SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2015

Of the overall growth rate, the agriculture, forestry and fishery grew by 2.14%, contributed 0.28 percentage points; the industry and construction by 8.35%, contributed 2.82 percentages points; the service by 5.82%, contributed 2.36 percentage points; product tax excluding product subsidy by 4.47%, contributed 0.57 percentage points.

+ Gross Domestic Products in the first Quarter of 2015

Agriculture, forestry and fishery

The production value of this sector at 2010 comparative prices in the first quarter of this year was estimated to reach 171 trillion dongs, rose 2.3% from the similar period last year, of which agriculture gained 131 trillion dongs, increased by 1.8%; forestry: 6 trillion dongs, by 6.3%; fishery: 34 trillion dongs, by 3.6% respectively.

Agriculture

As of March 15th, the country cultivated 3057 thousand hectares of winter-spring rice, equaling 99.8% from the same crop last year, of which the cultivated area in the North was 1111.8 thousand hectares, equaling 99.9%; in the South was 1945.2 thousand hectares, equaling 99.8%; only Mekong Delta reached 1562.3 thousand hectares, approximately the figures in 2014’s same period. As of mid-March, provinces in the South harvested 725,300 ha of spring rice, equaling 64.6% against the last ear’s same period.

The animal husbandry in three beginning months of the year mainly focused on ensuring the consumption in Lunar New Year 2015. According to preliminary reports, estimated flock of oxen in three months grew by 1.5% from the similar period last year; flock of pigs by 2%; flock of poultry by 3% - 3.5%; the output of live-weight buffalo meat for slaughter by 1% – 1.5%; the output of live-weight beef for slaughter by 2% - 2.5%; the output of live-weight pork for slaughter by 4% - 4.5%; the output of poultry by 5.5% - 6%.

Forestry

Total area of concentrated forest area in three months was estimated to reach 12.8 thousand hectares, rose 11.3% from the same period last year. The number of dispersed planted trees reached 64.8 million, rose 0.9% against 2014’s identical period. Wood production gained 1502 thousand m3, rose 8.1%; firewood production achieved 7.6 million cubic meters, rose 0.3%.

Fishery

Total estimated fishing production in three beginning months of the year gained 1223.1 thousand tons, rose 3.2% compared to that in the same period last year, of which there were 893.7 thousand tons of fish, up 2.6%; 124.5 thousand tons of shrimp, up 5.3%. Estimated aquaculture production in three months reached 511.6 thousand tons, grew by 2.8% from the same period in 2014, of which there were 352.7 thousand tons of fish, an increase of 1.7% and 92.8 thousand tons of shrimp, an increase of 6.1%.

Estimated caught products in three beginning months of the year reached 711.5 thousand tons, a rise of 3.5% over the identical period last year, of which there were 541 thousand tons of fish, 3.2% growth; 31.7 thousand tons of shrimp, 3.3% growth. Sea catching in three months reached 673.4 thousand tons, an increase of 3.8% against 2014’s same period.

+ Production value of agriculture, forestry and fishery at 2010 constant prices
+ Agricultural production as of March 15, 2015
+ Fishing production in the 1st Quarter of 2015

Industry

Industrial Production Indexes (IIP) in the first quarter of this year was estimated to increase by 9.1%, much higher than the growth rate of 5.3% in the same period last year and the growth rate of 4.9% in 2013’s similar period. Of industries, the mining and quarrying went up by 6.7%, contributed 1.5 percentage points to the overall growth; the manufacturing rose 9.6%, much higher than the growth of 7.4% in the same period last year and contributed 6.8 percentage points; the power generation and supply rose 12.1% (9.2% increase in the identical period last year), contributed 0.8 percentage points; the water supply and waste treatment rose 7.8% (6.1% increase in 2014’s identical period); contributed 0.1 percentage points.

Generally, in two beginning months of the year, consumption index for the manufacturing increased by 14.7% from the same period last year. Stock index for the entire manufacturing as of March 01, 2015 rose 10.9% from 2014’s same period. The number of laborers working for industrial enterprises as of March 01, 2015 went up by 5.4% from the last year’s similar period.

+ Industrial production index
+ Main industrial products
+ Consumption and stock indexes of the manufacturing
+ Labor employed index (LEI) for industrial enterprises

The situation of the business activities

In the first quarter of this year, the country had 19049 enterprises registered for new establishment with a total registered capital of 111.2 trillion dongs, an increase of 3.8% in the number of businesses and an increase of 13.5% in the registered capital over the equivalent period last year. In addition, there were 4741 times of enterprises changed to raise the capital with the total additional registered capital of 172.9 trillion dongs. The average registered capital per enterprise achieved 5.8 billion dongs, rose 3.6% over 2014’s same period last year. The expected number of laborers provided with job in the newly established enterprises in the first quarter was 265 thousand persons, grew by 3.6% from the same period last year.

