SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION IN THE FIRST TWO MONTH OF 2019

1. Production of agriculture, forestry and fishery

a) Agriculture

As of mid-February, the whole country cultivated 2765.9 thousand hectares (ha) of winter-spring rice, an increase of 3.2% (corresponding to 86.5 thousand ha) from the same period last year.

Together with the cultivation of winter-spring rice, as of mid-February, localities over the country cultivated 198.9 thousand hectares of maize, equaling 94.8% of the cultivated maize area in the similar period last year; 44.9 thousand ha of sweet potato, equaling 99.8% of the planted sweet potato area in the same period last year; 10.7 thousand ha of soya, equaling 103.9% of the planted soya area in the same period last year; 60.9 thousand ha of peanut, equaling 105.4% of the planted peanut area in the same period last year; 391.9 thousand ha of vegetables, equaling 101.6% of the planted vegetables area in the same period last year.

Estimated in February, the whole country’s cattle population increased by 2.9% compared to the identical period last year; pig population grew by 3%; poultry population put up by 6%; buffalo population reduced by 2.8%.

+ Agricultural production as of February 15, 2019

b) Forestry

Generally, in the first two month of 2019,  the concentrated planted forest area was estimated to reach 14.7 thousand ha, a decline of 2.5% compared to the same period last year; the number of separate planted trees gained 6.5 million trees, a growth of 0.3%; wood production achieved 1.7 million m3, a rise of 0.3%; firewood production gained 2.7 million steres, a decrease of 3.2% from the similar period last year.

Generally, in the first two months of this year, the whole country’s damaged forest area was 45.6 ha, a decrease of 43.6% against the same period in 2018, of which the burnt forest area was 4.4 ha, a decline of 74.7%; the destroyed forest area was 41.2 ha, a decrease of 34.9%.

c) Fishery

In general, in the first two months of 2019, estimated fishing production reached 988.3 thousand tons, increasing by 4.6% from the corresponding period last year, of which the ouput of aquaculture gained 464.7 thousand tons, a growth of 3.9%; the production of fishery caught achieved 523.6 thousand tons, a rise of 5.3% (the production of sea catching reached 494.9 thousand tons, up 5.7%).

2. Industry

Generally, in the first two months of 2019, Index of industrial production (IIP) was estimated to increase by 9.2% from the same period last year, lower than the growth rate of 13.7% in the similar period in 2018[1].

The number of employees working in industrial enterprises as of February 01, 2019 climbed by 2.3% over the same period last year, of which employees in the State enterprise sector decreased by 0.3%; employees in the non-State enterprise sector grew by 2.3%; and employees in the FDI enterprise sector went up by 2.7%.

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

3. Business registration situation[2]

In general, in the first two months of this year, the whole country had 15,979 enterprises  registered for new establishment with a total registered capital of 247.4 trillion dongs, a decline of 14.6% in the number of enterprise and an increase of 25.4% in the registered capital compared with the same period in 2018[3]. On average, registered capital per newly established enterprise reached 15.5 billion dongs, up 46.7%. Total registered capital added to the economy in two months was 778.6 trillion dongs, including 531.2 trillion dongs of enterprises increasing their capital. In addition, there were 10,191 enterprises returning to operation, a rise of 48.2% over the similar period last year, bringing the total number of newly registered enterprises and re-operated enterprises to nearly 26.2 thousand enterprises. Total number of registered employees of the newly established enterprises in the first two months of 2019 was 164 thousand persons, a rise of 4.8% against the same period in 2018.

The number of newly established enterprises in the first two months of the year in all economic regions moved down compared to the similar period last year. The number of temporarily ceased enterprises with a certain time in the first two months of this year was 13,519 ones, an increase of 20.8% against the identical period last year. In the first two months of this year, 13,692 enterprises suspended operation waiting for dissolution procedures, of which 7843 enterprises have their business registration certificates revoked under the 2018 data standardization program to eliminate the enterprises which were established previously but in fact no longer operated.

The number of enterprises which completed the dissolution procedures in the first two months of 2019 was 3,156 ones, an increase of 24.8% over the same period last year, of which 2,907 enterprises had capital size of less than 10 billion dongs (accounting for 92.1% of total enterprises completed the dissolution procedures), increasing by 25.3%.

