SOCIO-ECONOMIC SITUATION IN EIGHT MONTHS OF 2020

1. Agriculture, forestry and fishery

a) Agriculture

As of August 15, 1,447.2 thousand hectares of winter rice were cultivated, equaling 99% of that area in the same period last year, of which localities in the North gained 1,047.2 thousand ha, equaling 98.5%; localities in the South reached 400 thousand ha, equaling 100.3%.

1,945.4 thousand hectares were cultivated for the summer-autumn rice crop this year, down 64.1 thousand hectares compared to the last same crop due to the effects of drought and saline intrusion. As of mid-August, the country harvested 942.4 thousand hectares of summer-autumn rice, accounting for 48.4% of the cultivated area and equaling 88.8% of the harvested area in the same period last year. According to reports by localities, this year there was a bumper crop of summer-autumn rice with an estimated productivity of 5,530 kilograms per hectare, an increase of 80 kilograms per hectare compared to the summer-autumn crop in 2019, but due to the decrease in cultivated area, the whole crop’s production was estimated at 10.76 million tons, down 184.8 thousand tons.

As of August 15, provinces over the country cultivated 833.6 thousand hectares of maize, equaling 97.4% of the recorded figure in the same period last year; 94.1 thousand ha of sweet potato, equaling 93.2%; 153.4 thousand ha of peanut, equaling 96.8%; 37.1 thousand ha of soya bean, equaling 92.8%; 914.5 thousand ha of vegetables and beans, equaling 98.5%.

Estimated in August, the whole country’s buffalo population reduced by 2% compared to the same period in 2019; cattle population increased by 3%; pig population saw a drop of 4%; poultry population witnesed a 4.5% growth.
    
+ Agricultural production as of August 15, 2020
+ Realized investment capital under the State budget in August and 8 months of 2020

b) Forestry

Generally for eight months, the area of newly concentrated planted forest was estimated at 136.5 thousand hectares, decreasing by 3.8% from the same period last year. The number of separate planted forestry trees gained 58.5 million trees, a decline of 0.8%; wood production achieved 10,049 thousand m3, a rise of 1.6%; and 12.9 million steres of firewood was recorded, a reduction of 0.2%.

In general, in eight months of 2020, there were 1,881.1 hectares of damaged forest over the country, down 15.4% over the same period last year, of which burnt area was 1,362.9 ha, down 23.8%; destroyed area was 518.3 hectares, up 19%.

c) Fishery

Generally, in eight months of 2020, fishing production was estimated at 5,385.1 thousand tons, increasing by 1.5% from the corresponding period last year, of which the output of aquaculture was 2,815.4 thousand tons, recording a rise of 1.2%; the production of fishery caught witnessed an increase of 1.8% with 2,569.7 thousand tons (sea catching reached 2,455.6 thousand tons, up 1.9%).

2. Industry

Index of industrial production (IIP) in August 2020 was estimated to increase by 3.5% over the previous month and drop by 0.6% against the similar period last year. Generally for eight months of 2020, IIP was estimated to expand by 2.2% compared to the similar period last year, much lower than the growth rate of 9.5% of the same period in 2019.

The number of laborers working in industrial enterprises as of August 01, 2020 showed a rise of 1.2% over the same period last month and a drop of 2.9% against the similar period last year, of which laborers in the State enterprise sector fell by 1.7%; laborers in the non-State enterprise sector moved down by 3.5%; laborers in FDI enterprise sector saw a drop of 2.8%.

+ 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[1]

Generally, there were 88.7 thousand newly established enterprises over the country in eight months with a registered capital of VND 1,225.2 trillion and 694.9 thousand registered laborers, decreasing by 2% in the number of enterprises, increasing by 6.5% in the amount of registered capital and falling by 16.5% in the number of laborers compared to the same period last year. The average registered capital per new enterprise in eight months was VND 13.8 billion, a rise of 8.7% against the same period last year. The total registered capital added to the economy in eight months of this year was VND 3,218.4 trillion, including VND 1,993.2 trillion of the additional capital of 26.1 thousand enterprises registering to increase capital, moving up by 16.8% from the same period last year. In addition, there were nearly 32.6 thousand enterprises resumed operation, increasing by 27.9% over the similar period in 2019, bringing the total number of newly registered enterprises and re-operated enterprises in eight months to 121.3 thousand ones, a rise of 4.5% against the similar period last year. On average, there were 15.2 thousand newly established enterprises and resumed ones each month.