Service activities

Retail sales of consumer goods and services

Generally, in the three beginning months of this year, total retail sales of consumer goods and services was estimated to reach 790.8 trillion dongs, increased by 10% from the same period last year, if the factor of inflation were excluded, it would be 9.2% (higher than the growth of 5.1% in 2014’s similar period). Of the total, retail sales of goods reached 604.5 trillion dongs, accounted for 76.4% and rose 10% against the last year’s same period;  accommodation and catering services gained 89.9 trillion dongs, took 11.4% and rose 8.8%; other services achieved 90.1 trillion dongs, accounted for 11.4% and rose 13.3%; travelling service reached 6.3 trillion dongs, represented 0.8% and dropped by 12.8%.

+ Total retail sales of consumer goods and services

Carriage of passengers and cargos

Passenger carriage in three beginning months of the year was estimated to reach 800.7 million arrivals, raised by 6.7% and 35.6 billion passengers-kilometers, by 5% from the same period in 2014. Of which central transport reached 8.1 million passengers, decreased by 0.8% and 8.6 billion passengers-kilometers, grew by 0.2%; local transport gained 792.6 million passengers, went up by 6.8% and 27 billion passengers-kilometers, by 6.6%. Three months’ estimated passenger transport by road achieved 755.4 million passengers, grew by 7% and 26.6 billion passengers-kilometers, by 6.7% from the same period last year; transport by air reached 4.8 million passengers, increased by 2.2% and  7.4 billion passengers-kilometers, fell by 0.3%; transport by rail gained 2.5 million passengers, down 8.3% and 0.9 billion passengers-kilometers, up 1.9%; transport by sea gained 1.4 million passengers, 2.1% increase and 63 million passengers-kilometers,  1.8% increase.

Cargo carriage in three beginning months of the year reached an estimate of 261.6 million tons, rose 4.8% and 52.9 billion tons-kilometers, rose 2% from the last year’ same period. Of which the domestic transport gained 255.4 million tons, increased by 4.9% and 23.2 billion tons-kilometers, by 6.1%; overseas transport reached 6.2 million tons, decreased by 2.4% and 29.7 billion tons-kilometers, by 1%. Cargo transport by road obtained 202.5 million tons, grew by 5.4% and 10.6 billion tons-kilometers, by 6.2%; river: 44.4 million tons, up 4.6% and 8.8 billion tons-kilometers, up 5.2%; sea: 13.2 million tons, down 3% and 32.4 billion tons-kilometers, down 0.5%; rail: 1.4 million tons, 0.3% decrease and 0.9 billion tons-kilometers, 16.9% increase.

+ Carriage of passengers and cargos

International visitors to Vietnam

In three beginning months of the year, estimated number of international visitors to Vietnam reached 2 million arrivals, reduced by 13.7% from the similar period last year, of which visitors coming by airway reached 1700.5 thousand arrivals, a decrease of 8%; by road: 289.3 thousand arrivals, a decline of 35.8%; by sea: 18.1thousand arrivals, a decrease of 36.7%.

+ International visitors to Vietnam

STABILIZE MACRO ECONOMY, CURB INFLATION

Currency, credit

As of March 20, 2015, the total means of payment increased by 2.09% compared to the figures in December 2014 (a rise of 3.56% in the same period last year). Total deposit balances of customers at credit institutions as of March 20, 2015 rose 0.94% compared with the end of 2014 (2.7% growth in the same period last year). Credit to the economy as of above time grew by 1.25% from December 2014 (0.57% decrease in the similar period last year).

Construction, investment

Construction

The production value of construction at current prices in the first quarter was estimated to reach 173.7 trillion dongs, of which the state sector gained 16.7 trillion dongs, accounted for 10.9%; the non-state sector achieved 142.3 trillion dongs, accounted for 7.6%; and the FDI sector obtained 14.7 trillion dongs, accounted for 58%.

Domestic investment

Estimated realized social investment capital at current prices in the first quarter of this year reached 245.8 trillion dongs, rose 9.1% from the same period last year and equaled 30.4% of GDP. Of which state sector reached 88.7 trillion dongs, accounted for 36.1% of the total and increased by 6.4% over the identical period last year; the non-state sector gained 89.6 trillion dongs, took 36.4% and rose 13.6%; the FDI sector achieved 67.5 trillion dongs, took 27.5% and rose 10.7% respectively.

