beginning of the year to 15/02/2014 gained 99.4 trillion dong, equaling 12.7% of the annual estimate. Of which, domestic revenues reached 71.6 trillion dong, equaling 13.3%; collecting from crude oil achieved 10.6 trillion dong, equaling 12.4%; from export-import balance 16.8 trillion dong, equaling 10.9%. Of home revenues, 22.9 trillion dong was from state enterprises, equaling 12.4% of the annual estimate; 17 trillion dong from FDI enterprises (excluding crude oil), equaling 15.3%; 16.6 trillion dong from non-state industrial, commercial and service taxes, equaling 15.5%; 5.9 trillion dong from individual income tax, equaling 12.4%; 1.3 trillion dong tax on environment protection, equaling 10.1% and 1.1 trillion dong other fees, equaling 10.8%. 

From the beginning of the year to 15/02/2014, total government expenditures reached an estimate of 114.7 trillion dong, equaling 11.4% of the yearly estimate. Of which, spending for investment development achieved 15.2 trillion dong, equaling 9.3% (only capital construction reached 15 trillion dong, equaling 9.5%); economic and social development, national defense and security 81.5 trillion dong, equaling 11.6%; paying debts and aids 18.1 trillion dong, equaling 15% of the annual estimate.

5. Trade, price and tourism

a. Total retailed sales of consumer goods and services. 

Generally, total estimated retailed sales of consumer goods and services in two months reached 474.1 trillion dongs, increased by 11.6% from the same period last year (if the factor of inflation were excluded, the growth rate would be 6.2%). Total retailed sales of consumer goods and services of the state economic sector gained 44.4 trillion dong, accounted for 9.4% of the total and grew by 6.6%; non-state economic sector 412.3 trillion dong, 87% and by 11.4%; FDI sector 17.4 trillion dong, 3.6% and by 31.8% respectively. Of the total, the trade business reached 361.1 trillion dong, took 76.1% and increased by 9.6%; hotel and restaurant 58.2 trillion dong, 12.3% and by 16.9%; service 50.6 trillion dong, 10.7% and by 20.6%; tourism 4.1 trillion dong, 0.9% and by 12.1% respectively.

b. Exports - Imports

Generally, two months’ export turnovers reached US$ 21.1 billion, raised by 12.3% from the same period in 2013, of which the domestic economic sector reached US$ 7.2 billion, rose 13.2%; the FDI sector (including crude oil) US$ 13.9 billion and rose 11.8%.

Generally, two months’ import turnovers reached US$ 20.8 billion, grew by 17% from the last year’s same period, of which the domestic economic sector reached US$ 9.1 billion, a growth of 16.8%; the FDI sector gained US$ 11.7 billion, an increase of 17.1%. 

Two months’ trade surplus achieved an estimate of US$ 244 million, equaling 1.2% of total export turnovers, of which trade surplus of the FDI sector (including crude oil) reached US$ 2.09 billion while the trade deficit still belonged to the domestic economic sector with US$ 1.85 billion. 

c. Consumer Price Indexes (CPI)

February’s CPI rose 0.55% from the last month; this is the lowest growth rate compared to that in the same time of some previous years[2]. The reason for this was mainly due to localities’ good implementation of commodity reserve and price stabilization for serving consumption need in Lunar New Year holiday, on the other hand, due to the market’s demand still at a low rate. 

February’s CPI increased mainly due to raising price in groups of catering and related services and public transport during Tet holiday. Among the groups of goods and services, catering and related services had the highest growth of 1.15% (grain food 0.69%; foodstuff 1.16%; outdoor eating and drinking 1.6%); transport grew by 0.66% (On average; bus ticket price rose 10%; train ticket price rose 6%); culture, entertainment and tourist by 0.61%; drinks and cigarettes by 0.6%; family appliances by 0.22%; garments, hats, footgear by 0.21%; medicines and health services by 0.05%; education by 0.01%; housing and construction material decreased by 0.64%; postal and communication service reduced by 0.02%.

CPI in 02/2014 rose 1.24% from 12/2013 and by 4.65% from the same period last year. Average CPI in two months showed a growth of 5.05% compared to that in 2013’s similar period. 