In eight months, the number of enterprises suspending operation for a definite time was nearly 34.3 thousand ones, increasing by 70.8% compared to the similar period last year; the number of enterprises ceased operation waiting for dissolution procedures was 24.2 thousand ones, a decline of 5.9%; 10.4 thousand enterprises completed dissolution procedures, showing a decline of 1.9% compared to the similar period last year, of which 9.2 thousand enterprises had the capital size of less than VND 10 billion, down 3.8%; 168 ones had the capital size of more than VND 100 billion, up 11.3%. In eight months, there were 30.6 thousand enterprises not operating at the registered address, up 39.3% over the same period last year.

+ Some indicators on enterprises
+ Number of newly registered enterperises (*)
+ Number of re-operated enterprises
+ Number of enterprises suspending for a definite time
+ Number of enterprises completed dissolution procedures

4. Investment

Generally for eight months of 2020, total realized investment capital under the State budget reached VND 250.5 trillion, equaling 50.7% of the annual plan and increasing by 30.4% compared to the corresponding period last year (it equaled 50.1% of the yearly plan and  grew by 5.4% in the same period of 2019), of which the capital under central management recorded VND 41.2 trillion, equaling 48.7% of the annual plan and going up by 65.1% from the similar period last year; the capital under local management gained VND 209.3 trillion, equaling 51.1% of the annual plan and climbing by 25.2% over the identical period last year.

The total inward foreign direct investment (FDI) of Viet Nam as of August 20, 2020, including the total newly registered capital, adjustment registered capital and capital contribution, purchasing shares by foreign investors reached US$ 19.5 billion, down 13.7% compared to the same period last year. In particular, there were 1,797 newly licensed projects with a total registered capital of US$ 9.7 billion, a decline of 25.3% in the number of projects and a rise of 6.6% in the amount of registered capital against the similar period last year. In addition, there were 718 turns of license-granted projects from previous years registered to adjust investment capital with additional capital of US$ 4.9 billion, increasing by 22.2%; 4,804 turns of capital contribution and share purchase of foreign investors with the total contributed capital of US$ 4.9 billion, falling by 48.2%, of which there were 1,137 turns of capital contribution, share purchase increasing the charter capital of enterprises with the contributed capital of US$ 1.8 billion and 3,667 turns of foreign investors buying domestic shares back without increasing charter capital with contributed capital of US$ 3.1 billion. The realized FDI in eight months of 2020 was estimated at US$ 11.4 billion, down 5.1% against the similar period last year, of which the manufacturing recorded nearly US$ 8.1 billion, accounting for 71.1% of the total realized FDI capital.

Regarding Vietnam’s direct investment abroad in eight months, there were 86 projects newly granted the Outward Investment Registration Certificate with Vietnam’s total investment capital of US$ 218.4 million; 25 turns of projects adjusting the capital with additional capital of US$ 111.8 million. Generally, Vietnam’s total offshore investment capital (including newly granted and additional capital) in eight months gained US$ 330.2 million, increasing by 15.8% over the same period last year.

+ Licensed FDI projects from January 01 to August 20, 2020

5. Government revenues and expenditures

Total estimated government revenues from the beginning of the year to August 15, 2020 achieved VND 812.2 trillion, equaling 53.7% of the annual estimate, of which domestic revenues recorded VND 674.4 trillion, equaling 53.3%; collecting from crude oil gained VND 24.2 trillion, equaling 68.8%; from export-import balance obtained VND 112.8 trillion, equaling 54.2%. In domestic revenues, revenues from State owned enterprises was VND 80.5 trillion, equaling 45.3% of the yearly estimate; revenues from foreign-invested enterprises (excluding crude oil) was VND 114.3 trillion, equaling 50%; VND 118.9 trillion were collected from non-State industrial, commercial and service taxes, equaling 43.9%; personal income tax revenue was VND 77.1 trillion, equaling 59.9%; VND 35.1 trillion were collected from environmental protection tax, equaling 52%; collecting from land use fees reached VND 83.3 trillion, equaling 86.8%.

