SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION IN EIGHT MONTHS OF 2019

1. Production of agriculture, forestry and fishery

a) Agriculture

As of August 15, the whole country cultivated 1,473.9 thousand hectares (ha) of winter rice, equaling 95.6% of the figure in the same period last year, of which localities in the North cultivated 1,067.1 thousand ha, equaling 96.4%; provinces in the South cultivated 406.8 thousand ha, equaling 93.3%. In the summer-autumn crop this year, the whole country cultivated 2,011.3 thousand ha of rice, a decrease of 40.8 thousand ha compared to the same crop last year. As of mid-August, the whole country harvested 1,036.4 thousand ha of summer-autumn rice, accounting for 51.5% of the sown area and equaling 104.7% of the harvested area in the same period last year. According to localities’ report, the summer-autumn rice productivity this year was estimated at 5,440 kilograms per ha (kg/ha), a decline of 30 kg/ha compared to the last summer-autumn crop. Both cultivated area and productivity went down, so the yield of the whole summer-autumn crop in 2019 was estimated to reach nearly 11 million tons, a decrease of 280.2 thousand tons from the same crop in 2018.

As of August 15, localities over the country cultivated 863.3 thousand ha of maize, equaling 96.9% of the figure in the same period last year; 100.3 thousand ha of sweet potato, equaling 98.2%; 159.6 thousand ha of peanut, equaling 95.3%; 39.9 thousand ha of soya, equaling 95.9%; 897.7 thousand ha of vegetables and beans, equaling 101.4%.

As of August, the whole country’s buffalo was estimated to decrease by 3.1% over the same period last year; ox population increased by 2.4%; pig population fell by 18.5%; poultry population increased by 10%. Up to August 20, 2019, the whole country no longer reported the blue-ear pig disease and avian influenza (bird flu); foot-and-mouth disease was still found in Soc Trang; and African swine fever has been detected in 6,959 communes, 592 districts of 62 provinces and centrally-run cities[1].

+ Agricultural production as of August 15, 2019

b) Forestry

Generally for eight months, the concentrated planted forest area were estimated at 148.8 thousand ha, a decline of 5.6% compared to the same period last year; the number of separate planted forestry trees gained 47.9 million trees, a decline of 2.9%; wood production achieved 9,934 thousand m3, a rise of 4.3%; and firewood production recorded 12.2 million steres, a decrease of 1.9%.

Generally for eight months, damaged forest area was 2,281.5 ha, 2.7 times as high as the figure in  the same period last year, of which burnt forest area was 1,890.3 ha, 4.6 times as high as the figure in the similar period last year; destroyed forest area was 391.2 ha, a decline of 7.2% from the identical period in 2018.

c) Fishery

Generally for seven months of 2019, estimated fishing production reached 5,228.6 thousand tons, increasing by 5.4% from the corresponding period last year, of which the output of aquaculture gained 2,727.5 thousand tons, a growth of 6%; the production of fishery caught achieved 2,501.1 thousand tons, a rise of 4.8% (the production of sea catching reached 2,380.7 thousand tons, up 4.9%).

2. Industry

Generally for eight months of 2019, Index of industrial production (IIP) was estimated to put up by 9.5% over the similar period last year, lower than the growth rate of 10.8% in the identical period in 2018 but higher than the increase rate of 8.2% and 7.2% in the same period in 2017 and 2016. Of which, the mining and quarrying grew by 2.5%, contributing 0.4 percentage point to the general growth; the manufacturing climbed by 10.6% (it rose 13.1% in the same period last year), contributing 8.1 percentage points; the electricity generation and distribution increased by 10.2%, contributing 0.9 percentage point; the water supply and waste treatment expanded by 7.4%, contributing 0.1 percentage point.

The number of employees working in industrial enterprises as of August 01, 2019 climbed by 1.7% over the same period last month and by 1.5% against the similar period last year, of which employees in the State enterprise sector decreased by 1.9%; employees in the non-State enterprise sector grew by 0.5%; and employees in the FDI enterprise sector went up by 2.5%. As of above time-point, the number of employees working in the mining and quarrying sector reduced by 2.4% against the same period last year; the manufacturing sector increased by 1.6%; the electricity generation and distribution put up by 2.1%; the sector of water supply and waste treatment expanded by 2.4%.

