SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION IN 10 MONTHS OF 2018

1. Production of agriculture, forestry and fishery

a) Agriculture

In 2018, 1689.7 thousand hectares (ha) of winter rice were cultivated over the country, equaling 98.7% of the cultivated area in the similar period last year, of which provinces in the North reached 1105.7 thousand ha, equaling 97.5%[1]; provinces in the South reached 584 thousand ha, equaling 101.1%. As of mid-October, the Northern localities harvested 736.6 thousan ha of winter rice, accounting for 66.6% of the cultivated area and equaling 95.3% of the harvested area in the same period last year. In the Southern provinces, 303.3 thousand ha of winter rice were harvested, accounting for 51.9% of the sown area and equaling 99.6% of the harvested area in the same period last year; estimated productivity gained 4840 kilograms per ha (kg/ha), an increase of 290 kg/ha compared to the winter crop in 2017; the yield of the whole crop was estimated to reach 2.8 million tons, a rise of 201 thousand tons.

Together with caring and harvesting winter rice, localities nationwide basically finished the summer-autumn rice production with the area of 2052.8 thousand ha, a decrease of 13.7 thousand ha compared to the same crop last year[2]. According to local reports, the productivity of summer-autumn rice this year was estimated at 5440 kg/ha, a rise of 10 kg/ha compared to the last summer-autumn crop; but due to the reduction of cultivated area, the overall output of the summer-autumn crop in 2018 achieved 11.2 million tons, a decrease of 47.7 thousand tons, of which the Mekong Delta gained 8.7 million tons, a decrease of 30.5 thousand tons.

As of October 15, 2018, the whole country cultivated 71.5 thousand ha of maize, equaling 87.7% of the planted maize area in the same period last year; 11.4 thousand ha of sweet potato, equaling 101.8% of the planted sweet potato area in the same period last year; 4 thousand ha of soya, equaling 97.6% of the planted soya area in the same period last year; 4.6 thousand ha of peanut, equaling 93.9% of the planted peanut area in the same period last year; 74.2 thousand ha of vegetables, equaling 105% of the planted vegetables area in the same period last year.

Cattle and poultry husbandry was generally stable. The whole country’s buffalo population was estimated to reduce by 1% compared to the same period last year; cattle population increased by 2%; pig population grew by 2.1%; poultry population put up by 5.6%.

+ Agricultural production as of October 15, 2018

b) Forestry

Generally, in ten months, the concentrated planted forest area nationwide was estimated to reach 186.9 thousand ha, a decline of 0.6% compared to the same period last year; the number of separate planted trees gained 68.5 million trees, equivalent to the figure in the same period last year; wood production achieved 10.3 million m3, a rise of 10.1%; firewood production gained 20.4 million steres, a decline of 1.4%.

Generally, in ten months of this year, damaged forest area was 1237.2 ha[3], up 5.6% against the same period last year, of which the burnt forest area was 732.5 ha, up 78.8%; the destroyed forest area was 504.7 ha, down 33.8%.

c) Fishery

Generally, in ten months, fishing production was estimated to reach 6172.9 thousand tons, a rise of 6% compared to the same period last year, of which the ouput of aquaculture gained 3295.3 thousand tons, up 6.6%; the production of fishery caught achieved 2877.6 thousand tons, up 5.3% (the production of sea catching reached 2710.1 thousand tons, up 5.6%).

2. Industry

Generally, in ten months of 2018, the index of industrial production (IIP) was estimated to increase by 10.4% over the similar period last year, higher than the growth rate of 9.6% in the same period in 2017[4]. Of which, the manufacturing increased by 12.7%, contributed 9.8 percentage points to the overall growth; the production and distribution of electricity grew by 9.6%, contributed 0.9 percentage point; the water supply and waste treatment increased by 6.6%, contributed 0.1 percentage point; only the mining and quarrying fell by 2.6%, reduced 0.4 percentage point of the general growth.

The number of employees working in industrial enterprises as of October 01, 2018 climbed by 3.1% over the same period last year, of which employees in the State enterprise sector decreased by 1.1%; employees in the non-State enterprise sector grew by 3.2%; and employees in the FDI enterprise sector went up by 3.7%. As of above time point, employees working in the mining and quarrying industry moved down by 1.5% from the same period last year; employees working in the manufacturing industry went up by 3.4%; employees working in the production and distribution of electricity increased by 0.2%; employees working in the water supply and waste treatment put up by 0.4%.