Total government expenditures from the beginning of the year to August 15, 2020 was estimated at VND 918.2 trillion, equaling 52.6% of the yearly estimate, of which regular expenditures were VND 633.2 trillion, equaling 59.9%; expenditure on development investment achieved VND 208.7 trillion, equaling 44.3%; VND 70.4 trillion were spent on interest payment, equaling 59.6%.

6. Trade, prices, transport and tourism

a) Retail sales of consumer goods and services

Generally, in eight months of 2020, total retail sales of consumer goods and services in eight months of 2020 reached VND 3,225.1 trillion, down 0.02% over the same period last year, if excluding the price factor, it decreased by 4.5% (it expanded by 9.5% in the similar period of 2019). By kinds of economic activity, retail sales of goods in eight months gained VND 2,553.6 trillion, accounting for 79.2% of the total and going up by 4% over the similar period last year. Estimated sales of accommodation and catering services in eight months of this year recorded VND 322.5 trillion, taking 10% of the total and falling by 16.4% compared to the similar period last year (the corresponding period in 2019 witnessed a growth of 9.8%). Sales of travelling in eight months achieved an estimate of VND 13.1 trillion, accounting for 0.4% of the total and dropping by 54.4 % in comparison with that in the same period last year. Sales of other services in eight months were estimated at VND 335.9 trillion, representing 10.4% of the total and moving down by 5.7% against the similar period in 2019.
 
+ Total retail sales of consumer goods and services
 
b) Merchandize exports and imports [2]

Exports

Generally for eight months of 2020, export turnover of goods was estimated at US$ 174.11 billion, a rise of 1.6% from the same period last year, of which the domestic economic sector continued to be a highlight with an export turnover of US$ 60.80 billion, jumping up by 15.3%; the FDI sector (including crude oil) gained US$ 113.31 billion (accounting for 65.1% of total export turnover), decreasing by 4.5%.

Regarding the commodity structure of exports in eight months, the group of heavy industrial products and minerals was estimated at US$ 92.25 billion, up 4.6% over the same period last year, accounting for 53% of total merchandise export turnover (up 1.5 percentage points compared to the same period in 2019). The group of light industrial and handicraft products was estimated at US$ 63.21 billion, down 1% and taking 36.3% (down 1 percentage point). The group of agricultural and forest products reached US$ 13.45 billion, decreasing by 2.6% and representing 7.7% (down 0.3 percentage point). The group of fishery products gained US$ 5.20 billion, dropping by 5.3% and making up 3% (down 0.2 percentage point).

In terms of merchandize export market, the United States was the biggest export market of Vietnam in eight months of 2020 with the turnover of US$ 46.7 billion, going up by 19% over  the same period last year; followed by China with US$ 27 billion, up 13%; EU with US$ 22.9 billion, down 4%; ASEAN with US$ 15 billion, down 13.6%; South Korea with US$ 12.6 billion, down 1.5%; and Japan with US$ 12.5 billion, down 6.1%.

Imports

Generally, import turnover of goods in eight months of 2020 reached an estimate of US$ 162.21 billion, witnessing a drop of 2.2% from the same period last year, of which the domestic economic sector gained US$ 72.05 billion, increasing by 2.9%; the FDI sector achieved US$ 90.16 billion, falling by 6.0%.

About the commodity structure of imports in eight months of 2020, the group of capital goods was estimated at US$ 151.66 billion, decreasing by 1.7% compared to the same period last year and accounting for 93.5% of total import turnover; the group of consumer goods reached an estimate of US$ 10.55 billion, dropping by 9.2% and accounting for 6.5%.

Regarding merchandize import market in eight months, China was the largest import market of Vietnam with estimated turnover of US$ 49.3 billion, increasing by 0.7% against the corresponding period last year; followed by South Korea with US$ 28.7 billion, dropping by 8.3%; ASEAN with US$ 19.4 billion, falling by 9.2%; Japan with US$ 12.8 billion, moving up by 3.2%; the United States with US$ 9.4 billion, recording a decline of 0.1%; EU with US$ 8.3 billion, seeing a rise of 4.7%.

Overall, in eight months of 2020, Vietnam reported estimated trade surplus of US$ 11.9 billion[3], of which the domestic economic sector recorded trade deficit of US$ 11.2 billion; the FDI sector (including crude oil) had trade surplus of US$ 23.1 billion.