+ Industrial Production Index
+ Main industrial products
+ Labor employed index (LEI) for industrial enterprises
+ Labor employed index (LEI) for industrial enterprises by province

3. Business registration situation[2]

Generally for eight months of this year, the whole country had 90.5 thousand enterprises  registered for new establishment with a total registered capital of 1,150.7 trillion dongs, a rise of 3.5% in the number of enterprises and an increase of 31% in the registered capital compared to the same period in 2018. Average registered capital per newly established enterprise reached 12.7 billion dongs, up 26.6%[3]. Total registered capital added to the economy in eight months of 2019 was 2,754.4 trillion dongs, including 1,603.7 trillion dongs of the additional capital of enterprises increasing their capital. In addition, there were 25.5 thousand enterprises returning to operation, a rise of 21.8% over the similar period last year, bringing the total number of newly registered enterprises and re-operated enterprises in eight months to nearly 116 thousand enterprises. Total number of registered employees of the newly established enterprises in eight months of this year was 832.3 thousand persons, a rise of 13.3% against the same period last year.

The number of temporarily ceased enterprises with a certain time in eight months of this year was 20.1 thousand ones, a decrease of 7% against the identical period last year. In eight months of this year, there were 25.7 thousand  enterpriseshas suspended operation waiting for dissolution procedures, of which 11.4 thousand enterprises had their business registration certificates revoked under the 2018 data standardization program, accounting for 44.4%; 8.8 thousand enterprises announced their dissolution, accounting for 34.2%; and 5.5 thousand enterprises were waiting for dissolution procedures, accounting for 21.4%.

The number of enterprises which completed dissolution procedures in eight months of 2019 was 10.6 thousand ones, a rise of 15.5% over the same period last year, of which 9.5 thousand ones had the capital size of less than 10 billion dongs, accounting for 90.3%, an increase of 14%.

+ Number of enterprises registered for new establishment
+ Number of re-operated enterprises by kinds of activity
+ Number of enterprises ceased for a certain period of time by kinds of activity
+ Number of enterprises completed dissolution procedures

4. Investment

Generally, in eight months of this year, total realized investment capital under the State budget achieved 189.2 trillion dongs, equaling 53.1% of the annual plan and increasing by 3.8% against the similar period last year (it equaled 51.8% and increased by 10.7% in the same period in 2018), of which the capital under central management obtained 23.5 trillion dongs, equaling 48.7% of the annual plan and decreasing by 29.4% from the similar period last year; the capital under local management reached 165.7 trillion dongs, equaling 53.8% of the annual plan and increasing by 11.3% compared with the identical period in 2018.

From the beginning of the year to August 20, 2019, FDI attracted 2,406 newly licensed projects with the total registered capital of US$ 9,127.9 million, an increase of 25.4% in the number of projects and 32.3% in the registered capital against the similar period in 2018. In addition, there were 908 turns of license-granted projects from previous years registered to adjust investment capital with the additional capital of US$ 3,989.9 million, a decrease of 28.6% from the same period last year. Thus the total of newly registered capital and additional capital in eight months of this year reached US$ 13,117.8 million, reducing by 31.2% from 2018’s same period. Realized FDI capital in eight months of 2019 was estimated at US$ 12 billion, increasing by 6.3% over the identical period last year.  In eight months, there were 5,235 turns of capital contribution and share purchase of foreign investors with a total contributory value of US$ 9.51 billion, a rise of 80% from the same period in 2018, of which 872 turns of capital contribution and share purchase increased the charter capital of enterprises with the contributed capital of US$ 5.9 billion and 4,363 turns of foreign investors bought back domestic shares without increasing charter capital with the value of US$ 3.61 billion.

Vietnam’s direct investment abroad in eight months of this year had 102 projects newly granted the Outward Investment Registration Certificate with Vietnam’s total investment capital of US$ 339.5 million; 23 projects adjusting the capital with additional capital of US$ 99.5 million. Generally, Vietnam’s total offshore investment capital (including newly granted and additional capital) in eight months of 2019 gained US$ 439 million.

