SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION IN 4 MONTHS OF 2019

1. Production of agriculture, forestry and fishery

a) Agriculture

As of April 15, the whole country cultivated 3,116.6 thousand hectares (ha) of winter-spring rice, equaling 100.6% of the cultivated winter-spring rice area in the same period last year. Localities in the North have basically completed the cultivation of winter-spring rice with the area of 1,112.6 thousand ha, equaling 98.9% of the North’s cultivated winter-spring rice area in the same period last year. In the Southern localities, the cultivation of winter-spring rice reached 2,004 thousand ha, equaling 101.5% of the South’s cultivated winter-spring rice area in the similar period in 2018. As of mid-April, localities in the South harvested 1,648.7 thousand ha of winter-spring rice, accounting for 82.3% of the sown area and equaling 107.8% of the harvested area in the corresponding period last year.

As of mid-April, localities over the country cultivated 404.8 thousand ha of maize, equaling 99.8% of the cultivated maize area in the similar period last year; 67.5 thousand ha of sweet potato, equaling 95.7% of the planted sweet potato area in the same period last year; 134.2 thousand ha of peanut, equaling 97.2% of the planted peanut area in the same period last year; 16.6 thousand ha of soya, equaling 107.8% of the planted soya area in the same period last year; 590.4 thousand ha of vegetables, equaling 105.7% of the planted vegetables area in the same period last year.

Estimated in April, the whole country’s pig population reduced by 0.8% compared with the similar period last year; buffalo population decreased by 2.9%; cattle population increased 3.1%; poultry population put up by 6.8%.

+ Agricultural production as of April 15, 2019

b) Forestry

Generally, in the first four months of the year, the concentrated planted forest area was estimated to reach 59 thousand ha, a rise of 0.9% compared to the same period last year; the number of separate planted trees gained 22.5 million trees, a decline of 3.7%; wood production achieved 3,942 thousand m3, a rise of 4.3%; firewood production recorded 5.3 million steres, a decrease of 1.7% from the similar period last year.

Generally, in the first four months of this year, damaged forest area was 200 ha, a decrease of 44.7% against the same period in 2018, of which burnt forest area was 59.8 ha, a decline of 62.7%; destroyed forest area was 140.2 ha, a decrease of 30.4%.

c) Fishery

Generally, in the first four months of the year, estimated fishing production reached 2,156.5 thousand tons, increasing by 5.1% from the corresponding period last year, of which the output of aquaculture gained 994.6 thousand tons, a growth of 5.3%; the production of fishery caught achieved 1,161.9 thousand tons, a rise of 4.9% (the production of sea catching reached 1,111.6 thousand tons, up 5.2%).

2. Industry

Generally, in the first four 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 10.7% in the similar period in 2018, but higher than the growth rate of 7.4% and 6.6% in the same period in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

In the first four months of 2019, IIP of 59/63 provinces and centrally-run cities showed a growth compared to the identical period last year.

The number of employees working in industrial enterprises as of April 01, 2019 climbed by 1.4% over the same period last month and by 2.3% against the similar period last year, of which employees in the State enterprise sector decreased by 0.4%; employees in the non-State enterprise sector grew by 2.1%; and employees in the FDI enterprise sector went up by 2.8%. As of above time, the number of employees working in the mining and quarrying enterprises reduced by 0.7% from the same period last year; the number of employees working in the manufacturing enterprises increased by 2.4%; the number of employees working in the electricity generation and distribution sector grew by 3%; the number of employees working in the water supply and waste treatment put up by 1.9%.

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

3. Business registration situation[1]

In general, in the first four months of this year, the whole country had 43,305 enterprises  registered for new establishment with a total registered capital of 542.4 trillion dongs, a rise of 4.9% in the number of enterprise and an increase of 31.7% in the registered capital compared with the same period in 2018[2]. Average registered capital per newly established enterprise reached 12.5 billion dongs, up 25%. Total registered capital added to the economy in four months of 2019 was 1,414.4 trillion dongs, including 872 trillion dongs of enterprises increasing their capital. In addition, there were 17,463 enterprises returning to operation, a rise of 52.6% over the similar period last year, bringing the total number of newly registered enterprises and re-operated enterprises in four months of this year to nearly 60.8 thousand enterprises. Total number of registered employees of the newly established enterprises in the first four months of 2019 was 449.1 thousand persons, a rise of 35.2% against the same period last year.