+ 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, realized investment capital under the State budget in the first two months of this year reached 30,220 billion dongs, equaling 9.1% of the annual plan and increasing by 0.1% against the same period last year (it equaled 8.6% of the yearly plan and grew by 10.1% in 2018’s same period), of which the capital under central management obtained 4,092 billion dongs, equaling 8.8% of the annual plan and decreasing by 29.8% from the identical period last year; the capital under local management achieved 26,128 billion dongs, equaling 9.2% of the annual plan and increasing by 7.3% compared with the same period in 2018.

From the beginning of the year to February 20, 2019, FDI attracted 514 newly licensed projects with the total registered capital of US$ 2,444.9 million, an increase of 25.1% in the number of projects and 75.7% in the registered capital against the similar period in 2018. Besides, there were 176 turns of license-granted projects from previous years registered to adjust investment capital with the additional capital of US$ 854.8 million, a rise of 22.1% from the same period last year. Therefore, the total of newly registered capital and additional capital in the first two months of the year reached US$ 3,299.7 million, increasing by 57.8% from 2018’s same period. Realized FDI capital in the first two months of this year was estimated at US$ 2,580 million, increasing by 9.8% over the identical period in 2018.  In two months, there were 1,039 turns of capital contribution and share purchase of foreign investors with a total contributory value of US$ 5.17 billion[4], 4.1 times as high as that in the same period in 2018, of which 585 turns of capital contribution and share purchase increased the charter capital of enterprises with the contributed capital of US$ 4.78 billion and 454 turns of foreign investors bought back domestic shares without increasing charter capital with the value of US$ 0.39 billion.

In the first two months of the year, 35 provinces and centrally-run cities nationwide received newly licensed foreign direct investment projects from 38 countries and territories.

Vietnam’s direct investment abroad in the first two months of this year had 5 projects newly granted the Outward Investment Registration Certificate with Vietnam’s total investment capital of US$ 6.05 million; 01 projects adjusting the capital with additional capital of US$ 200 thousand. Generally, Vietnam’s total offshore investment capital (including newly granted and additional capital) in the first two months of 2019 gained US$ 6.25 million.

+ Realized investment capital under the State budget in February and 2 months of 2019
+ Licensed FDI projects from January 01 to February 20, 2019

5. Trade, prices, transport and tourism

a) Retail sales of consumer goods and services

Generally, in the first two months of the year, total estimated retail sales of consumer goods and services reached 793.8 trillion dongs, increasing by 12.2% against the same period last year, if excluding the price factor, the growth rate was 9.28% (it increased by 9.25% in the same period in 2018).

By kinds of economic activity, retail sales of goods in the first two months of this year gained an estimate of 613.4 trillion dongs, accounting for 77.3% of the total and increasing by 14.4% over the similar period last year. Estimated sales of accommodation and catering services in the first two months of the year recorded 90.2 trillion dongs, accounting for 11.4% of the total and moving up by 5.7% from the same period last year. Sales of travelling in the first two months of this year achieved an estimate of 8 trillion dongs, representing 1% of the total and climbing by 7.8% against the similar period last year. Sales of other services in the first two months of the year were estimated at 82.2 trillion dongs, taking 10.3% of the total and expanding by 4.9% compared to the identical period in 2018.

+ Total retail sales of consumer goods and services

b) Exports and imports of goods

Generally, in the first two months of 2019, export turnover of goods was estimated at US$ 36.68 billion, a rise of 5.9% over the same period in 2018, of which the domestic economic sector achieved US$ 10.72 billion, moving up by 9.9%; the FDI sector (including crude oil) gained US$ 25.96 billion (accounting for 70.8% of total export turnover), increasing by 4.3%.

Regarding mechandize export market in two months, the United States was the largest export market of Vietnam with the turnover of US$ 8.1 billion, up 34.4% over  the same period last year; followed by EU with US$ 6.3 billion, an increase of 1.2%; China with US$ 5.1 billion, a decline of 9.3%; ASEAN with US$ 3.8 billion, an increase of 3.5%; Japan with US$ 3.2 billion, a growth of 17.3%; South Korea with US$ 3.1 billion, a growth of 10.1%.