+ Realized investment capital under the State budget in August and 8 months of 2019
+ Licensed FDI projects from January 01 to August 20, 2019

5. Government revenues and expenditures

Total estimated government revenues from the beginning of the year to August 15, 2019 achieved 932.1 trillion dongs, equaling 66% of the annual estimate, of which domestic revenues recorded 751.8 trillion dongs, equaling 64.1%; collecting from crude oil gained 36.3 trillion dongs, equaling 81.3%; from export-import balance obtained 141.2 trillion dongs, equaling 74.6%. In domestic revenues, revenue from State owned enterprises was 101.8 trillion dongs, equaling 57.3% of the yearly estimate; revenue from foreign-invested enterprises (excluding crude oil) was 128 trillion dongs, equaling 59.9%; 149.3 trillion dongs were collected from non-State industrial, commercial and service taxes, equaling 61.8%; personal income tax revenue was 73.2 trillion dongs, equaling 64.7%; 34 trillion dongs were collected from environmental protection tax, equaling 49.3%; land use fees reached 73.6 trillion dongs, equaling 81.7%.

Total government expenditures from the beginning of the year to August 15, 2019 was estimated at 834.9 trillion dongs, equaling 51.1% of the yearly estimate, of which regular expenditures were 607.2 trillion dongs, equaling 60.8%; expenditure on development investment achieved 144.5 trillion dongs, equaling 33.7%; expenditure on interest payment was 71.3 trillion dongs, equaling 57.1%.

6. Trade, prices, transport and tourism

a) Retail sales of consumer goods and services

Generally, in eight months of 2019, total retail sales of consumer goods and services reached 3,215.5 trillion dongs, increasing by 11.5% against the same period last year[4], if excluding the price factor, the growth rate was 9.03% (it increased by 8.98% in the same period in 2018).

By kinds of economic activity, retail sales of goods in eight months gained an estimate of 2,444.8 trillion dongs, accounting for 76% of the total and an increase of 12.5% over the similar period last year. Estimated sales of accommodation and catering services in eight months of this year recorded 385.9 trillion dongs, accounting for 12% of the total and moving up by 9.8% from the same period last year. Sales of travelling in eight months achieved an estimate of 29.7 trillion dongs, representing 0.9% of the total and climbing by 12.1% against the similar period last year. Sales of other services in eight months was estimated at 355.1 trillion dongs, taking 11.1% of the total and expanding by 7% compared to the identical period in 2018.

+ Total retail sales of consumer goods and services in August and 8 months of 2019

b) Exports and imports of goods

Total exports and imports of goods in eight months of 2019 gained an estimate of US$ 336.56 billion with the export turnover of US$ 169.98 billion, an increase of 7.3% over the similar period last year. The growth rate of export turnover of the domestic economic sector in eight months reached 13.9%, higher than the growth rate of the FDI sector (4.6%) and the proportion of this sector tended to increase, accounting for 30.6% of the total export turnover (it was 28.8% in the same period last year). Regarding trade balance in eight months, Vietnam recorded trade surplus of US$ 3.4 billion, of which only in August, trade surplus was US$ 1.7 billion, equivalent to the value of trade surplus in seven months of 2019.

Export of goods

Generally for eight months of 2019, export turnover of goods was estimated at US$ 169.98 billion, a rise of 7.3% over the same period in 2018, of which the domestic economic sector achieved US$ 52.04 billion, moving up by 13.9%, accounting for 30.6% of the total export turnover; the FDI sector (including crude oil) gained US$ 117.94 billion, increasing by 4.6%, accounting for 69.4% of total export turnover (the proportion reduced by 1.8 percentage points from the corresponding period last year).

Regarding merchandize export market in eight months of 2019, the United States was the biggest export market of Vietnam with the turnover of US$ 38.6 billion, up 25.3% over  the same period last year; followed by EU with US$ 27.7 billion, a decrease of 0.5%; China with US$ 23.8 billion, a drop of 2.5%; ASEAN with US$ 17.3 billion, an increase of 3.6%; Japan with US$ 13.4 billion, a rise of 9.9%; and South Korea with US$ 12.6 billion, a growth of 5.3%.

Import of goods

Generally, import turnover of goods in eight months of 2019 reached an estimate of US$ 166.58 billion, moving up by 8.5% from the same period in 2018, of which the domestic economic sector gained US$ 70.43 billion, climbing by 13.9%; the FDI sector achieved US$ 96.15 billion, jumping up by 4.8%.  