The number of temporarily ceased enterprises with a certain time in the first four months of this year was 16,984 ones, an increase of 19.7% against the identical period last year. In the first four months of this year, 17,265 enterprises suspended operation waiting for dissolution procedures, of which 8,935 enterprises have their business registration certificates revoked under the 2018 data standardization program, accounting for 51.8% of the total enterprises suspended their operation to wait for completing dissolution procedures; the number of enterprises which announced their dissolution was 4,333 ones, accounting for 25% and 3,997 ones are waiting for dissolution procedures, accounting for 23.2%.

The number of enterprises which completed dissolution procedures in the first four months of 2019 was 5,305 ones, a rise of 12.9% over the same period last year, of which 4,793 ones had the capital size of less than 10 billion dongs (accounting for 90.3% of the total enterprises which completed dissolution procedures), an increase of 11.6%.

+ 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 the first four months of this year, total realized investment capital under the State budget achieved 73.4 trillion dongs, equaling 21.3% of the annual plan and increasing by 3% against the similar period last year (it equaled 20.3% and rose by 9.8% in the same period last year), of which the capital under central management obtained 9 trillion dongs, equaling 19.5% of the annual plan and decreasing by 30.6% from the similar period last year; the capital under local management reached 64.4 trillion dongs, equaling 21.6% of the annual plan and increasing by 10.5% compared with the identical period in 2018.

From the beginning of the year to April 20, 2019, FDI attracted 1,082 newly licensed projects with the total registered capital of US$ 5,345 million, an increase of 22.5% in the number of projects and 50.4% in the registered capital against the similar period in 2018. Besides, there were 395 turns of license-granted projects from previous years registered to adjust investment capital with the additional capital of US$ 2,110.6 million, a decline of 6% from the same period last year. Thus the total of newly registered capital and additional capital in the first four months of the year reached US$ 7,455.6 million, increasing by 7.5% from 2018’s same period. Realized FDI capital in the first four months of 2019 was estimated at US$ 5.7 billion, increasing by 7.5% over the identical period in 2018.  In the first four months of 2019, there were 2,416 turns of capital contribution and share purchase of foreign investors with a total contributory value of US$ 7.14 billion, 3.2 times as high as that in 2018’s same period, of which 605 turns of capital contribution and share purchase increased the charter capital of enterprises with the contributed capital of US$ 5.13 billion and 1,811 turns of foreign investors bought back domestic shares without increasing charter capital with the value of US$ 2.01 billion.

In the first four months of the year, 45 provinces and centrally-run cities nationwide received newly licensed foreign direct investment projects from 51 countries and territories.

Vietnam’s direct investment abroad in the first four months of 2019 had 44 projects newly granted the Outward Investment Registration Certificate with Vietnam’s total investment capital of US$ 96 million; 9 projects adjusting the capital with additional capital of US$ 53.5 million. Generally, Vietnam’s total offshore investment capital (including newly granted and additional capital) in four months of 2019 gained US$ 149.5 million.

+ Realized investment capital under the State budget in April and 4 months of 2019
+ Licensed FDI projects from January 01 to April 20, 2019

5. Government revenues and expenditures

Total estimated government revenues from the beginning of the year to April 15, 2019 achieved 421 trillion dongs, equaling 29.8% of the annual estimate, of which domestic revenues reached 337.3 trillion dongs, equaling 28.7%; collecting from crude oil gained 15.3 trillion dongs, equaling 34.4%; from export-import balance obtained 67.7 trillion dongs, equaling 35.8%. In domestic revenues, revenue from State owned enterprises was 43.9 trillion dongs, equaling 24.7% of the yearly estimate; revenue from foreign-invested enterprises (excluding crude oil) was 54.7 trillion dongs, equaling 25.6%; 69.5 trillion dongs were collected from non-State industrial, commercial and service taxes, equaling 28.8%; personal income tax revenue was 37.1 trillion dongs, equaling 32.8%; 12.9 trillion dongs were collected from environmental protection tax, equaling 18.7%; land use fees reached 29.8 trillion dongs, equaling 33.1%.