Foreign direct investment

From the beginning of the year to March 20, 2015, FDI attracted 267 newly licensed projects with the registered capital of US $ 1216.7 million, 6% increase in the number of projects and 40.6% decrease in the capital from the similar period in 2014. At the same time, 102 times of license-granted projects from the previous years were provided with additional capital of US $ 621.1 million. Thus the total registered capital of both newly and additionally financed projects reached US $ 1837.8 million, reduced by 44.9% against the same period last year. Estimated realized FDI capital in the first quarter of 2015 gained US $ 3050 million, rose 7% from 2014’s same period.

+ Realized social investment capital at current prices
+ Realized investments under the State budget
+ Licensed FDI projects from January 01 to March 20, 2015

Government revenues and expenditures

Total estimated government revenues from the beginning of the year to March 15, 2015 equaled 19.8% of the annual estimate, of which domestic revenues equaled 21.4%; collecting from crude oil equaled 15.1%; from export-import balance equaled 16.8%.

From the beginning of the year to March 15, 2015, total government expenditures were estimated to equal 18.7% of the yearly estimate. Of which, spending for investment development equaled 18% (only spending for capital construction equaled 18.2%); spending for economic and social development, national defense and security, state management equaled 19.3%; paying debts and aids equaled 21.1%.

Exports - Imports

Exports

Generally, in the first quarter of this year, export turnovers reached an estimate of US $ 35.7 billion, increased by 6.9% from the same period in 2014, of which the domestic economic sector achieved US $ 10.6 billion, decreased by 5.1% (5% growth in the last year’s same period); the FDI sector (including crude oil) reached US $ 25.1 billion, grew by 12.9% and accounted for 70% of the total export turnovers, higher than the proportion of 66.7% in 2014’s similar period.

Imports

Estimated import turnovers in three beginning months of this year gained US $ 37.5 billion, grew by 16.3% from the same period last year, of which the domestic economic sector achieved US $ 14.4 billion, increased by 5.7% and accounted for 38.4% (lower than the proportion of 42.2% in the same period last year); the FDI sector reached US $ 23.1 billion, rose 24.1% and accounted for 61.6% of the total import turnovers (higher than the proportion of 57.8% in the first quarter of 2014).

+ Exports
+ Imports

Price indexes

Consumer price indexes (CPI)

Average CPI in the first quarter of this year rose 0.74% compared to the figure of the identical period in 2014, this is the lowest growth for the last 10 years[2].

Gold price indexes and US dollar price indexes

Gold price indexes in March 2015 decreased by 1.63% from the previous month; grew by 1.58% over December 2014 and dropped by 5.36% against the same period last year. US dollar price indexes in March 2015 rose 0.16% from the previous month, increased by 0.19% from December 2014 and by 1.29% compared to 2014’s similar period.

Producer price indexes (PPI)

PPI for agricultural, forestry and fishing products in the first quarter of this year rose 0.2% from the previous quarter and rose 2.05% against the same period last year.

Price indexes of fuels and materials used for production in the first quarter of this year fell by 0.13% from the previous quarter and rose 2.36% over the similar period last year.

Transport and warehouse price indexes in the first quarter reduced by 2.64% compared to the previous quarter and by 1.39% from the last year’s same period.

Service price indexes in the first quarter of 2015 went up by 0.35% against the previous quarter and by 2.79% over the identical period last year.

Export - import price indexes

Export price indexes in the first quarter of this year dropped by 1.82% from the previous quarter and by 3.62% against the last year’s same period.

Import price indexes in the first quarter decreased by 3.73% compared to the previous quarter and by 2.61% from the similar period last year.

+ Consumer price indexes, gold, US dollar price indexes and core inflation in March 2015
+ Producer Price Indexes for agricultural, forestry and fishing products in the 1st Quarter of 2015
+ Producer Price Indexes for industrial products in the 1st Quarter of 2015
+ Price indexes of materials used for production in the 1st Quarter of 2015
+ Export price indexes in the 1st Quarter of 2015
+ Import price indexes in the 1st Quarter of 2015
+ Export-Import price indexes and trade exchange rate in the 1st Quarter of 2015
+ Transport Charge Indexes in the 1st Quarter of 2015
+ Service price indexes in the 1st Quarter of 2015

SOCIAL ISSUES

Labor and employment

The country’s number of laborers aged 15 and above as of April 01, 2015 were estimated 53.6 million persons (increasing 8.8 thousand persons compared with 2014’s same period), of which there were 27.6 million male laborers, accounting for 51.5%; 26 million female laborers, accounting 48.5%.