+ Exports
+ Imports

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

CPI in August 2020 witnessed a decline of 0.12% compared to December 2019 and a rise of 3.18% compared to the same period last year. Average CPI for 8 months of 2020 increased by 3.96% over the same period in 2019.

Core inflation in August 2020 saw a reduction of 0.01% from the previous month and a growth of 2.16% against the identical period last year. Average core inflation for eight months of 2020 climbed by 2.66% compared to the corresponding period in 2019.

Gold price index in August 2020 expanded by 9.86% from the previous month, by 32.81% over December 2019 and by 35.02% against the same period last year. US dollar price index in August 2020 recorded a 0.07% decrease from the previous month, a 0.16% growth against December 2019 and a drop of 0.23% compared to the same period last year.

+ Consumer price indexes, gold, US dollar price indexes and core inflation in August 2020

d) Transport of passengers and cargos

Generally for eight months, transport of passengers 2,343.6 million passengers, a decrease of 29.3% over the corresponding period last year (it increased by 10.4% in the same period in 2019) and 109.5 billion passengers-km, a decline of 33.4% (the similar period last year recorded a growth rate of 9.8%), of which domestic transport gained 2,340.8 million passengers, down 29.1% and 99.8 billion passengers-km, down 23.7%; overseas transport achieved 2.7 million passengers, decreasing by 75.5% and 9.7 billion passengers-km, moving down by 71.2%. By types of transport, all transport sectors went down due to the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, of which transport by road in eight months recorded 2,181.5 million passengers, moving down by 30.1% from the same period last year and 79.5 billion passengers-km, falling by 25.6%; transport by inland waterway gained 130.8 million passengers, reducing by 8.7% and nearly 2.7 billion passengers-km, decreasing by 9.7%; transport by airway recorded 24.2 million passengers, showing a decline of 35.1% and 25.8 billion passengers-km, recording a drop of 49.9%; transport by seaway reached 4.4 million passengers, falling by 24.1% and 218.4 million passengers-km, going down by 23.8%; transport by railway recorded 2.7 million passengers, down 54.8% and 1.2 billion passengers-km, down 52.1%.

Generally, the freight in eight months of 2020 reached 1,100.1 million tons, down 7.3% against the similar period last year (it moved up by 8.8% in the same period in 2019) and 213.7 billion tons-km, down 8.3% (the identical period last year witnessed a 7.4% growth), of which the domestic freight recorded 1,075.8 million tons, seeing a decline of 7.4% and 108.1 billion tons-km, a reduction of 14.8%; oversea freight reached 24.3 million tons, decreasing by 4.7% and 105.6 billion tons-km, dropping by 0.5%. By types of freight, freight by road in eight months reached 840.5 million tons, witnessing a fall of 8.7% compared to the identical period last year and 57.6 billion tons-km, a drop of 13.7%; freight by inland waterway gained 204.7 million tons, down 1.5% and 42.3 billion tons-km, down 6.1%; freight by seaway recorded 51.4 million tons, decreasing by 5.6% and 108.7 billion tons-km, moving down by 4.4%; freight by railway reached 3.3 million tons, showing a decrease of 2.1% and 2.4 billion tons-km, a decline of 1.1%; freight by airway reached 182.5 thousand tons, down 36.1% and 2.8 billion tons-km, down 46.3%.

+ Carriage of passengers
+ Carriage of cargos

e) International visitors to Vietnam

International visitors to Vietnam in eight months of this year was estimated at 3,774.7 thousand arrivals, moving down by 66.6% compared to the same period last year, of which visitors coming by airway gained 3,049.8 thousand arrivals, accounting for 80.8% of the number of international visitors to Vietnam, dropping by 65.7% from the similar period last year; visitors coming by road recorded 580.5 thousand arrivals, accounting for 15.4%  and going down by 74.2%; visitors coming by seaway witnessed a decline of 15.9% with 144.4 thousand arrivals, accounting for 3.8%.

In eight months of this year, visitors coming from Asia recorded 2,757.7 thousand arrivals, accounting for 73.1% of total international visitors to Vietnam, decreasing by 68.8% over the identical period last year. Visitors from Europe in eight months reached an estimate of 667.6 thousand arrivals, down 54.8% from the same period last year. Visitors from America were estmated at 234.8 thousand arrivals, down 65.3% over the corresponding period last year. Visitors from Australia achieved 102.4 thousand arrivals, dropping by 65.4%. Visitors from Africa reached 12.2 thousand arrivals, reducing by 59.8% over the same period in 2019.