About merchandize import market in eight months of 2019, China was still the largest import market of Vietnam with turnover of US$ 49.2 billion, up 18.2% against the corresponding period last year; followed by South Korea with US$ 31 billion, decreasing by 0.3%; ASEAN with US$ 21.6 billion, climbing by 4.6%; Japan with US$ 12.4 billion, moving up by 0.6%; EU with US$ 9.9 billion, growing by 11.8%; the United States with US$ 9.4 billion, going up by 9%.

Generally for eight months of 2019, Vietnam had an estimated trade surplus of US$ 3.4 billion[5] (trade surplus of US$ 4.9 billion in the same period last year), of which the domestic economic sector recorded a trade deficit of US$ 18.4 billion; the FDI sector (including crude oil) saw a trade surplus of US$ 21.8 billion.

+ Exports
+ Imports

c) Consumer price indexes (CPI), gold and US dollar price indexes

Average CPI in eight months of 2019 expanded by 2.57% from the similar period in 2018. CPI in August 2019 increased by 1.87% against December 2018 and by 2.26% from the identical period last year.

Core inflation in August 2019 moved up by 0.13% against the previous month and by 1.95% from the same period last year. Average core inflation in eight months of 2019 increased by 1.9% over the similar period in 2018.

The world’s average gold price as of August 24, 2019 increased by 5.46% compared to July 2019. Domestic gold price index in August 2019 grew by 4.61% against the previous month and by 14.33% from December 2018 and went up by 14.93% from the same period in 2018.

The US dollar price index in August 2019 moved down by 0.17% over the previous month, by 0.38% against December 2018 and by 0.13% compared to the same period last year.

+ Consumer price indexes, gold, US dollar price indexes and core inflation in August 2019

d) Transport of passenger and cargo

Generally, in eight months of 2019, transport of passengers reached 3,356.8 million passengers, a rise of 10.4% over the corresponding period last year and 155.9 billion passengers-km, a rise of 9.8%, of which domestic transport gained 3,344 million passengers, an increase of 10.5% and 120.6 billion passengers-km, an increase of 11.5%; overseas transport achieved 12.8 million passengers, an increase of 4% and 35.3 billion passengers-km, an increase of 4.4%. By type of transport, transport by road achieved 3,172.7 million passengers, a rise of 10.7% against the same period last year and 106.4 billion passengers-km, a rise of 10.5%; transport by inland waterway gained 134.7 million passengers, a growth of 5.7% and 2,634.1 million passengers-km, an increase of 6.9%; transport by seaway reached 5.1 million passengers, 5% increase and 304.1 million passengers-km, 5.5% growth; transport by airway recorded 38.2 million passengers, a rise of 9.5% and 44 billion passengers-km, a rise of 9.3%. Only transport by railway reached 6.1 million passengers, a decline of 4.5% and 2,542.2 million passengers-km, a decrease of 6.1%.

Generally for eight months, the freight reached 1,102.7 million tons, an increase of 8.8% against the similar period last year and 210.5 billion tons-km, going up by 7.4%, of which the domestic freight reached 1,080.5 million tons, an increase of 8.9% and 118 billion tons-km, an increase of 10.6%; oversea freight reached 22.2 million tons, a growth of 3.2% and 92.5 billion tons-km, an increase of 3.6%. By type of freight, freight by road in eight months reached 847.1 million tons, an increase of 10% compared to the identical period last year and 56.7 billion tons-km, a rise of 10.2%; freight by inland waterway reached 198.4 million tons, an increase of 5.3% and 41.5 billion tons-km, an increase of 6%; freight by seaway reached 53.6 million tons, an increase of 5.1% and 109.3 billion tons-km, a rise of 6.9%; freight by airway reached 285.7 thousand tons, a rise of 12.2% and 730.7 million tons-km, an increase of 12.8%; freight by railway reached nearly 3.3 million tons, a decrease of 11.3% and 2.4 billion tons-km, a drop of 9.3%.

+ Carriage of passengers
+ Carriage of cargo

e) International visitors to Vietnam

Generally for eight months of this year, international visitors to Vietnam was estimated at 11,309.2 thousand arrivals, a rise of 8.7% compared to the same period last year, of which visitors coming by airway gained 8,890.7 thousand arrivals, moving up by 5.6%; visitors coming by road gained 2,246.7 thousand arrivals, increasing by 24.9%; visitors coming by seaway achieved 171.8 thousand arrivals, decreasing by 6%.