Laborers aged 15 and above having job in the first quarter of this year were estimated 52.5 million persons, of which there were 21.3 million persons working in the agriculture, forestry and fishery sector, accounting for 40.7% of the total; 13.4 million persons working in the sector of industry and construction, accounting for 25.5%; 17.7 million persons working in the sector of services, accounting for 33.8%.

The unemployment rate of laborers within the working age group in the first quarter of 2015 was estimated 2.22%, of which it was 3.17% for the urban area; 1.75% for the rural area.

Estimated underemployment rate of laborers within the working age group in the first quarter of this year was 2.82%, of which it was 1.42% for the urban area; 3.44% for the rural area (Underemployment rates in the first quarter of 2014 were 2.78%; 1.45%; 3.37% respectively).

People’s life and social security

Generally, in three beginning months of the year, the country had 82.1 thousand households suffering from food shortage, reduced by 50.7% from the previous year, corresponding to 334.5 thousand hunger persons, 51.8% decrease. To overcome the problem, from the beginning of the year, all administrative levels, sectors and localities provided difficult families with 9.7 thousand tons of food and 8.5 billion dongs; only in March, 2.1 thousand tons of food and 200 million dongs.

According to preliminary reports, total expenses for the activities of social security and poverty reduction in three beginning months of the year were 3217 billion dongs, of which 2179 billion dongs for visiting and supporting policy beneficiary objects; 765 billion dongs for supporting poor households and 273 billion dongs for famine relief and other social relief.

Education and training

According to preliminary reports, at the time of opening 2014 - 2015 school year, the country had 14044 preschools, increasing 177 schools against the previous school year; 15277 primary schools, reducing 60 schools; 10312 secondary schools, increasing 22 schools; 2390 high schools; 14 schools decrease. In this school year, the country had 214.1 thousand preschool teachers, increasing 4.5% from 2013-2014 school year. The number of teachers directly teaching for three educational levels was 856500, a rise of 0.1% from the last school year, of which there were 392.1 thousand primary teachers, an increase of 1.3%; 312.4 thousand secondary teachers, a decrease of 1% and 152000 high school teachers, 0.5% decrease. Furthermore, in this school year, the country had 3.7 million preschool pupils, up 3% from the previous school year; 14.9 million pupils for three teaching levels, approximately the number of pupils in the 2013-2014, of which there were 7.5 million primary pupils, up 0.9%; 5 million secondary pupils, up 1.4% and 2.4 million high school pupils, down 5.2%.

Epidemic diseases and food poisoning

Only in the first quarter of 2015, the country had 7.3 thousand cases of hand, foot, mouth disease; 6.9 thousand cases of hemorrhagic fever; 89 cases of virus encephalitis (02 died); 59 cases of typhoid; 13 cases of meningococcal disease; there were not any cases of cholera and A (H5N1) flu recorded more.

In the month, 578 HIV-infected cases were found, total number of living HIV-infected persons over the country as of March 17, 2015 was 224,900, of which 75,200 cases turned to AIDS. The number of persons died of AIDS over the country as of above time was 76,000.

In three beginning months of the year, the country had 23 cases of food poisoning, infecting 789 persons, of which 06 cases died.

Traffic accidents

Generally, in three beginning months of this year, the country had 5851 cases of traffic accidents, including 2684 cases of traffic accidents and 3167 cases of traffic crashing, killing 2345 persons, injuring 1646 persons and injuring slightly 3842 others. 

Damage by natural calamity

According to preliminary reports, natural calamity made 268 houses flooded, blown off, unroofed; 7.5 hectares of vegetables and 2400 hectares of aquaculture damaged; over 9900 m3 of soil, stone, concrete of roads blown off and swept away. The total value of damage caused by the disaster in three beginning months of the year was estimated 34 billion dongs.

Environment protection, fire and explosion

In three beginning months of the year, authorities found 2700 cases of violating regulations of environment protection, of which 1100 cases were treated with total fine of over 28.8 billion dongs.

In three beginning months of the year, the country had 839 cases of fire and explosion, killing 27 persons and injuring 67 others, the total value of damage was 177.1 billion dongs.

GERNERAL STATISTICS OFFICE

[1] The growth rate of GDP in the 1st Quarter  over years was as follows: 2011:  5.90%; 2012 : 4.75%; 2013: 4.76%; 2014: 5.06%

[2] CPI in the first quarter of 2015 compared with the same period of years as follows: 2005: a rise of 9.07%; 2006: a rise of 8.31%; 2007: a rise of 6.58%; 2008: a rise of 16.38%; 2009: 14.47% increase; 2010: a growth of 8.51%; 2011: 12.79% increase; 2012: 15.95% increase; 2013: a rise of 6.91%; 2014: an increase of 4.83%.