+ International visitors to Vietnam

7. Social issues

a) Farmers’ food shortage

Generally for eight months of this year, the whole country recorded 16.5 thousand households suffering from food shortage, corresponding to 66.5 thousand people suffering from this difficulty, a decrease of 75.3% in turns of households and a reduction of 75.4% in the number of people compared to the same period last year. To overcome this problem, from the beginning of the year, all administrative levels, sectors and organizations from the central to local supported difficult households with 733.6 tons of rice.

b) Epidemic diseases and food poisoning

Overall, in eight months of 2020, the whole country had 48.5 thousand cases of hemorrhagic fever (3 cases died); 21,862 cases of hand, foot, mouth disease; 375 cases of virus encephalitis (9 deaths); 9 cases of meningococcal disease; and  2,798 cases of scarlet fever suspected for measles, of which 241 cases were positive for measles; 199 cases were positive for diphtheria (4 deaths)[4].

The Covid-19 pandemic continues to develop complicatedly[5]. In Vietnam, the Covid-19 is still complicated but under control, as of 6 a.m. on August 27, 2020, 1,034 cases have been reported, 632 cases have been cured, and 29 deaths were recorded.

Total number of alive HIV-infected persons over the country as of August 18, 2020 was 210,659 persons and 97,049 cases turned to AIDS. The number of persons died of HIV/AIDS as of above time-point was 98,977 persons.

Generally for eight months of 2020, the whole country recorded 57 cases of food poisoning with 1,574 poisoned persons (19 deaths).

c) Traffic accidents

Generally for 8 months of 2020, 9,170 traffic accidents occurred nationwide, including 5,272 cases of traffic accidents from less serious to become and 3,898 cases of traffic collisions, causing 4,342 deaths, 2,750 injuries and 3,977 minor injuries. Compared to the same period last year, the number of traffic accidents in eight months of 2020 declined by 19.1% (number of traffic accidents of differently serious levels reduced by 12.4%; number of traffic collisions decreased by 26.6%); number of deaths fell by 14.8%; number of injuries went down by 15.2% and number of minor injuries dropped by 25.6%. On average, there were 38 traffic accidents occurred nationwide each day in eight months of 2020, including 22 traffic accidents from less serious to become and 16 traffic collisions, causing 18 deaths, 11 injuries and 16 minor injuries.

d) Damages caused by natural calamity

Generally for eight months of 2020, natural calamity made 68 persons died and lost, 164 others injured, 137 thousand hectares of rice and 63.5 thousand hectares of crops damaged, 1,693 houses collapsed, nearly 72.2 thousand houses damaged. The total loss in asset caused by natural disasters was estimated at more than VND 6.7 trillion.

e) Environmental pollution, fire and explosion

Generally, eight months of this year found 7,650 cases of violating regulations of environment protection over the country, of which 6,943 cases were treated with total fine of VND 115.3 billion.

Generally, there were 2,064  fire and explosion cases occuring over the country in eight months, causing 61 deaths and 129 injuries, with an estimated damage of VND 392.3 billion.

GENERAL STATISTICS OFFICE

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

[2] The data for August 2020 was estimated by the inter-sectoral group including the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the State Bank, the General Department of Vietnam Customs - the Ministry of Finance and the General Statistics Office basing on export-import turnover data as of August 27, 2020 collected by the General Department of Vietnam Customs combined with market information, proportion and trend of exports and imports of commodities.

[3] Of which, Vietnam’s trade surplus with EU gained US$ 13.4 billion, down 9.4% from the same period last year; trade deficit with China was US$ 22.3 billion, down 11.1%; trade deficit with South Korea recorded US$ 16.1 billion, down 13.0%; trade deficit with ASEAN was US$ 4.4 billion, up 9.8%.

[4] Diphtheria appeared in the provinces: Quang Tri, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Binh Phuoc.

[5] As of 6 a.m. August 27, 2020, the world recorded 24,295.7 thousand confirmed cases of Covid-19 (828.2 thousand deaths).


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