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

3. Business registration situation[5]

Generally, in ten months, the whole country had 109.611 enterprises registered for new establishment with a total registered capital of 1116 trillion dongs, an increase of 4.3% in the number of enterprise and 9.2% rise in the registered capital compared with the same period in 2017[6]. Average registered capital per newly established enterprise reached 10.2 billion dongs, up 4.7%. If including 2045.1 trillion dongs of additionally registered capital of the enterprises which changed to raise the capital, the total registered capital added to the economy in ten months of 2018 was 3161.1 trillion dongs. Besides, there were 27935 enterprises returning to operation, a rise of 22.7% over the similar period last year, bringing the total number of newly registered enterprises and re-operated enterprises in ten months of this year to over 137.5 thousand enterprises. Total number of registered laborers of newly established enterprises in ten months of 2018 was 924.8 thousand persons, a decrease of 5.3% against the same period last year.

The number of temporarily ceased enterprises in ten months of 2018 was 78404 ones, an increase of 48.5% against the identical period last year, including 24467 enterprises registered for time-limited temporary cessation of business, rising by 24.7% and 53937 enterprises temporarily suspended operation without registering or waiting for dissolution, increasing by 62.6%[7].

The number of enterprises which finished the procedure for dissolution in ten months of 2018 was 13307 ones, an increase of 35.9% from the same period last year, of which there were 12206 enterprises with capital size of less than 10 billion dongs, accounting for 91.7% and growing by 35.9%.

+ Number of enterprises registered for new establishment
+ Number of re-operated enterprises by kinds of activity
+ Number of temporarily ceased enterprises by kinds of activity

4. Investment

Generally, in ten months of this year, realized investment capital under the State budget reached 248.2 trillion dongs, equaling 71.67% of the annual plan and increasing by 12.5% against the same period last year (it equaled 71.72% of the yearly plan and grew by 7.1% in 2017’s same period), of which the capital under central management obtained 45.9 trillion dongs, equaling 69.7% of the annual plan and decreasing by 6.4% over the identical period last year; the capital under local management achieved 202.3 trillion dongs, equaling 72.1% of the annual plan and increasing by 17.9% compared with the same period in 2017.

From the beginning of the year to October 20, 2018, FDI attracted 2458 newly licensed projects with the total registered capital of US$ 15028.2 million, an increase of 18.7% in the number of projects and a decline of 7.8% in the registered capital against the similar period in 2017. Besides, there were 954 turns of license-granted projects from previous years registered to adjust investment capital with the additional capital of US$ 6543.3 million, down 10% from the same period last year. Therefore, the total of newly registered capital and additional capital in ten months reached US$ 21571.5 million, down 8.5% from 2017’s same period. Realized FDI capital in ten months of this year was estimated at US$ 15.1 billion, increasing by 6.3% over the identical period in 2017.  In ten months of 2018, there were 5342 turns of capital contribution and share purchase of foreign investors with a total contributory value of US$ 6.3 billion, a growth of 35.8% against the same period in 2017, of which 889 turns of capital contribution and share purchase increased the charter capital of enterprises with the contributed capital of US$ 2.2 billion and 4453 turns of foreign investors bought back domestic shares without increasing charter capital with the value of US$ 4.1 billion.

In ten months, 54 provinces and centrally-run cities nationwide received newly licensed foreign direct investment projects from 72 countries and territories.

Vietnam’s direct investment abroad in ten months of this year had 121 projects newly granted the Outward Investment Registration Certificate with Vietnam’s total investment capital of US$ 297.4 million; 26 capital adjustment projects with additional capital of US$ 47.1 million. Generally, Vietnam’s total offshore investment capital (including newly granted and additional capital) in ten months of 2018 gained US$ 344.5 million.