Total government expenditures from the beginning of the year to April 15, 2019 was estimated at 376.4 trillion dongs, equaling 23% of the yearly estimate, of which regular expenditures were 274.8 trillion dongs, equaling 27.5%; expenditure on development investment achieved 65.3 trillion dongs, equaling 15.2%; expenditure on interest payment was 35.1 trillion dongs, equaling 28.1%.

6. Trade, prices, transport and tourism

a) Retail sales of consumer goods and services

Generally, in the first four months of 2019, total estimated retail sales of consumer goods and services reached 1,583.7 trillion dongs, increasing by 11.9% against the same period last year, if excluding the price factor, the growth rate was 9% (it increased by 8.9% in the same period in 2018).

By kinds of economic activity, retail sales of goods in the first four months of the year gained an estimate of 1,215.8 trillion dongs, accounting for 76.8% of the total and increasing by 13.2% over the similar period last year. Estimated sales of accommodation and catering services in the first four months of the year recorded 187.4 trillion dongs, accounting for 11.8% of the total and moving up by 9.2% from the same period last year. Sales of travelling in four months achieved an estimate of 14.9 trillion dongs, representing 0.9% of the total and climbing by 13.1% against the similar period last year. Sales of other services in four months were estimated at 165.6 trillion dongs, taking 10.5% of the total and expanding by 5.7% compared to the identical period in 2018.

+ Total retail sales of consumer goods and services

b) Exports and imports of goods

Total export and import turnovers of goods in the first four months of 2019 were estimated to reach US$ 156.8 billion, of which export gained US$ 78.76 billion, a rise of 5.8% compared to the similar period last year; import achieved US$ 78.05 billion, an increase of 10.4%. Despite maintaining a surplus for four months with an estimated trade surplus of US$ 711 million, merchandize trade balance was much lower than the trade surplus of US$ 3.7 billion in the same period in 2018.

Exports of goods

Generally, in the first four months of 2019, export turnover of goods was estimated at US$ 78.76 billion, a rise of 5.8% over the same period in 2018, of which the domestic economic sector achieved US$ 23.33 billion, moving up by 10.5%, accounting for 29.6% of the total export turnover; the FDI sector (including crude oil) gained US$ 55.43 billion, increasing by 4%, accounting for 70.4% of total export turnover (the proportion reduced 1.2 percentage points from the corresponding period last year).

Regarding merchandize export market in the first four months of 2019, the United States was the biggest export market of Vietnam with the turnover of US$ 17.8 billion, up 28.4% over  the same period last year; followed by EU with US$ 13.7 billion, an increase of 2.8%; China with US$ 10.4 billion, a decline of 5.8%; ASEAN with US$ 8.4 billion, an increase of 7.3%; South Korea with US$ 6.2 billion, a growth of 7.3%; Japan with US$ 6.1 billion, a growth of 6.6%.

Imports of goods

Generally, import turnover of goods in the first four months of 2019 reached an estimate of US$ 78.05 billion, moving up by 10.4% from the same period in 2018, of which the domestic economic sector gained US$ 32.80 billion, climbing by 14.4%; the FDI sector achieved US$ 45.25 billion, jumping up by 7.6%.  

About merchandize import market in the first four months of 2019, China was still the largest import market of Vietnam with turnover of US$ 22.3 billion, up 18.8% against the corresponding period last year; followed by South Korea with US$ 15.5 billion, increasing by 3.1%; ASEAN with US$ 10.8 billion, climbing by 9.2%; Japan with US$ 5.7 billion, moving down by 1.4%; EU with US$ 4.6 billion, growing by 14.8%; the United States with US$ 4.2 billion, going up by 14.3%.