In general, import turnover of goods in two months reached an estimate of US$ 36.76 billion, a rise of 7.5% against the similar period last year, of which the domestic economic sector gained US$ 15.29 billion, up 11%; the FDI sector achieved US$ 21.47 billion, up 5.1%.

About machandize import market in the first two months of this year, China was still the largest import market of Vietnam with turnover of US$ 10.7 billion, up 17% against the corresponding period in 2018; followed by South Korea with US$ 7.4 billion, decreasing by 2.1%; ASEAN with US$ 4.7 billion, climbing by 1.4%; Japan with US$ 2.6 billion, moving down by 6.7%; EU with US$ 2.2 billion, growing by 15.9%; the United States with US$ 1.9 billion, going up by 14.6%.

Generally, in the first two months of the year, trade deficit was US$ 84 million[5], of which the domestic economic sector recorded a trade deficit of US$ 4.57 billion; the FDI sector (including crude oil) recorded a trade surplus of US$ 4.49 billion.

+ Exports
+ Imports

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

Average CPI in the first two months of 2019 increased by 2.6% compared to the similar period in 2018. CPI in February 2019 grew by 0.9% over December 2018 and by 2.64% from the same period in 2018.

The average core inflation in the first two months of this year rose by 1.82% over the same period in 2018.

Gold price index fell by 0.16% from the same period in 2018. The US dollar price index increased by 2.24% compared to the same period in 2018.

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

d) Transport of passenger and cargo

Generally, transport of passenger in the first two months of 2019 reached 822.6 million passengers, a rise of 10.2% over the corresponding period last year and 36.9 billion passengers-km, a rise of 10.5%, of which domestic transport gained 819.7 million passengers, an increase of 10.2% and 28.9 billion passengers-km, an increase of 12.3%; overseas transport achieved 2.9 million passengers, an increase of 4.3% and 7.9 billion passengers-km, an increase of 4.6%. Transport by road achieved 776.3 million passengers, a rise of 10.4% against the same period last year and 25.9 billion passengers-km, a rise of 10.2%; transport by inland waterway gained 35.2 million passengers, a growth of 6% and 669.4 million passengers-km, an increase of 7.7%; transport by seaway reached 1.3 million passengers, 8.9% increase and 80.3 million passengers-km, 7.2% growth; transport by airway recorded 8.2 million passengers, a rise of 10.6% and 9.4 billion passengers-km, a rise of 11.5%. Transport by railway reached 1.6 million passengers, a rise of 2.9% and 791.8 million passengers-km, a growth of 13.4%.

The freight in two months reached 277.8 million tons, an increase of 8.7% against the similar period last year and 52.5 billion tons-km, going up by 6.4%, of which the domestic freight reached 272.3 million tons, an increase of 8.9% and 29.9 billion tons-km, an increase of 11.6%; oversea freight reached 5.5 million tons, a decline of 1.3% and 22.6 billion tons-km, an increase of 0.3%. By type of freight, freight by road reached 214.6 million tons, an increase of 9.2% compared to the identical period last year and 14.4 billion tons-km, a rise of 9%; freight by inland waterway reached 49.1 million tons, an increase of 7.5% and 10.4 billion tons-km, an increase of 6.4%; freight by seaway reached 13.4 million tons, an increase of 7.5% and 27.2 billion tons-km, a rise of 5.8%; freight by railway reached 650.3 thousand tons, a decrease of 21.5% and 407.9 million tons-km, a drop of 26.6%; only freight by airway reached 63.5 thousand tons, a rise of 7.9% and 159.1 million tons-km, an increase of 10.5%.

+ Carriage of passengers and cargos

e) International visitors to Vietnam

International visitors to Vietnam in the first two months of 2019 was estimated at 3,089.9 thousand arrivals, a rise of 8% compared to the same period last year, of which visitors coming by airway gained 2,423.3 thousand arrivals, moving up by 5.5%; visitors coming by road gained 611.7 thousand arrivals, rising by 29.5%; visitors coming by seaway achieved 54.9 thousand arrivals, decreasing by 40.7%.