+ Realized investment capital under the State budget
+ Licensed FDI projects from January 01 to October 20, 2018

5. Government revenues and expenditures

Total estimated government revenues from the beginning of the year to October 15, 2018 achieved 1009 trillion dongs, equaling 76.5% of the annual estimate, of which domestic revenues reached 798.5 trillion dongs, equaling 72.6%; collecting from crude oil gained 48.5 trillion dongs, equaling 135.2%; from export-import balance obtained 158 trillion dongs, equaling 88.3%. In domestic revenues, revenue from State owned enterprises was 110.2 trillion dongs, equaling 66.2% of the yearly estimate; revenue from foreign-invested enterprises (excluding crude oil) was 131.9 trillion dongs, equaling 59.2%; 153 trillion dongs were collected from non-State industrial, commercial and service taxes, equaling 70.2%; personal income tax revenue was 72.1 trillion dongs, equaling 74.4%; 34.1 trillion dongs were collected from environmental protection tax, equaling 70%; land use fees reached 92.6 trillion dongs, equaling 107.8%.

Total government expenditures from the beginning of the year to October 15, 2018 was estimated at 1051.2 trillion dongs, equaling 69% of the yearly estimate, of which regular expenditures were 728.9 trillion dongs, equaling 77.5%; expenditure on development investment achieved 220.1 trillion dongs, equaling 55.1%; expenditure on interest payment was 84.5 trillion dongs, equaling 75.1%.

6. Trade, prices, transport and tourism

a) Retail sales of consumer goods and services

Generally, in ten months of 2018, total estimated retail sales of consumer goods and services reached 3612.8 trillion dongs, up 11.4% against the same period last year, if excluding the price factor, the growth rate was 9.31% (it increased by 8.79% in the same period in 2017).

By kinds of economic activity, retail sales of goods in ten months of this year gained an estimate of 2719.2 trillion dongs, accounting for 75.3% of the total and increasing by 12.2% over the similar period last year. Estimated sales of accommodation and catering services in ten months attained 440.1 trillion dongs, accounting for 12.2% of the total and moving up by 8.3% from the same period last year. Sales of travelling in ten months of this year achieved an estimate of 33.5 trillion dongs, making up 0.9% of the total and climbing by 15.6% against the similar period last year. Sales of other services in ten months was estimated at 420 trillion dongs, representing 11.6% of the total and increasing by 9.3% compared to the identical period in 2017.

+ Total retail sales of consumer goods and services

b) Exports and imports of goods

Generally, in ten months of 2018, export turnovers of goods was estimated to reach US$ 200.27 billion, a rise of 14.2% compared with the same period in 2017, of which the domestic economic sector achieved US$ 56.82 billion, moving up by 16.8%; the FDI sector (including crude oil) gained US$ 143.45 billion (accounting for 71.6% of total export turnovers), increasing by 13.2%.

About the merchandize export market in ten months, the United States was the biggest export market of Vietnam with the turnover of US$ 39 billion, up 12.8% over  the same period last year; followed by EU with US$ 34.9 billion, increasing by 9.9%; China with US$ 32.1 billion, a rise of 21.3%; ASEAN with US$ 20.6 billion, an increase of 14.5%; Japan with US$ 15.3 billion, moving up by 10.6%; South Korea with US$ 15 billion, a growth of 23.5%.

Generally, in ten months, import turnovers of goods reached an estimate of US$ 193.84 billion, up 11.8% from the same period last year, of which the domestic economic sector gained US$ 77.50 billion, up 12%; the FDI sector achieved US$ 116.34 billion, up 11.7%.

About the merchandize import market in ten months, China was still the biggest import market of Vietnam with turnover of US$ 52.9 billion, up 12.4% against the corresponding period in 2017; followed by South Korea with US$ 39.2 billion, increasing by 2.1%; ASEAN with US$ 26 billion, climbing by 13.1%; Japan with US$ 15.5 billion, 14.6% increase; EU with US$ 11.2 billion, growing by 12.1%; the United States with US$ 10.6 billion, jumping up by 37.5%.

Realized machandize trade balance in September had trade surplus of US$ 1.6 billion[8]. As estimated, in October, trade surplus was US$ 100 million.  Generally, in ten months, the balance of trade maintained trade surplus with US$ 6.4 billion[9], of which the domestic economic sector had trade deficit of US$ 20.7 billion; the FDI sector (including crude oil) had trade surplus of US$ 27.1 billion.

+ Exports
+ Imports

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

Average CPI in ten months of 2018 increased by 3.60% compared to the similar period in 2017. CPI in October 2018 grew by 3.54% over December 2017 and by 3.89% from the same period in 2017. The average core inflation in the first 10 months of 2018 rose by 1.43% over the same period last year.