February’s gold price index declined 1.87% from January; It rose 0.02% from 12/2013 and reduced by 22.77% from the identical period in 2013. USD price index in February fell by 0.03% from January; by 0.09% from 12/2013 and increased by 1.05% from the same period last year.

d. Carriage of passengers and cargos

Two months’ passenger carriage reached an estimate of 502.5 million arrivals, rose 5.1% and 23.3 billion passengers-kilometers, rose 6.8% from the same period in 2013. Of which central transport reached 5 million participants, increased by 10.3% and 5.4 billion passengers-kilometers, rose 14%; local transport reached 497.5 million arrivals, rose 5% and 17.9 billion passengers-kilometers, rose 4.8%. Transport by road was estimated to reach 472.4 million arrivals, rose 5.2% and 17.1 billion passengers-kilometers, rose 4.4% from the last year’ same period. Respectively, air: 3.1 million arrivals, rose 17.8% and 5 billion passengers-kilometers, rose 17.3%; rail: 1.8 million arrivals, rose 2.3% and 0.6 billion passengers-kilometers, rose 1.8%; sea: 0.9 million arrivals, rose 2.2% and 36.5 million passengers-kilometers, rose 0.4%. 

Two months’ estimated cargo carriage reached 163.4 million tons, grew by 4.2% and 31.1 billion tons-kilometers, by 0.5% from the last year’ same period. Of which the domestic transport gained 158.9 million tons, increased by 4.3% and 13.6 billion tons-kilometers, by 3.7%; overseas transport 4.5 million tons, decreased by 0.2% and 17.5 billion tons-kilometers, by 1.9%. Transport by road gained 125.8 million tons, rose 5.4% and 6.8 billion tons-kilometers, rose 4.2%. Respectively, river: 28 million tons, increased by 2% and 6.1 billion tons-kilometers, by 2.2%; sea: 8.8 million tons, reduced by 3.7% and 17.7 billion tons-kilometers, by 1.1%; rail: 0.8 million tons, declined by16% and 0.4 billion tons-kilometers, by 13.5%.

e. International visitors to Viet Nam

International visitors to Viet Nam in two beginning months of the year reached an estimate of 1,618,200 arrivals, increased by 33.4% from the same period last year. Of which, visitors coming for tourist purposes were 992,100 arrivals, grew by 33.4%; business purposes: 270,900 arrivals, by 32.2%; visiting relatives: 269,000 arrivals, by 34.1%.

 6. Social issues

a. Farmers’ food shortage

In February, the country had 92,900 times of households suffering from food shortage, accounting for 0.8% of total farming households, which equaled 378,000 hunger persons, accounted for 0.7% of whole farming persons. Compared with the figures in 2013’s same period, the number of hunger households reduced 8.8% and hunger persons by 9.3%. To overcome the problem, from the beginning of the year, all administrative levels, sectors and localities provided difficult families with 8,600 tons of food and 9.1 billion dong; only in February, 6,400 tons of food and 7.9 billion dong. 

b. Epidemic diseases and food poisoning

Generally, in two months, the country had 5,100 cases of hand, foot, mouth disease (1 died); 3,700 cases of hemorrhagic fever; 42 cases of virus encephalitis; 15 cases of typhoid; three cases of meningococcal meningitis (1 died) and two cases died of A (H5N1) flu. 

In the month, more 104 HIV-infected cases were found, bringing the number of infected living persons over the country as of 17/02/2014 to 216,700, of which 67,400 cases turned to AIDS. The number of deaths by  AIDS was 69,700 persons. 

Generally, in two months, the country had 12 cases of food poisoning infecting 264 persons, of which one case died.

 c. Traffic accidents    

Generally, in two beginning months of the year, the country had 2051 cases of traffic accidents, killing 1818 persons and injuring 1326 others. In two months, the number of cases of traffic crashing was 2783, making 3415 persons slightly injured. Compared with the same period last year, cases of traffic accidents reduced by 1.9%, cases of traffic crashing by 22.3%, deaths by 5.6%, injured persons rose 1.9% and moderately hurt persons reduced by 24.1%. On average, each day in two beginning months of 2014, the country had 33 cases of traffic accidents and 45 cases of traffic crashing, killing 29 persons, injuring 21 persons and sparingly hurting 55 others. 

d. Fire and explosion, environmental protection

Generally, in two months, the country had 539 cases of fire and explosion, killing 30 persons, injuring 67 persons, causing estimated damage of 143 billion dong. Furthermore, in February, functional authorities found 425 cases of violating regulations of environmental protection, of which 294 cases were treated with total fine of nearly 3.2 billion dong. 

GENERAL STATISTICS OFFICE

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[1] IIP in 2013’s two months of the mining and quarrying increased by 1.2%; the manufacturing by 5%; the power generation and supply by 7%; the water supply and waste treatment by 8.8%.

[2] CPIs in February of some years were as follows:  2007: 2.17%; 2008: 3.56%; 2009: 1.17%; 2010: 1.96%; 2011: 2.09%; 2012: 1.37%; 2013: 1.32%.