In eight months, visitors from Asia recorded 8,828.4 thousand arrivals, accounting for 78.1% of the total visitors coming to Vietnam, increasing by 9.9% over the identical period last year. Visitors from the Europe reached 1,478.6 thousand arrivals, a rise of 5.3% from the same period last year. Visitors from the America gained 676 thousand arrivals, increasing by 6.2% over the corresponding period last year. Visitors from the Australia 296 thousand arrivals, moving down by 1.5%. Visitors from the Africa achieved 30.2 thousand arrivals, put up by 8.3% against the same period in 2018.

+ International visitors to Vietnam

7. Social issues

a) Farmers’ food shortage

Generally, in eight months of 2019, there were 66.8 thousand households suffering from food shortage nationwide, down 32.7% from the same period last year, corresponding to over 270 thousand persons suffering from this difficulty, down 31.8%. To overcome this problem, from the beginning of the year, all administrative levels, sectors and organizations from central to local level supported difficult households with over 3.9 thousand tons of rice.

b) Epidemic diseases and food poisoning

Generally for eight months of 2019, the whole country had 145.1 thousand cases of of hemorrhagic fever (18 cases died); 26.9 thousand cases of hand, foot, mouth disease (2 cases died); 385 cases of virus encephalitis (11 cases died); 17 cases of meningococcal disease (1 case died); 32.8 thousand cases of scarlet fever suspected for measles, of which 6.1 thousand cases tested positive for measles (4 cases died); and 1,454 persons suffering from food poisoning (9 persons died).

Total number of living HIV-infected persons over the country as of August 18, 2019 was 209.6 thousand persons and 96.83 thousand cases turned to AIDS. The number of persons died of HIV/AIDS nationwide as of above time-point was 98.38 thousand persons.

c) Traffic accidents

Generally, in eight months of 2019, 11,331 traffic accidents occurred nationwide, including 6,020 cases of traffic accidents from less serious to become and 5,311 cases of traffic collisions, causing 5,096 deaths, 3,242 injuries and 5,345 minor injuries. Compared to the same period last year, the number of traffic accidents in eight months of this year declined by 3.8% (number of traffic accidents of differently serious levels reduced by 1.1%; number of traffic collisions decreased by 6.8%); number of death fell by 5%; number of injuries went down by 0.2% and number of minor injuries dropped by 10.2%. On average, there were 47 traffic accidents occurred nationwide each day in eight months of 2019, including 25 traffic accidents from less serious to become and 22 traffic collisions, causing 21 deaths, 13 injuries and 22 minor injuries.

d) Natural calamity

Generally for 8 months, natural calamity made 75 persons died and lost, 77 persons injured, 685 houses collapsed and swept away, over 19,000 houses damaged and roof ripped-off, 30 thousand ha of rice and 6.8 thousand ha of crops damaged. The total loss in asset caused by natural disasters in eight months was estimated at 2.2 trillion dongs.

e) Environment protection, fire and explosion prevention

Generally, in eight months, 8,118 cases of violating regulations of environment protection were found over the country, of which 7,404 cases were treated with total fine of 79.5 billion dongs.

Generally for eight months, there were 2,720 fire and explosion cases occurring nationwide, causing 71 deaths and 119 injuries, with an estimated damage of about 858 billion dongs.

GENERAL STATISTICS OFFICE

[1] Ninh Thuan is the only locality that has not been hit by African swine fever virus.

[2] Source: National Business Registration Information System, Agency for Business Registration, Ministry of Planning and Investment.

[3] In eight months of 2018, the number of newly registered enterprises increased by 2.4% compared to the same period in the previous year; the registered capital went up by 6.9%; average registered capital per enterprise expanded by 4.3%.

[4] It was lower than the growth rate in eight months of 2018 but higher than the growth rate in eight months of the years 2015-2017. Namely, the growth rate of total retail sales of consumer goods and services in eight months of the years 2015-2019 compared to the same period of the previous year was in turn 10.9%; 9.9%; 10.4%; 12.1%; and 11.5%.

[5] Of which, trade surplus with EU was US$ 17.8 billion, down 6.3% from the same period last year; trade deficit with China was US$ 25.4 billion, up 47.5%; trade deficit with South Korea was US$ 18.4 billion, down 3.8%; trade deficit with ASEAN was US$ 4.3 billion, up 8.6%.