Gold price index in October 2018 went up by 0.12% over the previous month, moved down by 1.78% from December 2017 and fell by 2.19% over the same period last year. The US dollar price index in October 2018 grew by 0.20% over the previous month and by 2.80% compared to December 2017 and by 2.82% over the same period in 2017.

+ Consumer price indexes, gold, US dollar price indexes and core inflation in October 2018

d) Carriage of passengers and cargos

Generally, in ten months of 2018, passenger carriage reached 3840 million passengers, a rise of 10.3% over the corresponding period last year and 171.3 billion passengers-kilometers, a rise of 10.4%, of which passengers carried by road achieved 3623.6 million passengers, a rise of 10.5% and 118.6 billion passengers-kilometers, a rise of 10.8%; by inland waterway: 161.4 million passengers, up 6.6% and 3.1 billion passengers-kilometers, up 6.9%; by seaway: 6.2 million passengers, 7% increase and 366.4 million passengers-kilometers, 7.2% growth; by airway: 41.3 million passengers, an increase of 12.2% and 46.1 billion passengers-kilometers, an increase of 10.8%. Only passenger carriage by railway reached 7.5 million passengers, a drop of 9.8% and 3.1 billion passengers-kilometers, a decline of 3.7%.

Generally, in ten months, cargo carriage gained 1350.3 million tons, up 9.6% from the same period last year and 252.5 billion tons-kilometers, up 7.3%, of which the domestic transport reached 1322.2 million tons, increasing by 9.8% and 138.4 billion tons-kilometers, going up by 10.1%; overseas transport reached 28.1 million tons, moving up by 3% and 114.1 billion tons-kilometers, growing by 4.2%. By types of transport, cargo transport by road obtained 1042 million tons, a rise of 10.4% over the same period last year and 68.8 billion tons-kilometers, up 11.7%; by inland waterway: 238.9 million tons, up 7.2% and 50.4 billion tons-kilometers, an increase of 7.6%; by seaway: 64.4 million tons, going up by 6.2% and 129.1 billion tons-kilometers, climbing by 4.9%; by railway: 4.7 million tons, a rise of 1.8% and 3.3 billion tons-kilometers, an increase of 12.1%; by airway: 330.5 thousand tons, up 21.1% and 874.4 million tons-kilometers, up 19.6%.

+ Carriage of passengers and cargos

e) International visitors to Vietnam

Generally, in ten months of this year, international visitors to Vietnam was estimated to reach 12821.6 thousand arrivals, a rise of 22.4% compared to the same period last year, of which visitors coming by airway gained 10361.2 thousand arrivals, moving up by 16.7%; by road: 2260.3 thousand arrivals, rising by 62.5%; by seaway: 200.1 thousand arrivals, decreasing by 2.3%.

In ten months, visitors from Asia reached 9989.5 thousand arrivals, accounting for 77.9% of the total visitors to Vietnam, increasing by 26.5% over the identical period last year. Visitors from the Europe reached an estimate of 1670.6 thousand arrivals, up 9.8% from the same period last year. Visitors from the Americas reached 754.2 thousand arrivals, increasing by 12.4% over the corresponding period last year. Visitors from the Australia gained 372.6 thousand arrivals, increasing by 5.7%. Visitors from the Africa achieved 34.8 thousand arrivals, growing by 19.7% over the same period in 2017.

+ International visitors to Vietnam

7. Social issues

a) Farmers’ food shortage

Generally, in ten months of 2018, the whole country had 102.7 thousand households suffering from food shortage, a decrease of 37.8% from the same period last year, corresponding to 409.8 thousand persons suffering from food shortage, a decline of 39.6%. 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 more than 7.4 thousand tons of grain and 1.6 billion dongs.

b) Epidemic diseases and food poisoning

Generally, in ten months of 2018, the whole country had nearly 72.2 thousand cases of hand, foot, mouth disease (6 cases died); 72.2 thousand cases of hemorrhagic fever (11 cases died); 507 cases of typhoid; 689 cases of virus encephalitis (20 cases died); 28 cases of meningococcal disease (2 cases died); 595 cases of whooping cough (2 cases died); 72 human cases of streptococcus suis infection (6 cases died); and 67 cases died of rabies and 2237 persons suffering from food poisoning (10 persons died).