Generally, in four months of 2019, Vietnam continued to have trade surplus of US$ 711 million[3] (trade surplus was US$ 3.7 billion in the same period last year), of which the domestic economic sector recorded a trade deficit of US$ 9.46 billion; the FDI sector (including crude oil) saw a trade surplus of US$ 10.17 billion.

+ Exports
+ Imports

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

CPI in April 2019 increased by 0.31% over the last month, by 1% against December 2018 and by 2.93% from the identical period last year. Average CPI in the first four months of 2019 expanded by 2.71% from the similar period in 2018, this is the lowest increase in the first four months in the last 3 years[4].

Core inflation in April 2019 moved up by 0.09% against the previous month and by 1.88% from the same period last year. Average core inflation in the first four months of this year increased by 1.84% over the similar period in 2018.

Gold price index in April 2019 decreased by 0.5% against the previous month, increased by 2.78% from December 2018 and fell by 1.27% from the same period in 2018.

The US dollar price index in April 2019 reduced by 0.02% over the previous month, decreased by 0.46% against December 2018 and increased by 1.89% compared to the same period in 2018.

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

d) Transport of passenger and cargo

Generally, in the first four months of 2019, transport of passenger reached 1,656.1 million passengers, a rise of 10.9% over the corresponding period last year and 75.1 billion passengers-km, a rise of 9.6%, of which domestic transport gained 1650.2 million passengers, an increase of 10.9% and 58.7 billion passengers-km, an increase of 9.8%; overseas transport achieved nearly 6 million passengers, an increase of 10.2% and 16.3 billion passengers-km, an increase of 8.9%. By type of transport, transport by road achieved 1,565 million passengers, a rise of 11.1% against the same period last year and 52.3 billion passengers-km, a rise of 10.7%; transport by inland waterway gained 68.2 million passengers, a growth of 7.8% and 1,329.8 million passengers-km, an increase of 7.2%; transport by seaway reached 2.6 million passengers, 6.3% increase and 152.4 million passengers-km, 6.9% growth; transport by airway recorded 17.7 million passengers, a rise of 8% and 20.1 billion passengers-km, a rise of 8.3%. Transport by railway reached 2.6 million passengers, a decline of 9.3% and 1,120.3 million passengers-km, a decrease of 8.6%.

Generally, in four months, the freight reached 547.6 million tons, an increase of 8.7% against the similar period last year and 104.1 billion tons-km, going up by 6.6%, of which the domestic freight reached 536.7 million tons, an increase of 8.8% and 58.8 billion tons-km, an increase of 9.7%; oversea freight reached 10.9 million tons, a growth of 1.7% and 45.3 billion tons-km, an increase of 2.8%. By type of freight, freight by road reached 421.4 million tons, an increase of 9.5% compared to the identical period last year and 28.2 billion tons-km, a rise of 9.1%; freight by inland waterway reached 97.9 million tons, an increase of 6.4% and 20.6 billion tons-km, an increase of 5%; freight by seaway reached 26.5 million tons, an increase of 5.9% and 53.8 billion tons-km, a rise of 6.3%; freight by railway reached 1.7 million tons, a decrease of 12.9% and 1.1 billion tons-km, a drop of 11.7%; only freight by airway reached 134.3 thousand tons, a rise of 16.1% and 338 million tons-km, an increase of 16.7%.

+ Carriage of passengers and cargos

e) International visitors to Vietnam

Generally, in the first four months of 2019, international visitors to Vietnam was estimated at 5,968.9 thousand arrivals, a rise of 7.6% compared to the same period last year, of which visitors coming by airway gained 4,674 thousand arrivals, moving up by 5.4%; visitors coming by road gained 1,175.4 thousand arrivals, increasing by 21.1%; visitors coming by seaway achieved 119.5 thousand arrivals, decreasing by 15.9%.