In two months, visitors from Asia reached 2,323 thousand arrivals, accounting for 75.2% of total visitors to Vietnam, increasing by 9.4% over the identical period last year. Visitors from the Europe reached an estimate of 461.5 thousand arrivals, a rise of 4.6% from the same period last year. Visitors from the America reached 208.6 thousand arrivals, increasing by 4.6% over the corresponding period last year. Visitors from the Australia gained 88.5 thousand arrivals, decreasing by 2%. Visitors from the Africa achieved 8.4 thousand arrivals, moving up by 6.6% over the same period in 2018.

+ International visitors to Vietnam

6. Social issues

a) Population’s living standard and social security

Generally, in the first two months of this year, there were 26.8 thousand households suffering from food shortage over the country, down 33.1% from the same period last year, corresponding to 98.3 thousand persons suffering from this problem, down 34%. To overcome this problem, all administrative levels, sectors and organizations from central to local level supported difficult households with 1.7 thousand tons of rice.

According to the preliminary report, funding for the poor and social protection beneficiaries in the occasion of Tet holiday was about 2,347 billion dongs. In addition, the Red Cross Association at all levels mobilized 1,052 billion dongs with 3,297 thousand gifts given to poor households to celebrate Tet.

b) Epidemic diseases and food poisoning

Generally, in the first two months of 2019, the whole country had over 5.9 thousand cases of hand, foot, mouth disease (1 case died); 26.2 thousand cases of hemorrhagic fever (1 case died); 54 cases of virus encephalitis; 1 case of meningococcal disease and 148 persons suffering from food poisoning (3 persons died).

Total number of alive HIV-infected persons over the country as of February 18, 2019 was 208.97 thousand persons and 95.56 thousand cases turned to AIDS. The number of persons died of HIV/AIDS nationwide as of above time-point was 98.2 thousand persons.

c) Traffic accidents

Generally, in the first two months of 2019, 2,822 traffic accidents occurred nationwide, including 1,529 cases of traffic accidents from less serious to become and 1,293 cases of traffic collisions, causing 1,356 deaths, 814 injuries and 1,355 minor injuries. Compared to the same period last year, the number of traffic accidents in the first two months of 2019 declined by 15.6% (number of traffic accidents of differently serious levels reduced by 8.8%; number of traffic collisions decreased by 22.5%); number of death fell by 10%; number of injuries went up by 4.4% and number of minor injuries moved down by 22%. On average, 46 traffic accidents occurred nationwide each day in two months, including 25 traffic accidents from less serious to become and 21 traffic collisions, causing 22 deaths and 13 injuries and 22 minor injuries.

d) Damages caused by natural calamity, environment protection, fire and explosion prevention

Natural calamity occurring in the first two months of 2019 made 5 persons died, 9 persons injured, 4.5 thousand ha of rice and crops damaged, 1.7 thousand heads of cattle, poultry died, 144 houses completely collapsed; 3.5 thousand houses roof ripped-off and damaged. The total loss caused by natural disasters in two months was estimated at over 53 billion dongs.

Generally, in the first two months of this year, 1,179 cases of violating regulations of environment protection were found over the country, of which 1,011 cases were treated with total fine of 15.8 billion dongs. In two months, the whole country had 668 fire and explosion cases, causing 20 deaths and 38 injuries, with an estimated damage of nearly 104 billion dongs.

GENERAL STATISTICS OFFICE

[1] In the first two months of 2018, the mining and quarrying increased by 2.9% from the same period in the previous year; the manufacturing grew by 16%; the generation and distribution of electricity had a rise of 12.4%; the water supply and waste treatment moved up by 6.9%.

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

[3] In the first two months of 2018, the number of newly established enterprises climbed by 29.4% compared to the same period in the previous year; the registered capital went up by 29.3%; registered capital per enterprise reduced by 0.1%.

[4] In which, the project of capital contribution and share purchase of Hong Kong Beer Company Limited into Vietnam Beverage Company Limited in Hanoi had contributory value of US$ 3.85 billion with the main goal of manufacturing beer and malt for beer brewing.

[5] Of which, in two months, trade deficit with China was US$ 5.6 billion, a rise of 59.2% against the same period last year; the trade deficit with South Korea was US$ 4.3 billion, a reduce of 9.3%; trade deficit with ASEAN was US$ 943 million, a decrease of 6.3%; trade surplus with EU was US$ 4.1 billion, a decline of 5.2%.