Total number of alive HIV-infected persons over the country as of October 18, 2018 was 208.6 thousand persons and 93.7 thousand cases turned to AIDS. The number of persons died of HIV/AIDS nationwide as of above time-point was 98.1 thousand persons.

c) Traffic accidents

Generally, in ten months of 2018, 14845 traffic accidents occurred nationwide, including 7669 cases of traffic accidents from less serious to become and 7176 cases of traffic collisions, causing 6674 deaths, 4100 injuries and 7449 minor injuries. Compared to the same period last year, the number of traffic accidents in ten months of this year declined by 8.2% (number of traffic accidents of differently serious levels reduced by 2.9%; number of traffic collisions decreased by 13.3%); number of death fell by 2.2%; number of injuries went up by 1.2% and number of minor injuries moved down by 19.3%. On average, 49 traffic accidents occurred a day in ten months, including 25 traffic accidents from less serious to become and 24 traffic collisions, causing 22 deaths and 14 injuries and 25 minor injuries.

d) Damages caused by natural disasters

Generally, in ten months, natural disasters made 185 people dead and missing; 134 ones injured; nearly 1.9 thousand houses collapsed and swept away; 59.6 thousand houses flooded, landslided, damaged and roof ripped-off; over 172 thousand ha of paddy and crops damaged. The total loss caused by natural disasters was estimated at over 8.8 trillion dongs.

e) Environment protection, fire and explosion prevention

Generally, in ten months, 12070 cases of violating regulations of environment protection were found over the country, of which 11131 cases were treated with total fine of over 171 billion dongs.

Generally, in ten months, in the whole country, there were 3776 fire and explosion cases, causing 91 deaths and 235 injuries, with an estimated damage of about 1.6 trillion dongs.

GENERAL STATISTICS OFFICE

[1] The cultivated winter rice area in the North decreased mainly due to the conversion of a part of the land for rice cultivation to other purposes, of which 9.7 thousand ha were for other crops and aquaculture; 4.6 thousand ha were converted to the non-agricultural land (construction of infrastructure, irrigation works ...); 18.7 thousand ha were not to used for production (abandoned due to difficulties in irrigation, lack of labour, impact of weather, soil pollution ...). On the other hand, 3.5 thousand ha of land returned to rice cultivation because last year it could not be sown due to lack of water; 0.5 thousand ha returned to rice cultivation due to being converted from cultivation of other annual crops and aquaculture; 0.7 thousand ha returned to rice cultivation due to reclamation.

[2] Of which, the area converted for other crops and aquaculture was 12.1 thousand ha; the area converted to non-agricultural land was 0.5 thousand ha; the area not used for production was 10.7 thousand ha. Besides, 8.7 thousand ha returned to rice cultivation because last year it could not be sown due to lack of water or salt intrusion and 0.9 thousand ha returned to rice cultivation due to being converted from cultivation of other annual crops and aquaculture.

[3] As updated, the damaged forest area in nine months of this year was 1203 ha, of which the burnt forest area was 731.4 ha and the destroyed forest area was 471.6 ha.

[4] In ten months of 2017, the mining and quarrying decreased by 6.8% compared to the same period in the previous year; the manufacturing increased by 13%; the production and distribution of electricity grew by 8.9%; the water supply and waste treatment went up by 6.5%.

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

[6] In ten months of 2017, the number of newly registered enterprises increased by 14.6% from the similar period in the

previous year; the registered capital grew by 43.8%; average registered capital per enterprise went up by 25.5%.

[7] The number of  enterprises temporarily suspended operation without registering or waiting for dissolution in ten months of this year increased highly, one of reasons for this was that business registration offices over the country were reviewing, standardizing data, eliminating enterprises which have been no longer in operation for a long time.

[8] As estimated, in September, trade surplus was US$ 700 million.

[9] Of which trade deficit with South Korea was US$ 24.3 billion, a decline of 7.8% compared to the same period last year; trade deficit with China was US$ 20.8 billion, a rise of 0.9%; trade deficit with ASEAN was US$ 5.4 billion, an increase of 8.1%; trade surplus with the United State was US$ 28.4 billion, a growth of 5.8%; trade surplus with EU reached US$ 23.7 billion, a rise of 8.9%.