In the first four months of the year, most visitors from major markets increased, accounting for the largest proportion and the highest growth rate was still visitors from Asia with nearly 4,522.5 thousand arrivals, increasing by 8.5% over the identical period last year. Visitors from the Europe reached over 891 thousand thousand arrivals, a rise of 5.7% from the same period last year. Visitors from the America recorded 375 thousand arrivals, increasing by 5.1% over the corresponding period last year, of which visitors from the United States reached 281 thousand arrivals, up 6.7%. Visitors from the Australia 163.6 thousand arrivals, moving up by 0.4%. Visitors from the Africa achieved 16 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 the first four months of 2019, there were 43.9 thousand households suffering from food shortage over the country, down 26.1% from the same period last year, corresponding to 172.1 thousand persons suffering from this problem, down 25.5%. 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 2.4 thousand tons of rice.

b) Epidemic diseases and food poisoning

Generally, in the first four months of the year, the whole country had 11.4 thousand cases of hand, foot, mouth disease (1 case died); 51.5 thousand cases of hemorrhagic fever (3 cases died); 130 cases of virus encephalitis (4 cases died); 7 case of meningococcal disease; and 586 persons suffering from food poisoning (3 persons died). Generally, in the first four months of the year, the whole country had 16.1 thousand cases of scarlet fever suspected for measles, of which 2.2 thousand cases positive for measles (2 deaths). The main reason leading to outbreaks of measles is that many cases were not vaccinated against measles or got vaccinated not as specified schedule.

Total number of alive HIV-infected persons over the country as of April 18, 2019 was 209.2 thousand persons and 96.04 thousand cases turned to AIDS. The number of persons died of HIV/AIDS nationwide as of above time-point was 98.26 thousand persons.

c)Traffic accidents

Generally, in the first four months of 2019, 5,453 traffic accidents occurred nationwide, including 2,919 cases of traffic accidents from less serious to become and 2,534 cases of traffic collisions, causing 2,570 deaths, 1,615 injuries and 2,564 minor injuries. Compared to the same period last year, the number of traffic accidents in the first four months of this year declined by 9.4% (number of traffic accidents of differently serious levels reduced by 6%; number of traffic collisions decreased by 13.1%); number of death fell by 7.8%; number of injuries went down by 2.5% and number of minor injuries moved down by 16.2%. On average, 45 traffic accidents occurred nationwide each day in the first four months of the year, including 24 traffic accidents from less serious to become and 21 traffic collisions, causing 21 deaths and 13 injuries and 21 minor injuries.

d) Damages caused by natural calamity

Generally, in the first four months of the year, natural calamity made 10 persons died and lost, 19 persons injured, 427 houses collapsed and swept away, 12.4 thousand houses damaged and roof ripped-off, 7.6 thousand ha of rice and crops damaged. The total loss caused by natural disasters in four months was estimated at 194 billion dongs.

e) Environment protection, fire and explosion prevention

Generally, in the first four months of the year, 3,019 cases of violating regulations of environment protection were found over the country, of which 2,662 cases were treated with total fine of 31.2 billion dongs.

Generally, in the first four months of this year, there were 1,277 fire and explosion cases occurring nationwide, causing 44 deaths and 74 injuries, with an estimated damage of over 264 billion dongs.

GENERAL STATISTICS OFFICE

[1] Source: National Business Registration Information System, Agency for Business Registration, Ministry of Planning and Investment.
[2] In four months of 2018, the number of newly registered enterprises increased by 4.3% compared to the same period in the previous year; the registered capital went up by 11.5%; average registered capital per enterprise expanded by 6.8%.
[3] Of which, trade deficit with EU was US$ 9.1 billion, down 2.3% from the same period last year; trade deficit with China was US$ 11.9 billion, up 53.8%; trade deficit with South Korea was US$ 9.3 billion, up 0.4%; trade deficit with ASEAN was US$ 2.4 billion, up 16.3%.
[4] The average CPI growth rate in the first four months compared with the same period of the previous year of the years 2017-2019 was 4.8%; 2.8% and 2.71%, respectively.